5 Ways a Good CRM Strategy Can Improve Your Business
Gartner predicted over 5 years ago that customer relationship management (CRM) would become the fastest (and largest) growing software market, making it the ‘norm’ for having a system in place for every business. That prediction was right because managing customer relationships is a key factor to a company’s survival. Now more than ever with the COVD-19 pandemic switching us to a more digital landscape, CRM systems help manage and maintain customer data and retention. However, even though CRM isn’t new, many managers don’t know how to effectively strategize their CRM system for a successful business plan. Cheri Beranek, President and CEO of Clearfield, shares an article on Newsweek of 5 ways where a good CRM strategy can improve your business.
- A Well-Calibrated Team Does Better Work. “Without a well-defined CRM strategy, you’ll probably have a poorly calibrated team. A CRM strategy goes hand-in-hand with a well-defined sales process and is just as critical as any other sales, marketing or customer service endeavor.”
- Well-Planned Contact Makes for Healthy Relationships. “With a CRM strategy, the whole team is on the same page about keeping customer relationships thriving, but without one, your team is left to guess. Without the right follow-up with your customers, interactions can go stagnant and acquisition opportunities are lost.”
- You Can Only Optimize What You Have. “The complexity of evolving CRM technology will drive competition for improving the experience at every possible customer touchpoint. With defined CRM throughout the sales process, you can leverage marketing automation platforms to manage what you tell customers and when.”
- A Digital Future Demands Elevated Customer Experiences. “In an increasingly digital world, businesses without a CRM strategy will struggle. COVID-19 spurred an even faster pace of digital adoption, so to stay competitive, the focus must shift to digital customer management, especially for companies like ours that previously depended on high-touch models.”
- A Matter of Dollars and Cents. “Having a CRM strategy in place brings economic benefits. Along with the appropriate upgrades and improvements, a focus on the customer can boost customer satisfaction by up to 30% and employee satisfaction by up to 20%. It can also bring up to 50% higher economic gains.”
If you haven’t already, you need to start defining your CRM strategy with your sales leadership and analysts. Beranek concludes that when done right, a sound CRM strategy will put your organization ahead of your competitors.
