CRM is the fastest growing industry nowadays. In 2010, it used to be a $14 billion industry, while by 2025, it is estimated to reach $80 billion. That’s almost a jump of 600%.
A CRM software is not just meant for large business organization, rather any business, irrespective of its size, can now install and integrate this cost prohibitive technology.
The best is that even the bootstrapped businesses can take advantage of free CRM software.
Want to know why? Continue to read this article!
During 2008, only12% of enterprises had cloud-based CRM, but this figure has now reached 87%! This means that demand for this technology is increasing day by day.
But the question arises why businesses are resorting to adopt and deploy the CRM technology.
Let’s find it out below:
Earlier organizations had to manage the databases of their clients by scanning 1000s of spreadsheets.
Their employees had to skip from one system to another to search for customer data and leads.
Besides, they also had to navigate amongst sales prospects by checking scribbles on Post-it notes.
As a result, it was a very tedious and time-consuming process and a lot of time was gobbled up.
However, with the integration of a CRM software, you need not go through the tedious process.
Because it allows businesses to have an access to 360-degree views of customers in real-time and works great for enterprises looking forward to competing on customer experience.
So, if you want to effectively manage your business operation and improve its efficiency, deploying a robust CRM software in your company will be a wise decision.
It helps drive reliable, personal, and in-context experiences along customer journeys.
What’s more?
The software not just helps you in capturing customer data, tracking incoming leads, segmenting customers into meaningful groups but also creating a structured workflow.
It even works best for small businesses looking to maintain strong relationships across the board.
Best of all, the CRM helps your employees in keeping a record of all the interactions that your customer(s) have had with your company, generating personalized messages for the audience group that you are targeting, implementing lead scoring and lead nurturing methods, automating work processes, and much more.
Want to buy a CRM software for your organization? Don’t forget to consider these 5 factors:
1) Understand & define your business needs
Before selecting a CRM software, you need to first understand your business needs.
Based on the understanding of your needs, you should ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I want to generate more leads for my business?
If yes, choose to go with a CRM that comes with agile and strong lead-generating software.
- Are deals getting stuck in my pipeline?
If yes, buying a CRM with strong sales reporting capability will help you identify the bottleneck.
- Do I have problems accessing the contact data of my customers or clients?
If yes, opt for CRM software that allows easy access for a 360-degree contact view.
- Do I need to grow efficiency across my teams?
If yes, look for a CRM that can help in automating as many manual processes as possible.
- Do I need to have easier access to insight around my results?
If yes, bet on a CRM software that will provide you with customizable dashboards.
- Ø Is my sales team not capable enough in converting leads?
If yes, buy a CRM that will allow you to qualify leads and identify the most sales-ready prospects.
2) Price of CRM software for small business
A large number of CRM vendors today offer two types of offer – free trial and per-user price.
Before you finally select, it is suggested that you first go with the free trial and then decide whether or not the paid plan offer will be worth the amount that you can afford.
3) User-friendly and easy-to-use CRM
Make sure the system you are going to purchase will be easy to use for your team members.
Because spending money on training isn’t a good idea if the software isn’t user-friendly.
So, do due diligence by conducting research, reading previous/existing customers’ reviews to ascertain if the software you want to buy is novice-friendly and easy to use.
4) Faster response time to your queries
Make sure you purchase CRM software from the vendor that will not only answer your technical questions but also available to offer its customer support without any delay.
Any hindrance must not hamper the progress of your business whether small or large.
5) Marketing features
A complete CRM software solution comes integrated with marketing automation software.
It allows you to:
- Run multichannel marketing campaigns
- Build landing pages and web forms
- Track the results of your efforts
- Score and qualify leads
- Email marketing
- And many more
An all-in-one CRM helps you remove the rigmaroles of spending more on a standalone marketing automation solution, thus making it a great option for small businesses.
Still not sure what you need to consider when looking forward to buying a CRM suite?
Call our expert ERP, CRM software advisors at……for a free, no-obligation consultation!
Not only do we listen to your needs, but also help you with our consultancy services.
