Be Honest. Does your CRM Save You Time and Make You Money? 

Since their arrival in the late 1980’s, automated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems have become embedded in most marketing departments. Typically, these systems spend their days logging basic information - things like customer engagements, responses, loyalty programmes, shipping data, and communications patterns – the very same functions they were doing more than 20 years ago. This is all so yesterday, and it begs the questions ‘What does your CRM do for your business?’ and ‘Does your CRM save time and make you money?’ Be honest with your answers. Most likely, they’re ‘very little’ and ‘not at all’. In a challenging business environment, this is just not good enough.

Today’s smart CRM systems use AI and machine learning to improve the customer experience, empower staff, streamline processes, save a heap of time, and most importantly, make money for the business. They are as far from the 1990’s as you can get. Which begs two final questions – ‘How does your CRM software stack up?’ and ‘Are you in stuck in 1999 or is it 2022?’ Not sure? Read on and then decide.

Does your CRM improve the customer experience?

The easier and more fluid your customer experience is, the better it is, and you will see the difference in increased revenues. Look at your current CRM. Does it encourage customer interaction? Is it proactive, and able to predict the client’s next move? Does it make the client want to come back for more? No matter if they are a lifelong customer or someone who is learning about the products and services that you offer, your CRM should support them, answer their needs and questions, and then circle back to ensure the after-purchase experience is the best it can be.

Does it help you manage all your customer relationships?

This task may be the most basic requirement of any CRM programme, but many CRM systems do not do this efficiently – they rely on too much human intervention to perform this task. If your CRM doesn’t help you track and manage your client relationships throughout the customer journey without constant hand-holding, it’s not fit for purpose.

Does your CRM keep your teams on the same page?

It’s a fact that businesses that can enforce a unified mission story across the entire organisation will enjoy best success. Think Apple if you need an example – perfect design, perfect performance – you can see this in everything from their ads to their products and into retail. However, you don’t have to be a trillion-dollar company to achieve this kind of unity. The best CRM can help even the smallest SME’s present a seamless story – cutting across department borders to ensure siloed teams know what everyone else in the business are doing, citing customer feedback to improve R&D, production, marketing, sales, and encouraging workforce collaboration to deliver your core business mission.

Is it helping you make decisions?

Nobody can run a business based on guesswork. Data is king for good reason - it helps you make the best decisions. Your CRM system should effectively measure what is working and what isn’t, so that you can focus on continuous improvement, eliminate dead-end decisions, and cut the waste.

And the big one – Does your CRM help you win more business and help you grow?

At the end of the day, your CRM should make you the smartest guys in the room. Data feedback and incorporation, workforce collaboration, rifle-shot messaging, a seamless story, and anticipatory market actions are the minimum you should get from your CRM. This will reveal itself in more sales, business growth and an ability to react faster to market changes or to capitalise on opportunity. If you’re not getting this, your CRM is failing you.

Discover more about CRM that really works for your business

Ask Red Pegasus to advise, assist and help you implement the most innovative CRM sales and marketing software on the market. Attract visitors to your website, engage with prospects, increase sales conversions, and maximise your customer experience to turn your clientele into advocates for your business.

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• Red Pegasus are CRM experts, providing B2B sales, marketing, leadership, and commercial strategy services through technology, experience, and collaboration. Licensed Hubspot partners and Salesforce experts.