Back in the day, automating sales and keeping track of customers was simply a pen and paper job, necessitating a good knowledge of maths and attention to detail. Fortunately today, managing your business is comparatively easier, as a result of the many types of CRM software available. Customer Relationship Management programs are easy to find, especially for small businesses – although with so much choice, it can be difficult to know what works best for your business needs.
What is CRM?
Customer Relationship Management software should provide a platform on which you can completely manage your business, from stock levels to social media content. It effectively is used as a bridge between you and your customer to ensure a smooth line of communication, and get customers coming back again and again. Its main job is to collect data, which you regularly review to learn about how your business is going and what customers like about it; for example highlighting popular services or products, or seeing how many shares or likes a particular social media campaign got over a period of time. This allows you to tailor services to your customers’ needs, for example by sending discounts or offers on their birthdays or implementing loyalty schemes.
Look For Integration Possibilities
If you’ve been managing without any CRM software so far, you will already have email accounts and programs established, and be keeping track of your data through separate components such as Microsoft Excel and Access. If you decide to integrate italtogether with a CRM program, make sure you choose one that is compatible with your current work – no business owner wants to waste their workday copying and pasting bits from separate documents into one. A good, up-to-date CRM program should allow you to import documents from elsewhere. Additionally, if you use a smartphone, ensure that your CRM has a corresponding appfor use on mobile devices – this is a necessity should your computer break down, or if you are away from the premises and need to check something. In addition to the CRM for business, other business software like auto dialer software will also help in increasing business efficiency.
Look For Specialist Software
Depending on your business, the type of program you need will differ slightly. An independent bookshop will require different categorisations for stock than a restaurant, and the online interaction with customers will differ somewhat as well. There are many specialist CRM software programs available on the market, and while these can sometimes be more expensive they will be easier to use for your particular business. For example, Phorest is a CRM software exclusively for Salons, with specialist features including client profiles with service histories, a POS function, appointment calendar, and loyalty card system.