CRM, or customer relationship management, is a broadly
recognized and widely implemented strategy for managing and
nurturing a company's interactions with customers, clients, and
new prospects. In this generation of automation, CRM involves
the use of technology to organize, automate, and synchronize
business relationships, and principal sales activities, as well
as aiding in customer service and technical support. Customer
relationship management is another form of database marketing
and has become a business strategy that embraces all
client-facing departments.
When a CRM system like Act, Salesforce.com or a SAP database is
implemented, processes and technology work in synergy to
increase profitability and reduce operational costs. A well
designed dashboard will allow the marketer or business owner to
see the number of touch-points that have been used to
communicate with a client or customer. One can also see what
purchases have been made and the frequency of those purchases
for better cross-selling and up-selling. A savvy business person
can also use the information to improve service, loyalty, and
customer retention.
The technical name for these software programs are
software-as-a-service (SaaS) as they used to deliver and
integrate solutions that enable organizations to better and more
efficiently serve, support, engage, target, and retain customers
in today's economic environment. I like these systems as they
are portal based and can be brought up anywhere that there is
Internet access. The nice thing about having a portal based
system is that it allows anyone in the organization to see the
information at any time of day if they have the required
passwords and Internet access.
Organizations use CRM systems as a way to measure the efficiency
of theirsales force by studying the reports that can be
generated; they can also look what types of clients and
customers are being called upon as well as the account manager's
or sales person's notes about the client.
I personally have used Access, Act, and Salesforce.com for a
variety of purposes including:
• Determining the purchasing habits of my customers and clients
• Market Segmentation
• Use of Touch Points-i.e., email correspondence, eNewsletter,
phone calls, face to face visits, etc.
• Cold Calling
• Sales Reports
• Building a database
I have found that I am better able to nurture interactions with
customers, clients, and new prospects based on the knowledge
that I am able to gain by creating a relationship based
database. Because it is the integrated combination of the value
that one receives from a sales person or a retailer that causes
one to become a client or customer. In today's environment where
companies are fighting for a piece of the pie it has been
increasingly important for an organization to activate a forward
thinking customer relationship management system and plan.
Source: Lauren Brill link
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