Have you ever asked yourself, "Can a CRM (customer relationship management) benefit my company?"
The answer is yes, as long as you know what your business needs are and everyone at your company is committed to using the CRM system. If used correctly, and to its full extent, the CRM can save your company time and resources while simultaneously improving customer relationships. This tool is key in improving your customer experience, helping your company build loyal relationships and increasing customer retention. To make this journey easy for you, here are some key things you need to know when implementing your new CRM system.
Let's start off with a big key factor, make integration your priority.
When you integrate other tools you use like a marketing automation platform with your CRM it will save your company time in many ways. No matter what digital marketing strategy you implement, integration is the most effective way to get your customers directly into your CRM. Potential leads will be placed into your system immediately after the point of initial contact and can be immediately routed to the correct person, which gives your team better data to work with. This will help increase sales and customer retention by streamlining the process of converting visitors into paying customers.
You need to have a plan in mind, both short term and long term.
This plan needs to include how you plan to scale your business. Your CRM will house your contacts and house your data, but it won't do the work for you. You need to keep these goals in mind when you are choosing a CRM. Consider what platform is best suited for your business needs and start there. There are many platforms out there, but not all of them will be the right fit for your company's needs based upon size of customer base, your team, and the individual needs of your business.
No matter what platform you choose, make sure your employees are well-trained and familiar with how to use it.
Not having a proper implementation, on boarding and training plan can lead to a lot of frustration within an organization, or worse yet, employees might not even bother using the system at all because they don't have the knowledge or know-how to use it. If integration is the biggest key factor this is the second. Knowing your system is huge in achieving success. If you take this step lightly, the system will not be fully utilized and you won't see any benefits from implementing a CRM in your company.
Lastly, remember that CRM systems are adaptable and understand that they take time.
While one system may work for your business, you need to be open-minded about the possibility of that evolving in the future if necessary. This means understanding how different teams at your company interact with customers and adjusting accordingly as they change or grow. Your CRM can be adapted to fit your needs, so take advantage of that. If you are starting out with a CRM for the first time, not only should it be able to adapt but you need to make sure it is easy enough for everyone at your company to use and understand.
You are not alone.
KBK Communications has over 75 years of combined experience in sales, marketing, administration, and direct patient care, which makes us experts in harnessing the latest digital technology to grow and empower healthcare organizations. If you’re ready to start implementing a CRM system or thinking about how it can benefit your organization, get in touch with us today.
