What Is a CRM? The Ultimate Guide
“CRM” is short for “customer relationship management.” The phrase can convey two related meanings:
This guide will focus on CRM software, but to better understand what the software does, it’s important to first discuss the processes that CRM technology can automate.
As a systematic process, CRMs manage all phases of your relationship with your customers. It brings together all the business functions that interact with the customer so there is one central view. These include:
CRMs manage and improve the way you:
A comprehensive approach to a CRM involves managing all these processes and more.
CRM software automates the customer relationship management process to improve efficiency and maximize productivity. To support customer relationship management, CRM software automates the following processes:
CRM software simplifies routine customer relationship management procedures that would be laborious, time-consuming, inefficient or expensive to perform manually. This allows your team to improve your customer relationship management performance while spending less time and money on CRM tasks. Here are some of the key tasks that CRM software automates.
At one time, sales representatives stored customer contact information by hand on index cards using Rolodex (rolling index) files, invented in 1956 and introduced in 1958. With the rise of personal computers in the 1970s and 1980s, companies began storing contact information in spreadsheet formats such as Excel. Software designed specifically for CRM began to emerge in the 1990s, and soon migrated to the cloud and mobile devices.
CRM contact management software offers several advantages over spreadsheets when it comes to managing customer data:
These advantages have made CRM software increasingly popular as an alternative to spreadsheets for managing customer data.
When marketing teams use CRM data, it performs many useful functions for their campaigns:
CRM software has grown particularly popular as a tool for optimizing sales performance. CRM sales pipeline management tools enable sales teams to:
Companies are increasingly using CRM tools to improve customer service performance. CRM software can help customer service teams:
Customer data can flow into a CRM system from multiple sources, including:
The first step in the CRM process is collecting data from these sources.
As customer data gets collected, it gets entered and stored in your CRM program’s database. Entering data into a CRM program typically involves two types of procedures:
Typically, digital data that needs to be imported into a CRM program resides in a spreadsheet program such as Excel. Spreadsheet programs can be formatted as a comma-separated values (CSV) file. This changes the spreadsheet into a text file, using commas to separate the data fields instead of cells. This makes it easy for you to import your customer data from a spreadsheet into a CRM.
It's also possible to transfer data directly from one CRM to another using third party data migration services such as Data2CRM.
Once data is stored in your CRM system, you can start to analyze it and use the information to make more informed business decisions. You can easily track key performance indicators (KPIs) for specific teams and individuals to measure their performance against specific business goals. Examples of KPIs are:
To help you visualize this type of data in a meaningful way, CRM programs automatically generate specific reports and display data in dashboards. CRM programs usually have standard report formats that summarize frequently desired data such as sales forecasts. Many CRM programs also allow you to customize sales reports so you can analyze the data that's important to your business.
CRM reports and dashboard displays provide you with information you can put to practical use. In order to make practical use of CRM data, you need a way to distribute this information to your marketing, sales and customer service teams. Many CRM programs allow you to create personalized dashboards so every team member can view the data that's most relevant to their role. For instance, a sales manager's dashboard may display a list of 'hot leads' that are likely to convert to sales in the next 90 days, which they can use to forecast revenue and prioritize the work of their sales representatives.
Applying CRM data may also involve syncing it to another software program for practical use. For instance, integrating to email marketing platforms allows you to store and segment your data in the CRM, push this data to a mailing list in the email marketing software where you then create and send out your campaign. When there is a two way sync, the key metrics such as open and click through rates are automatically added into your CRM.
A CRM can be used to simply manage contacts or it can help manage every step of your customer journey from the minute they show an interest right through to them becoming a long term customer. Typically though, CRM software is used for the following key tasks:
CRM is suitable for businesses of all sizes across every industry. Managing your customer relationships well is core to business growth and relevant to all.
Virtually all industries use CRM software, including the cattle industry as most CRMs can be customized to help improve their workflows. But it's true to say that many industries and departments find CRMs particularly useful in the following areas:
As these examples illustrate, customer relationship management software is popular in many industries, leading to a proliferation of providers and solutions. To make the most of this valuable technology, read on to learn more about essential CRM terminology you’ll need to know when comparing software options.
Customer relationship management software has many specialized terms and abbreviations. Knowing what these mean can help you understand software features and compare solutions to help you make the right selection. Here are some of the common CRM terms:
Account: The client or company a firm sells products or services to, there may be other records associated with that client or company.
Activities: An action or interaction an employee has with a customer for instance, a sales representative's activities may be tracked in a CRM system, such as prospecting calls or attending sales meetings.
Analytics: Statistical interpretation of CRM data performed in order to identify relationships between variables, model trends, make predictions and optimize performance.
Application programming interface (API): A computer program that allows software integration between a CRM tool and another app in order to share data and functionality.
API: See “application programming interface.”
Autoresponder: An email software service that allows you to import CRM data in order to send emails to multiple recipients simultaneously or on a predetermined schedule.
BANT: An acronym standing for “Budget Authority Need Timeline”, referring to the criteria traditionally used to qualify leads. (Also see “CHAMP.”)
Business intelligence: Application of statistics to analyze CRM data for identification of past trends, prediction of future trends and improvement of current performance. (See “analytics.”)
Case: An area of the CRM set up for a specific activity or interaction. For example, a customer service case relating to a particular question
Case management: A systematic method for tracking and managing customer service interactions. (See “case.”)
Case management CRM: A specialized CRM tool or application for managing customer service interactions. (See “case,” “case management.”)
CHAMP: An acronym standing for “Challenges Authority Money Prioritization,” that refers to four contemporary criteria used to qualify leads. A more recent variation of BANT. (See “BANT.”)
Cloud-based CRM: CRM software remotely hosted by your CRM provider and accessed via the web or a mobile app.
Comma-separated values (CSV): A file format commonly used in spreadsheet programs such as Excel, characterized by the use of commas to separate data fields. Often used to store contact information. CSV files frequently get imported into CRM software or are exported from CRM programs to other applications.
Contact management: Standard operating procedures for storing, retrieving and using your customer contact information. (See “contacts.”)
Contacts: In general, any person or organization that interacts with your business such as a lead, customer, supplier who you store in your CRM database alongside contact information.
Conversion: The process of a prospective customer becoming a paying customer.
Conversion rate: The percentage of prospects that convert into paying customers, calculated by the ratio of the number of prospects who become customers to the total number of prospects who interact with your sales representatives, expressed as a percentage.
CSV: See “comma-separated values.”
Dashboard: Visual reports of all the data that's important to you, designed to make it easy for people to absorb information at a glance
Database: An organized collection of customer records. Normally refers to records stored in a digital format such as a spreadsheet or CRM system, but can also refer to physical records.
Email template: A pre designed or pre written email that can be modified and sent to contacts, especially useful for mass email campaigns.
Field: The area in a CRM database where you input data. For example, a numerical field could be a phone number, text field could be an email.
Hot lead: A new contact who has displayed specific behaviors that indicate they are highly likely to purchase.
Integration: The process of sharing data between a CRM program and another software program in order to streamline business processes. For instance, integrating a CRM data to an autoresponder program automates the process of sending mass mailings.
Junk lead: A lead who has expressed an interest in a product but is showing key signals that they're not in a position to buy such as not having enough budget. It's therefore unprofitable to invest the time in pursuing them.
Key performance indicators (KPIs): Variables selected to measure and track individual's impact on business performance.
Knowledge base: A digital tool storing key business documentation such as support to assist customer service representatives or customer self-service.
KPI: See “key performance indicators.”
Last touch: The last interaction with a lead before they converted to a paying customer. (See “touch.”)
Lead: An unqualified sales contact who has shown an interest in your business but has not been qualified by any BANT or CHAMP criteria. (See “BANT” and “CHAMP.”)
Lead conversion: The process of a lead becoming a prospect or customer. (See “lead.”)
Lead conversion rate: The percentage of leads who convert to prospects or customers. (See “lead,” “lead conversion.”)
Lead scoring: The process of giving a lead a series of scores to demonstrate how likely they are to buy from you. The scores can be based on specific criteria such as company revenue, industry type and also buying signals such as downloading content or attending an event. (See “qualified lead.”)
Marketing-accepted lead (MAL): A lead who has been identified as a valid opportunity to become a paying customer based on how well they match certain criteria. (See “lead.”)
Marketing-qualified lead (MQL): A lead who has been deemed worth the time and resource of pursuing based on them meeting specific criteria. (See “lead,” “qualified lead.”)
On-demand CRM: See “cloud-based CRM”.
On-premise CRM: CRM software stored locally on your own servers.
Opportunity: A potential revenue-generating deal with a person or organization who has expressed an interest in your product or service.
Pipeline management: The process of proactively moving leads along the steps towards becoming paying customers. Can refer both managing the leads of individual sales representatives or sales teams. (See “sales pipeline.”)
Prospect: A qualified lead whose profile matches your target market and is showing specific buying signals.
Qualified lead: A lead who meets set criteria and is confirmed to be a real opportunity worth your sales representative's time and effort to convert to a buy. Also known as a prospect. (See “prospect.”)
Record: The profile of an individual contact, organization or opportunity. It can also be used to describe a row of data associated with an individual contact.
Report: A summary of data in a CRM system, organized in a format suitable for easy interpretation and practical use.
Roles: The different permission levels a CRM user can have to perform specific actions in the software. Used to control activity and data across different teams and individuals.
Sales funnel: A visual image symbolizing the quantity of leads, prospects, sales appointments and closed sales currently being handled by a sales representative or team. The conversion rate at which contacts in one step of the sales process move to the next step may also be included. Since each step in the sales process involves a larger quantity than the one before, (for instance, leads outnumber prospects), the visual representation is wider at the top than the bottom, hence the image of a “funnel.
Sales pipeline: A visual display of each stage of your sales process. You use it to track all your sales opportunities through to the deal being won. It can also refer to the quantity and potential dollar value of current sales activity by an individual sales representative or sales team.
Segmentation: Organizing your contact list into groups classified by select criteria. You may classify leads who have not purchased from you in a separate group from customers who have. Useful for more focused target marketing and personalized sales.
Task: An action required to move along a business activity. Arranging a sales appointment would be a task performed by a sales team to nurture a lead. CRM programs allow you to define tasks and track their progress.
Task management: The process of organizing your tasks and those of others. (See “task.”)
Touch: A marketing or sales interaction with a lead.
Workflow: A series of steps required to complete a business task.
Workflow automation: When activities are automatically triggered without any manual input such as one task starting as soon as another closes.
Knowing these CRM terms will make it easier for you to compare the features of CRM software products. Continue reading to learn how CRM software can benefit your business.
How can a CRM grow your business? Customer relationship management software offers many benefits to businesses. These benefits span a wide range of industries and multiple departments, making the list numerous. To focus on a few highlights, four of the leading categories of benefits include:
Contact information sit at the heart of a CRM as it's key to building customer relationships. A customer relationship management tool gives you a single digital interface for storing, viewing and managing your contact information. This seemingly simple function enables a surprisingly powerful range of applications that save time by streamlining workflows and delivering business benefits:
When you apply CRM contact management to managing your sales contacts, the results can multiply the revenue flowing through your sales pipeline. Using a CRM to manage your sales pipeline enables you to:
Customer relationship management software isn’t just for managing customer data. It works equally well for managing teams. Here's how CRMs serve as a powerful tool for team management:
Your customer data and internal data serve as an invaluable source of information for your marketing, sales and customer service teams. Harnessing analytics to your CRM enables you to transform your data into practical business intelligence. By using analytics to generate CRM reports, you can:
These benefits and others make a compelling case for companies to adopt CRM software as it will ensure all areas of the business work more efficiently. Before settling on a CRM solution, you should read on to learn about the main types of CRM software you can select.
Customer relationship management software programs contain different features. While there are many ways to classify CRM software, in terms of functionality, most applications generally fall into one of three categories:
Operational CRMs represent the most popular customer relationship management software category. They automate customer-facing business operations such as sales, marketing and customer service. By centralizing customer data management from these business functions, they help streamline workflow.
Sales constitute one of the most popular operational CRM applications, and some CRM interfaces exclusively handle sales data. When used for sales, operational CRM software serves to support functions such as
Marketing makes up another major operational CRM application, often integrating closely with sales CRMs. Marketing CRM software serves functions such as:
Customer service has emerged as a third major application of an operational CRM. Customer service CRMs both serve to improve support and to promote sales by boosting satisfaction and up-sell opportunities. Operational CRM software helps customer service teams streamline key functions, such as:
Customer relationship management software can also serve as a source of business intelligence. Analytical CRM software takes data generated from customer interactions and identifies information that can be used to measure, predict and improve performance. Analytics tools may be built into operational CRM software, or they may be packaged separately.
CRM analytics can apply to any of the business functions supported by operational CRM. When applied to sales data, analytical CRM software can be used to:
When used to analyze marketing data, CRM software serves to:
Analytical CRM also provides valuable insights for customer support teams. When applied to customer service data, analytical CRM can:
The third major category of customer relationship management software goes by the name of collaborative CRMs, also sometimes called a strategic CRM. This type of CRM software shares customer data between departments in order to promote a consistent customer experience of the company. For instance, data collected by the customer service department is shared with marketing and sales representatives so they can recommend products more suited to the customer’s needs. This serves to promote customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Collaborative CRM software performs a couple of major functions:
Interaction management tracks and optimizes all of a customer’s interactions with the company, whether they involve marketing, sales or customer support. For instance, a purchase recorded by the sales department is shared with customer service to trigger a follow-up support call to check the customer is happy with the product.
Channel management collects and shares data about a customer’s preferred channel of communication. For instance, some customers prefer to be contacted via email, while others prefer phone calls or texts. Channel management ensures all departments are aware of a customer's preferences. This promotes higher customer satisfaction, building better relationships and boosting loyalty.
The three major categories of customer relationship management software do not necessarily exclude each other. Advanced CRM tools may combine characteristics of all these categories. CRM tools can also integrate with other software programs to deliver the functionality of multiple categories.
Now that you know a bit about the different types of CRM software available, you’re in a better position to compare solutions. Keep reading to learn the key features you should look for in a CRM tool.
When you’re deciding how to choose the right CRM for your business, there's a lot to consider. Some essential criteria apply to most businesses seeking CRM solutions. Additional considerations apply depending on the size and nature of your business. Here are 14 general things to look for in any CRM solution, along with some items that may be important to your company’s size and industry.
For most CRM applications, certain essential criteria usually come into play. When making a buying decision about CRM, features to consider include:
Because storing contact data is the most fundamental function of customer relationship management software, this feature should be top of your list when considering CRM solutions. All CRM tools can perform the basic function of storing customer data. Others have advanced contact management features, such as:
Look to see what contact management tools are included in the CRM solution you're considering.
Supporting sales represents one of the most common reasons for CRM adoption, making sales pipeline management one of the most important features in CRM solutions. If you plan to use your CRM for sales, look for features such as:
Analytics ranks with sales pipeline management among the most important applications of a CRM. Most CRM tools include some analytics and reporting capability. Some offer much more sophisticated business intelligence features, such as:
If you plan to use a CRM for team collaboration, the ability to manage tasks and calendar scheduling become important considerations. CRM software with these features can allow you to:
Collaboration can be enhanced by CRMs that offer team and role management. Teams and roles allow you to control access to information by segmenting your staff, promoting smoother workflow as well as enhancing security. Look for a CRM that lets you:
Task management, calendar scheduling, plus team and role capability can all promote more efficient workflow automation. To use your CRM to improve productivity, look for a solution that includes:
The ability to customize your CRM can significantly amplify its functionality and value. Different CRM tool offer a range of areas you can customize, including:
External integrations can also vastly enhance CRM functionality. Many CRMs integrate with the most popular business software tools. Others offer a much wider selection or the option to connect to a third party tool like Zapier to connect your CRM to any tool. CRM sales pages normally include a list of compatible apps for integration. Integration options usually include:
When considering CRM solutions, look to see if the for tools you are already using can be easily integrated with your CRM software.
With a growing number of business owners and workers conducting business from their smartphones, mobile compatibility has become an in-demand CRM feature. CRM tools were originally designed for desktop. Some desktop applications that have migrated over to the cloud still retain a desktop-oriented design, while others have designed a mobile friendly version. Other CRM tools have a native mobile design.
When selecting CRM tools, look to see how it performs on your mobile devices. Also, find out whether your provider uses cloud-based apps or traditional software installation.
User experience can have a major impact on the success of your CRM solution. A well-designed interface can streamline workflow, while a poor design can impede functionality and waste time. Most CRM tools provide one or more dashboard views for viewing key information. Check out the design of a CRM app’s dashboard carefully before deciding whether or not to use it. Ideally, arrange a live demonstration or trial simulation of it in action. You can also get a good sense of a CRM app’s user-friendliness from video demonstrations, tutorials and online reviews.
If you’re using a cloud-based CRM app, or if your team will be accessing your CRM app through an online portal, your ability to use your CRM will depend on the reliability of your provider’s server. Internet providers measure the amount of uptime that a server is available by expressing it as a percentage. A server with 99.999 percent uptime (“five nines”) only experiences about 5.26 minutes of downtime annually, which is considered highly reliable. An uptime of 99.99 percent (“four nines”) translates into about 52.6 minutes of downtime a year. Check your provider’s uptime rating when considering solutions.
Your CRM data represents an attractive target to cybercriminals, and it’s important to consider security when choosing providers. The security of your CRM solution depends both on your provider’s practices and on the type of security tools built into your CRM software such as two step verification. Tools such as team and role management can help you restrict access to vital information so that only authorized users are able to see it. Additionally, talk to your provider about what type of security practices they follow so you're confident your data is safe.
Since CRMs are a technology product, customer support can significantly affect your user experience. Before agreeing to a contract with a CRM provider, study the website, talk to their representative and use their communications channels to see how responsive and friendly they are. Many CRM providers use chatbots, which can work well for standard questions but can be frustrating when you need to speak to a human. Consider issues such as:
As with any business expense, price figures into the bottom line when evaluating CRM solutions. Pricing for CRM solutions range from freeware to premium packages.
When evaluating prices, consider both stated costs and hidden fees. Talk to your provider’s sales representative about issues such as:
When considering price, be sure to weigh cost against potential savings in efficiency, productivity and revenue that can be gained by a CRM in order to estimate return on investment. Cheaper isn’t necessarily the best investment. If you start on the basic package, consider the cost of the top package too as you'll want to be sure you can afford the next step up as your business grows.
The size of your business can affect your CRM selection. Startups, established small businesses and mid-sized businesses have different requirements for a CRM solution.
If you’re a startup, you may have a relatively small contact list but individuals may be responsible for multiple roles. Keeping customer data in one place, alongside all their interactions with your business will help everyone work more efficiently.
Startups may also be in the process of establishing an effective sales pipeline and this will frequently change as they sell to more customers. Having a system in place that can be easily adapted to their changing needs is very important, CRM systems are perfect for this. Using CRM to streamline the sales process from the beginning helps busy business owners feel in control of their revenue. Having an organized system to track and monitor interest in your business will make sure nothing important ever falls through the cracks, a CRM solution will be like your very own PA.
For startups, price also figures heavily into CRM selection. If your startup is still on a shoestring budget, you may wish to start with a freemium version of a CRM solution and upgrade later when revenue levels increase.
Like startups, small businesses may need to export contact data from other software into a CRM program. However, an established small business normally has a larger customer database and a higher volume of sales, with a greater need for more efficient sales automation.
Small business owners considering CRM software may need a solution that helps manage a sales team. They may also want their CRM solution to handle marketing and customer service tasks too. Additionally, a CRM software that stores data on partners and vendors as well as customers may be important.
An established small business may also employ more software than a startup, making integrations an important feature in a CRM solution.
Mid-sized businesses have the same CRM needs as smaller counterparts but on a larger scale. Their CRM solution may need to handle a larger sales team with more sophisticated sales procedures. Additionally, they may use their CRM to manage larger marketing and customer service teams.
A mid-sized business may have a greater emphasis on growing revenue and increasing efficiency than a smaller one. This brings the business intelligence side of a CRM into focus, making a CRM solution with advanced analytics and reporting tools ideal.
Mid-sized companies also tend to have more sophisticated IT operations than smaller businesses. They may need a CRM with more advanced integration and customization features.
CRM needs can also vary by industry. Certain industries may need a CRM they can customize to suit their specialist workflows. Examples include:
For real estate businesses, a CRM serves an important role as a lead generation tool. When a homebuyer contacts a real estate agent expressing an interest in property, the chances of making a sale drop quickly if the agent does not respond immediately. A real estate CRM should allow realtors to manage communications with prospects in a single interface from their mobile devices in order to respond quickly to inquiries.
Additionally, a real estate CRM should help agents manage access to listings. A CRM can serve an important marketing function as they allow agents to pull leads from multiple listing services and online resources. The ability to share listings with customers by sending them links can also help schedule property viewings more efficiently.
Travel agents need a CRM solution that can handle a diverse range of data. In addition to storing customer's preferences, a travel agency CRM needs to store information about flights, hotel bookings, itineraries and all items associated with travel. A solution supporting this should be easily customized to help travel agents view all relevant information in one place.
Travel agency CRMs should also help agents deliver superior customer service. CRM task management features can help agents keep track of trip to-do lists and send schedule reminders to ensure that customers have an enjoyable experience from the minute they book. A CRM can also support customer service by tailoring post-booking information such as resort guides, restaurant reviews and the best places to visit. Delivering such a personalized customer experience, from enquiry through to post-trip feedback, can all be delivered and monitored through CRM software to boost loyalty and referrals.
An accounting CRM needs to integrate client contact data with relevant financial information. At a minimum, an accounting CRM tool should allow accountants to store notes and files relevant to client bookkeeping. Ideally, an accounting CRM app should support integration with the accounting app the client is using, providing optimal efficiency.
Accounting CRM software can also help build client relationships by delivering a seamless service. For instance, an accountant can schedule automated workflows in the CRM to remind them and their clients when specific actions need to be taken to meet tax return deadlines. Accountants can also use a CRM to share financial reports and insights with clients for better business planning.
For construction teams, CRM applications can serve as combined marketing, sales, customer service and project management tools. A construction CRM should help teams share building plans with prospects and clients plus keep clients updated on project progress. This calls for a solution with the capability to customize data fields and track scheduled tasks.
Construction teams can also use a CRM to streamline communication with workers and suppliers. A CRM solution suitable for construction should allow project managers to schedule tasks and share reminders. Solutions capable of integrating with other apps can also serve as tools for automating processes such as signing contracts and sending invoices.
For businesses in the hotel and hospitality industry, a CRM serves as a powerful tool for delivering superior service and building customer loyalty. Using a CRM to store booking and reservation information allows hotels and restaurants to view all information relevant to a customer in one place, including notes on preferences and requests. To support this type of personalized service, a CRM should have an area to add custom notes.
Additionally, hotel and hospitality providers can use a CRM for sending out promotional offers to build repeat business. A CRM that allows customer list segmentation and integration with marketing apps can help drive better results and boost revenue.
CRM solutions support a rich range of features suitable for a wide variety of business sizes and industries. Consider the individual needs of your company, and choose your CRM accordingly.
Whatever CRM solution you select, you’ll face the task of implementing your software. Read on for some tips for smoother CRM adoption.
Settling on a solution represents a big step towards CRM implementation, but it’s only one step on the journey. After deciding what CRM to use, you’ll also need to configure your solution, import your data, integrate your software features with your workflow, train your staff and monitor your results. Here are some step-by-step guidelines for smoother CRM adoption while performing these tasks.
Adopting a CRM solution is a major task that affects your whole company. This makes it crucial to get everyone who will be affected by your CRM implementation on board with your adoption process. If a key department or decision maker isn’t on the same page with the rest of your team, it can make implementation an uphill battle. It can also impede securing a budget for the project.
Appoint an implementation coordinator to supervise the process, and have them either communicate the need for a CRM to the relevant parties or assign someone to perform this task. Parties who should be in the loop can include:
Make sure everyone understands how a CRM can benefit your business as a whole and their department in particular. Whoever is in charge of the budget for the project should be presented with a cost-benefit analysis that demonstrates the return on investment of adopting a CRM.
To get the most out of your CRM tool, you should plan how your CRM data will fit into the current workflow of data and your business processes. To achieve this, map out how data will flow into your solution from different departments such as sales, marketing and customer service, and back out to these departments.
In the process, note what other software is being used by these departments will need to be synced with your CRM in order to have one source of truth. Your IT team can assist with this task under the supervision of your implementation coordinator and in consultation with relevant department managers.
Your workflow map will give you an overview of the sources of data to be imported into your CRM solution. Take an inventory of these data sources, and begin collecting them. Some data may already be stored in digital format. Other data may need to be digitized.
Before importing your data into your CRM, you will need to configure certain settings so it's set up to receive your historical information. It will save you time later. Some settings can also be adjusted after importing data but it's best to put the time in upfront.
Items you may need to configure can include:
At this point, you have reached the critical step of transferring your data into your CRM solution. You will need to make sure your data is in a format compatible with your CRM software in order to proceed.
All data to be included will need to be imported from the correct file type, so any data that's not should first be transferred into a compatible format. You will also need to make sure the fields in your file are consistent with the fields set up in your CRM system. Make sure fields are separated by the correct punctuation (usually commas), and check that the field lengths are set long enough not to cut off any data.
Your CRM provider may offer support for the data importation process. Some include a step by step program to assist you. Talk to your provider for guidance.
Before putting your CRM into live use, you’ll want to test it to make sure everything runs smoothly. You can avoid large-scale problems later by testing your CRM on a small scale before deployment.
For assurance that your CRM is working properly, you should test multiple areas, including:
Adequate training can make the difference between a smooth CRM deployment and an unproductive hassle. Supervisors and staff members should know how to use your CRM before attempting to use it live with customers. Your provider may offer training services and resources.
Effective training starts with good documentation. Designate a team member to create a book of top tips to get the most out of your CRM software. Use these to train key supervisors and staff. As workers are learning to use your CRM, test it out on a small scale to make sure there are no major issues before rolling it out department-wide or company-wide.
After you deploy your CRM, monitoring your results can help ensure you’re getting the most out of your investment. Establish key performance indicators that track how well your CRM is working, measuring areas such as:
Tracking these types of indicators can help you flag problem areas in need of review. It can also enable you to make tweaks to your standard operating procedures to improve your performance. Consider doing split tests to see if you can find ways to improve your key performance indicators.
Following these steps can help make your CRM implementation a smoother and more productive experience. What you get out of your CRM will also depend heavily on which provider you choose. Read the last section of this guide to help you decide if Capsule CRM is the right solution for your business.
When you’re considering customer relationship management providers, you’ll want to be sure to take a look at Capsule CRM. Capsule makes CRM simple. It's designed to help companies build stronger customer relationships, make more sales and save time.
Capsule combines a simple, user-friendly design with a powerful range of benefits:
Capsule integrates seamlessly with many popular apps, and also supports add-ons that let you extend the software’s native functionality. Integrations include:
Capsule’s mobile app lets you access your CRM from any Android or iPhone device. The mobile app includes caller ID, adds a call activity after every call ends and reminds you to make a note in your CRM, helping you keep all information organized in one place.
Capsule is easy to customize to match your business model. You can customize:
These customized features allow Capsule to support businesses of all sizes in a wide range of industries. Startups, small businesses and mid-sized businesses will all find that Capsule meets their needs. Industries Capsule supports include:
Capsule boasts 99.99 percent uptime. Automated backups keep your data secure from disaster loss. Dedicated support includes a self-help portal and a friendly team based in the UK and US contacted through email or online.
Capsule CRM offers a 30-day free trial to a Professional and Teams plan, perfect for small to medium sized businesses. There is also a free starter CRM plan for up to 2 users and 250 contacts. You can download it from the App Store or Google Play and start your free trial today.