CRM: How It Can Improve The Sales Process

by | Sep 11, 2020 | Digital Agency | 0 comments

Customer Relationship Management: How It Can Improve The Sales Process

Maintaining sales is the primary goal of every business. This is achieved through the hard work of their sales teams. But behind every single success is a number of failures, most resulting from insufficient data-keeping, missed follow-ups with prospects, and no main platform to communicate with customers. With the help of a CRM, or Customer Relationship Manager, businesses can reduce these failures and convert them into more successes.

But What is a CRM?

A Customer Relationship Manager is a kind of software that helps manage a company’s relationship with its customers, the goal being to improve business relations for business growth. This is done by keeping the company’s sales teams connected with their customers during the entire customer lifecycle. It was originally a system for contact management and sales management, but it is now a means to streamline the whole sales process. It allows a company to really focus on individual clients as they go through each step in their transactions with one another.

How Does it Work?

Simply put, a CRM works as a centralized database, which can be accessed by everyone within the organization. It will contain everything important relating to their customers. This includes their contact details, preferences, transaction history, complaints, and others more. All of this data can be viewed easily on a simple dashboard, which can be customized to the liking of the individual using it.

With all this information just a few clicks away, both managers and employees can make informed decisions easily. And when the database is updated, everyone will be too. CRM will keep everyone on the same page, especially when different salespeople talk to the same client, which will avoid misunderstandings and the repetition of questions.

Why Does it Matter?

CRM’s are now becoming the largest and fastest-growing business application software of its category. Money has been put into its research and development and there are many to choose from both in the free-to-use and pay-to-use markets. This serves as an indication that Customer Relationship Management technology is growing more and more profitable since so many businesses make use of them.

A business without CRM will face some of the following problems:

Focus on Bookkeeping – Without a centralized database, a company will find itself spending more time making sure their customer’s paperwork is in order. With CRM, employees can concentrate on their customers more.
Slow Communication – Customers will always use a method of contact most convenient to them, be it email or phone call. Without a CRM employees would be hard-pressed to make follow-ups or complete transactions. This would lead to very unhappy customers.
Too Much Data to Handle – Very active sales teams generate so much data that those sorting are unable to keep it all organized. This is compounded when the sales team contact several prospects multiple times or when important information is lost.

How a CRM Can Improve The Sales Process

We know how it works and why it is important. Now the question is how can it improve the sales process for your company? Here are six ways a CRM can improve your sales process:

1. All-Day, Everyday Access

With newer tech innovations, such as the CRM cloud, customer information can be accessed anywhere and at any time. As long as an employee has a smartphone and an internet connection, they can pull up a customer’s information even when on the go.

2. Automated Data Collection

Collecting and entering information into the CRM database is easy and far less time-consuming. And with new methods of getting customer information, like web forms or online questionnaires, it is almost instantaneous.

3. Customer Data is Centralized

Gone are the days of needing to find the correct name on the correct folder in the correct filing cabinet. All information is readily available with the push of a button. The data can be kept up-to-date with ease and any discrepancies can be rectified immediately.

4. The Sales Team Becomes Sustainable

One of the biggest nightmares a business would face is when a key sales employee leaves the company. Upon their leaving the company loses that person’s valuable customer insight and data gathering ability. This is avoided with a CRM, as anyone in the team will have the same data and insight available to them.

5. Improved Team Coordination

A CRM allows managers and team leaders to keep track of their objectives. They can delegate tasks with ease and monitor the progress of those underneath them. It also keeps other team members informed of what has been accomplished and what needs to be done. If one person cannot take up a task, someone else can quickly pick it up.

6. Easy Sales Process Documentation

Another key improvement is the ability to document the entire sales process during a customer’s transaction. What this means is a salesperson can make up-to-the-minute updates as they communicate with the client or prospect. Whatever information is gleaned can then be quickly inputted into the Customer Relationship Management database.

A CRM for You

If you are looking to use a CRM for your customer relationship needs, we recommend Hubspot. Get up-to-the-minute updates on a clean dashboard and view your transactions wherever they are (on email, social media, etc). Hubspot’s basic CRM is 100% forever free, with tools for everyone to use.

Build a Better Website has teamed up with Hubspot as an ‘Agency Partner’. What this means is if you intend to use Hubspot, its tools, or you are looking for help with your business, our dedicated Hubspot rep can assist you through this integration.