10 reasons to implement a CRM system in your company

Every successful businessman knows how important it is to maintain good relations with his contractors. This is only possible with a certain data collection containing the essential contact information. While this role used to be fulfilled by notebooks, business card cases and address books, today, they have been almost entirely replaced by CRMs. Although a CRM system is already standard in many companies, there are still those who need clarification on the wisdom of this investment. Here are ten reasons why you should implement a CRM system!

1. CRM is a versatile, multi-tasking tool

We expect most tools to be as versatile as possible. Instead of spending money on several different applications, we want one system to have various features. This is the case with a CRM system, the “central communication port” in a company. With its help, you can supervise and manage every stage of sales – from the first contact through negotiations to finalization and after-sales service. Under CRM systems, you can connect many plug-ins and document databases to generate a contract, present service terms quickly, or demonstrate cooperation variants. Some CRMs also allow invoicing, so you can improve communication between the sales and billing departments. These are examples of how versatile a CRM system is and how many areas you can realistically manage with this single tool.

2. CRM system is a collection of all contact information

Can you imagine a situation where one employee has to answer phone calls, carry on a live chat conversation, answer emails and manage social media messages? It’s impossible in the long run – there will always be an area not well cared for. The solution to this situation is a CRM that allows the centralization of communication channels. Such functionality avoids the confusion of handling several or even a dozen communication channels. An adequately programmed CRM will be able to forward inquiries to the appropriate departments; for example, an email sent to “sprzedaz@a-b-d-e.pl” will go to the sales department, and “pomoc@a-b-d-e.pl” will forward the request to the helpdesk group. Collecting all data in one place is a great advantage and considerable convenience, especially when you create advertising campaigns containing contact forms.

3. CRM – not only current data but also historical data

Why do we compare CRM to a modernized and digitized data notebook? Not only because it is a collection of contacts and annotations related to the customer. It is, first and foremost, a catalogue of records and historical information – who contacted whom, when, at what time, on what day and for what reason? How did the conversation proceed, and which services were offered to the customer? Did a sale take place, and if not – what was the reason for refusing or postponing the transaction? What was the customer’s reaction to the goods or service, was he satisfied with the service? We will find information on these and many other questions in the CRM system, which monitors and records work with each customer. Your employees can also add annotations about the course of the conversation – is the customer aggressive and hostile, or the opposite: reporting a desire for cooperation? Historical data can prove very helpful when constructing a new offer.

4. Introduction of CRM helps standardize customer service

Imagine a situation where you and two friends belong to the same bank. Your account manager would call you every six months or so to ask about your satisfaction with the service and to tell you about a new loan offer. At the same time, one of your friends would have at least two calls a month, and the other would not have any contact with his account manager at all. Unfortunately, such heterogeneity in customer service and lead-taking cause quite serious image cracks. The customer of a given bank (but not only, but it could also be a cell phone, Internet provider or insurance agency) gets the impression that there is chaos inside the structure. Some salesmen want to help us and ask around, leaving room for conversation, while others bombard us with offers to sell something. A CRM system offsets this problem and helps handle leads, being the basis of customer service standards.

5. CRM helps you keep track of the various stages of sales

Has it ever happened to you or your employee not responding to an e-mail in time, causing the company to lose a sales opportunity? Such a situation can be annoying, especially when the contract terms were initially accepted and the customer seemed determined. Sometimes it’s a matter of a flurry of issues where it’s impossible to stay on top of the implementation; sometimes, we forget to forward the customer for further reprocessing. Fortunately, the CRM will relieve the users of the need to keep track of deadlines. The system will set up alerts on its own, reminding you of each activity’s end dates and critical points. Moreover, many CRMs have a mechanism for integrating with the calendar, so the employee will see a notification panel next to the date and learn what they need to do today. Human memory can be faulty, so that a CRM will provide excellent support through reminders and messages.

6. CRM system is straightforward and convenient to use

One of the most common reasons for hesitation to purchase a CRM system is the sheer reluctance to change. At the same time, it is not a matter of conservative thinking and glorification of contact notebooks over electronic solutions. Such a situation is often related to the fear that a CRM system will be too difficult to use. The truth, however, turns out to be quite different – the whole thing is intuitive, and even those who have never used a CRM system can handle it. If in doubt, we can use the help menu – individual functionalities and subsequent actions are explained step by step in a particular tab. For entrepreneurs starting cooperation with us, we can prepare a special implementation training on how to use CRM. What’s more – in the case of our CRM system, support can be obtained when contacting the SalesWizard team.

7. CRM will help you control the quality of your employees’ work

It’s no secret that one of the tasks of a CRM is to monitor employee performance and measure progress toward sales goals. Since the whole process takes place inside the CRM system, you can quickly determine the number of parameters. How many scheduled contacts were taken by an employee during a single shift? During which hours did customers take a call most often, and during which hours did they take a call least often? How many customers were successfully guided through the entire sales process? What were the most common reasons for refusal to purchase goods or services? Did employees follow the established standards for working with customers during the contact? See how many answers you can get by implementing a CRM system and related statistics. Now you will see the quality of work of a particular team and an individual employee within the customer service department.

8. CRM system stores data securely

We live in a time where the protection of personal data is a value that is particularly appreciated, as shown by several consents and clauses displayed on websites. It’s no different when it comes to processing data as part of daily work in the CRM system. As SalesWizard, we place great importance on implementing and improving data protection in the CRM. The CRM system is the safest way to store and process personal data. Employees can access the customers they work with – without the risk of confidential information being leaked due to a hacking attack. Our SalesWizard CRM system has several advanced security features, so we can say without a shadow of an exaggeration that this solution is far safer than keeping a notebook with contacts, a book with addresses or using other physical, non-digitized data storage media.

9. In case of a dispute, CRM serves as evidence

Conflicts on the consumer-company line are phenomena that, sooner or later, will affect your company. What’s more – very many customers make claims and resentments against employees that are not justified. Each person must be guaranteed a fair and just complaint procedure. Such will be possible when we look at the actions performed with a customer – listen to the transcript of the conversation, read emails or annotations. CRM will ensure that the dispute is not just a “word against word” conflict; the system and the data recorded will allow us to decide which party is right unambiguously. The employee may not have provided complete information, which will allow for verifying the conversation recording. In this situation, it is necessary to take into account the complaint. It may also turn out that the customer is in the wrong, in which case we can determine precisely what the facts are. The CRM system undoubtedly fulfils its evidentiary function when disputes arise.

10. CRM is an effective method of process automation

An advantage that follows directly from the above benefits is that a CRM system is an ideal solution for process automation. Forget about carrying a draft contract to another department, faxing it or photocopying it. All you have to do is click the right button in the CRM, and the following action will be delegated to the right person to perform. You also don’t have to worry about the information being distorted due to passing it from one person to another. Any notes, remarks, and annotations stay throughout the customer service process, thus minimizing the risk of human error. This, in turn, translates into reduced working time on a single contact, reduced costs and a real opportunity to increase employee efficiency. With traditional media, manual application of information and physical circulation of correspondence, it is possible to realize 1 to 3 contacts per hour. With a CRM, you will quickly complete handling at least ten contacts simultaneously, and the whole process will be much less tiring.