What are the features of CRM software?
April 2024 - How can CRM tools boost your sales? Which tools are available and which functionalities offer real added value?
CRM software has evolved a lot in recent years. It has evolved from a modern and expensive gadget reserved for large companies to an indispensable tool for every company, regardless of turnover or number of employees. The benefits of thorough Customer Relationship Management are clear:
· You work in a more customer-focused way, keeping your customers loyal to you.
· With the knowledge about your customers, you can also convince prospects in a more targeted way.
· Your employees work more efficiently because they have access to up-to-date customer data anytime and anywhere.
What exactly does CRM software do?
The possibilities of CRM software are very diverse. A CRM maps customer relationships and links targets and achievements to them, which you can then monitor and adjust. And although customer management is an important component, crm software does much more.
Customer management
A CRM tool centralises all available customer data and makes it digitally available to all employees anytime, anywhere. Do you need a list of all recent invoices or quotes? Do you want to know which employee last had contact with a certain customer? Or would you like an overview of all the offers and promos your customers have accepted? A CRM tool keeps track of everything.
Creditworthiness
Knowing customers 'inside out' also means knowing whether they are trustworthy or not. And ideally, you know this before you even engage with them. After all, defaulters can seriously undermine your cash flow. That is why it is best to choose a CRM tool with an integrated solvency scanner. If you systematically check the creditworthiness of prospects, you can avoid many problems.
Communication
Clear and straightforward communication with customers is a must for the modern SME. Some CRM tools therefore offer far-reaching integration with all kinds of communication channels, such as e-mail, chat, but also popular office applications like Microsoft Office. This allows you to speak to your customers quickly and accurately at all times.
CRM software: much more than a sales tool
Clearly, CRM software cannot be separated from enterprise resource planning. ERP software is used to support logistical and financial business processes, CRM software focuses on commercial business processes. Hence this tip: never buy a stand-alone CRM package, but opt for an integrated tool. This will give you a better insight into all the processes that take place within the company. For each department (purchase and sales management, customer management, warehouse management, ?) you will have up-to-date data that you can use to optimise your operations.
