Getting the right CRM solution

If you are the owner of a small to medium sized business which has a growing customer base, it is time to start thinking about getting a CRM solution that will improve the running of your business on a day to day basis and offers a more streamlined approach to storing, retrieving and using customer information.

Before you jump straight in with the first CRM solution that is offered to you, it is a good idea to think about aspects of your business in order to select a CRM solution that will grow as your business does. Here are some things to think about when deciding on the best CRM solution for your business-

• 1 - What is it that your business does? This might seem like a strange question to be asking yourself as you own the business but think about it in smaller terms. For instance, if you offer a product or service that has different prices based on what your customers need a CRM solution that offers a quoting tool will be very useful. Similarly if you produce invoices for your customers, this also needs to be included as it is the next step in the quoting process.
• 2 - Do you have to work to deadlines within your business? If this is the case then it is likely that a CRM solution that offers alerts and project planning tools is a good choice. That way, projects can be monitored and approaching deadlines are flagged up as alerts so that no deadline is ever missed. Missing deadlines is one of the worst things that a business can do as it not only shows an unprofessional side to the business but it can result in a loss of custom as deadlines are set for a reason.
• 3 - Who is your customer database made up of? Knowing this is one of the first steps to successful customer relationship management. Having the ability to store, retrieve and use documentation and information about your customers is crucial if you are to attract and maintain a good customer base. All customers want to feel valued and this is never more so when speaking to a sales rep who knows about the customer they are speaking to and can give them accurate information should they request it. CRM offers a way in which such information can be easily accessed and used to your advantage.
• 4 - What is the total number of your employees? If you own a small to medium sized business it is likely that you are not going to have a huge number of employees, so it is pointless in purchasing a CRM solution that was designed for large companies. It is far better to opt for a CRM solution that will grow alongside your business and will enable you to add extra employees to it as they join you. This eliminates the need to purchase extra licenses for employees to use the software which is another way to save money, and as anyone who runs a business knows saving money is another key to being successful.
• 5 - Do you need to be able to see certain tasks that are carried out in your business at a glance? If your business produces many quotes per day or contacts customers at certain times then you need a CRM solution that will not only log this information but show you, at a glance, how many quotes have been produced per day or even how many times a customer has been contacted. This is yet another way in which time can be saved by using a CRM solution.
• 6 - Functionality - A great deal of the CRM solutions that are on the market were designed for a particular business and as a result often have features that are not relevant to other businesses, so why should you pay for these surplus extras? Choose a CRM solution that allows you, the business owner to customise it to fit the needs of the business seamlessly so that it is working with you, not just for you.
• 7 - Do you need information for forecasting so that you can anticipate customer ordering patterns? If so you would benefit from a CRM solution that offered you tools which would provide you with information on the total revenue per customer, the percentage of quotes that had been converted, total outstanding payments per customer and more. Using such a CRM solution would not only increase revenue through being able to utilise information better but it will also eliminate the need for other software applications that might have been used to provide the same information.
• 8 - How often is the CRM software going to be used? If you need a CRM solution that is going to be used every day then it has to be easy to access and use. One of the main reasons that software is not used to its full potential is that it is difficult for employees to learn and use it on a daily basis. Choose a CRM solution that will enable employees to be up and running in under a day and be fully confident when doing so.

So which CRM solution can offer all of these benefits and more? SingCRM - the virtual assistant available 24/7.