Having a successful business goes beyond the processes of just selling. It also involves building a strong relationship with clients and potential clients. One of the best ways to do this is by using the right CRM. CRM is short for customer (or client) relationship manager. It’s software that is used to track certain information about clients and potential clients, establishing communication, tracking leads, and documenting contact with clients and potential clients.
CRM Software Simplifies Previously Time-Consuming Activities
Organizing contact information as well as actual communication and communication efforts with active and potential clients was once quite time-consuming. While (obviously) a necessity, it took a lot of time to accurately capture leads, ensure client information is up-to-date, and properly note all actual and attempted contact with others. It was, at best, strategically complicated. Businesses with more than one person who needs access to that information may have separate systems. They may have different information. Even with shared spreadsheets, more than one person may not be able to access or change the information while another person is using the document.
CRM software was simplified the previously time-consuming activities of tracking this information. It allows multiple individuals to have access to the contacts database and to make changes in real time. Those changes are automatically updated. For you and your team, CRM software provides more accurate information that’s available when you need it.
How to Choose the Proper CRM Software for Your Business
There are a lot of available options for you to choose from when it comes to CRM software. So, how do you know if you’re choosing the right one for your needs? Here are 4 tips that will help you select CRM software that will meet the needs of your business and your team.
Know which features you need from the CRM. In order to find the best CRM for your business, you need to first determine the features of the CRM that would make your business life easier. The common features are:
- Contact management.
- Template reports and custom reports.
- The ability to manage leads.
- Email tracking.
- Social media
- Whether it has a mobile version available for your phone.
Of course, some CRM choices have more features. The key here, though, is to make sure that whichever one you’re interested in has the features you need. You should also make sure that it’s easy for you to use or that it has support (including video walkthroughs or onboarding services) to help you get started.
Get a referral from someone you know in your industry. We often miss out on easy solutions because we don’t ask questions of other people in our industry. There are some CRM solutions designed to be just that: a CRM. Industry doesn’t matter. There are some that are designed for certain industries. For example, Clio is a full-service legal practice management solution that includes CRM features. However, it is designed for law offices and solo lawyers. So, one of the best ways to learn about what might work well for your business is to ask someone else in your industry.
Read the reviews on your CRM options on various websites. Don’t just settle for the five-star reviews written on the website of the company offering the CRM. Check out websites that allow consumers to post reviews. This can be highly beneficial because you can learn about features you didn’t know about, bugs in the software, and other potential concerns. This could help you narrow down your choices even more.
Try more than one. Don’t get discouraged if the first CRM you try doesn’t work as well as you thought it would. There’s a big, wide world of options out there. Try another. Many CRM solutions have a free trial period. Just important a few of your records and see what you think of the solution. Ask questions. Read the help files. If it doesn’t work well for you, move on to your next choice.
Clients ARM: Helping Businesses Manage Their Clients’ Needs for More Than 30 Years
Great customer care is about more than relying on CRM software to help you track important metrics and document communication. It’s also about giving clients the care and attention they need and want. Clients ARM has more than 30 years of experience helping businesses just like yours wow their clients and potential clients each and every day. From incoming calls to accounts receivable to billing to customer service, you can count on Clients ARM to provide your clients and target market with the care they deserve. To learn more about how we can help, schedule your free consultation!
