If the Coronavirus pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we need to be prepared for the unexpected. As businesses scrambled to adapt to the “new normal” of selling and promoting their products and services under restrictive guidelines, those companies who had invested in Customer Relationship Management tools (CRMs) could communicate valuable information to their customers immediately. We all experienced the plethora of emails from companies that “they were open for business,” but in a new way. While the constant barrage of information was sometimes annoying, we were comforted to know that we could still purchase our favorite goods and services in a new way or during certain hours.  However, many businesses were scrambling to communicate with their customers due to a lack of an organized system of customer contact information.

Regardless of the size of the company or the product or service offering, all businesses need to invest in a customer relationship management system. There are numerous reasonably priced options available to meet any budget. Check out Business News Daily’s recent blog that details several choices.

While the primary benefit of using a CRM system is the ability to quickly and efficiently communicate information to all or specific segments of your customer base, additional advantages include:

  • Building relationships and increasing customer loyalty and satisfaction
  • Serving as a management strategy that allows businesses to scale
  • Maintaining a record of conversations, purchases, and marketing material can be associated with leads and customers
  • Increasing customer retention and profits
  • One-stop access to organized data about their customers and prospects

Ultimately, CRMs help businesses learn about their customers, what they purchase, how they move through the sales process, and which marketing initiatives are most successful.

Improved Organization

Strong customer relationships are crucial to the ongoing success of any business. A CRM system is the cornerstone of those efforts.  So, what does a CRM program do? At a basic level, it manages the interactions between a business and its current and potential customers. By inputting customer data into a CRM, organization is a snap. Not only is your CRM a repository for client contact information and client purchasing history, but it also allows you to nurture leads and build customer loyalty. You have a wealth of knowledge in a single location, where marketing and sales employees can easily access real-time client information and respond accordingly.

Targeted Marketing

Additionally, CRMs allow businesses to segment their customer base and customize marketing approaches. By evaluating a customer’s purchase history or service history, you can more effectively determine what other products or promotions may interest them. Rather than wasting time and energy sending emails that go unread and make your customer feel as though you don’t know their needs, you can zero in on what is most important to them and where you can add value.

Enhanced Customer Satisfaction

Understanding your customers’ preferences and buying habits allows businesses to build long-lasting relationships by tracking trends and anticipating your customers’ exact needs. A CRM system also enables you to spot issues and respond quickly to customer inquiries. Today’s savvy customer expects businesses to react in real-time to their ever-changing needs. Whether a customer contacts your company via “live chat,” email, or by phone, the customer expects that they will be speaking to someone who is knowledgeable about their situation – and by opening their file in the CRM platform, you have access to everything you need to know right in front of you.

Adaptable to Any Business

Whether you run a large company with hundreds of customers, or a small mom-and-pop boutique with just a handful of clients, you can benefit from investing in a CRM. Systems are scalable to fit your needs and activity. Implementing a system on the front end is a good idea, not when a crisis is imminent.  Why waste your time organizing everything by hand or on an Excel spreadsheet, when so much can be automated for you? Save yourself time and money, and have peace of mind knowing that all your customer interactions are conveniently stored together.

As you develop or refine your marketing strategy, your CRM can be invaluable in providing information and insight for planning and tracking results. Know precisely which customers you are targeting and their latest activity. YGL Enterprises can help you make the most of your CRM and leverage this data to grow your business and drive profitability. Work with our skilled team on marketing strategies and solutions that fit your goals. Contact us today to get started and be on your way to CRM success.