The world of business automation is on the increase, and for good reason. Business automation can save costs, time and enhance collaborative team effort and ensure that there is open and clear communication within the business organisation, across departments and with customers.
But more importantly, effective CRM systems have been a catalyst for improving sales and revenue numbers due its ability to create proper communication at the right time to the right clients, as well as improving customer retention and growth
Key Advantages of CRM
- Increasing Sales
∙ Streamlined and targeted client contact boosts sales.
∙ Collaborative tools help salespeople close deals with effective communication at the right time. - Improving Customer Retention
∙ Effective feedback tracking helps retain customers and increase spend by effectively dealing with their needs and concerns.
∙ Integrated “360 degree” views of customer data provides a better perspective of what works for your customers and when you need to engage them more effectively. - Streamlining Your Sales Funnel
∙ A CRM makes it easy to visualize your funnel, focussing on priority clients and opportunities.
∙ Granular reporting helps identify pipeline weak points, with timeous corrections. - Easy Online Marketing Tools
∙ CRM systems are a key tool for planning and executing marketing plans and to track and measure email, and online digital campaigns.
∙ Provide easy integration of sales and marketing data for easier analysis and better results with a higher conversion rate.
How to Asses the Right CRM Software for Your Business
Setup Time:
Cloud-hosted solutions are generally easier and quicker to deploy, with cloud back-up and security already incorporated. CRM systems with good support and a large user community provide much support and assistance in how to set-up and optimise without having to go through trial and error learning.
Ease of Use
Many CRMs put a strong emphasis on ease of use, but finding a CRM tool with good data visualization and one that provides streamlined apps to help your staff interact and access data on the go is important.
Price
Many CRM systems offer a free trial, which is useful to test and evaluate compatibility but may also have restrictions to functionality. A good approach is to asses your budget beforehand and then to look for a use appropriate systems that meets your core requirements within your budget. Also be wary of escalating prices and long- term contracts as well as data safety and storage limits that may cause headaches down the road.
Add-ons
As business and technology changes rapidly, it is also important to consider what the CRM system offers besides lead capture and marketing functionality. Consider looking for a tool with a rich integration library to take advantage of connections with other services you may use or with systems you already have in place.
Support Services
What hours are the support services available, and what is the delay times for responses? Look for a support team accessible in your time zone and which provides more than simple ticket support. Check client ratings and make sure it is a CRM company that is rated well.
AI Enhancements
As with all business tools, CRM Tools should be adopted, not because it is a new shiny thing but because it adds value to your business without creating additional headaches. Some CRM systems have AI capability built into their systems and this could be an advantage, particularly with identifying areas of risk and possible improvements, allowing you to rapidly respond to changes or challenges that could affect your business outcomes.
Suggested Top CRM Systems to Include in Your CRM Tool Assessments
- Bitrix24 is a completely free CRM system that allows for unlimited CRM users, Unlimited number of contacts, free data storage free pipeline management plus a free Android /IOS mobile CRM application, and includes more than 50 free CRM tools.
- Hubspot – Breese Co-Pilot: Hubspot is a well-established CRM system that now incorporates an AI Co-Pilot assistant that helps in streamlining your CRM as well as identifying areas of improvement. Using Breeze Copilot enables you to understand your business and comprehend your needs. It knows what you’re working on in HubSpot, on desktop and mobile, and provides you with tailored insights and assistance right where you need it. Hubspot has a free version but there are restrictions.
- Freddy AI by Freshworks is a new generation CRM tool that provides AI driven CRM enhancements such as an AI coach for staff and Freddy can be deployed to have intelligent conversations with customers to resolve issues rapidly 24/7 without any staff involvement required for interventions unless it needs to be escalated. There is a free trial but no free plan and plans for a smaller business start at $9 a month.
