What is a CRM system?
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. A CRM system is a system that contains relationships, information and transactions about customers. In other words, your CRM is where you keep track of — and store — data about your customers.
When people typically refer to CRM, they usually mean a tool that helps you keep track of your contacts, sales, customers, productivity and similar data.
In other words, a CRM system helps your business organise and manage important information and relationships — whether it concerns a potential customer, a current customer, a former customer, a business partner or something else entirely. In doing so, it streamlines processes, gives you the (necessary) overview and improves efficiency across the organisation.
That is why a CRM is a necessity in the vast majority of businesses.
CRM System: What can it do?
What a CRM system can do precisely depends on which one you choose. There are, for example, CRM systems well suited to B2B, where lead generation, marketing, sales and support are all in one, as well as systems suited to B2C, where it is connected to your webshop and CRM.
Among the popular CRM systems are the following:
Popular CRM systems
- Hubspot
- Salesforce
- Agile CRM
- Drip
And many more.
Regardless of which you choose, a CRM system typically offers the following primary functionalities:
- Contains contact information such as email, phone number, address, website, etc.
- Contains previous communication.
- Contains history of previous transactions, etc.
- Contains notes
- Gives you an overview of various customers, etc.
- Allows you to segment.
- Allows you to record important information about individual customers.
TIP!
When choosing your CRM, you can typically get a demo and/or a free trial period from the individual provider. Select a few that seem like a good match based on features, price, etc., and then test which one works best for you in practice.
CRM: Why? 3 good reasons to get a CRM
Here are 3 good reasons why you should have a CRM:
- Ordinary spreadsheets or similar tools are difficult and complicated to maintain an overview of, keep updated, and lack functionality.
- Important information about customers and contacts should not be buried in your inbox.
- Notes should not be discarded and forgotten.
- Without a unified system, it is impossible to streamline processes and get information to flow through the organisation.
With a CRM system, you ensure exactly this — that you have the right information in the right places, always accessible (to everyone).
This helps create efficiency, a better overview, better flow and better procedures within the business.
Would you like to optimise your customer interactions and make your business more efficient?
Call us on 30 12 42 72 for a no-obligation chat about how we can help you choose the right CRM system.
