What? Since we’re entering the time of year when the white stuff starts to pile up, it seems appropriate to look at some of the cold realities of CRM.
No two are alike (storms and flakes). At the macro level (storm) each company uses for unique purposes. In fact, as a platform is currently helping companies manage everything from boat rental appointments to certification training. At the micro level (flake) each piece of data that is captured in Dynamics CRM can be used to provide better insight into the future based on facts. By systematically collecting consistent data on each customer, transaction or activity, your organization can analyze relationships to find new opportunities.
Hard to predict the exact course. As we are well aware, it’s hard for the meteorologists to predict a storm’s path days let alone weeks in advance. Predicting and reacting to recessions, expansions, trends and styles is just as hard — without good data it is a guessing game. A well designed CRM system, ideally leveraging social media integration, can give you clear insight into what your customers want so you can react appropriately.
Adds up quickly. It may start out slowly, but as time passes the individual elements add up to something beautiful. As more people in the organization use CRM, the significance of the information collected becomes more powerful. Data collected over time can uncover cross-sell and up-sell opportunities that will help you add more value to your customers' and your bottom line.
So when you look out the window next week at the flakes swirling down, think about shoveling dollars instead of snow.
By BroadPoint
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It is interesting how widely varied people's definition of "CRM" can be. I've learned that many people use it to describe a process, not a software at all. When I speak with some prospects, they believe it all centers around document management--quotes, tickets, task lists, etc. Others see it as little more than a phone book software.