Updated · Originally published
One often overlooked but important tool in an effective CRM software solution is the ability to make notations about prospect and customer encounters. These notes help sales people keep track of conversations with contacts throughout the entire sales cycle. This process not only keeps the salesperson on top of his personal and professional information about a customer, but it allows sales teams and collaborative work groups to deliver a more personalized experience.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online is a perfect fit for building strong relationships with your customers.
Imagine a scenario where your salesperson walks out of a meeting with a client and gets a phone call from a prospect anxious to meet. The salesperson agrees to meet in one hour, but hangs up the phone with the realization that he knows little about that prospect and previous contacts with the company.
The salesperson pulls into a local coffee shop with Internet access, opens his laptop, tablet, iPad, etc. (any web-enabled device) and quickly accesses his CRM account. He goes to the prospect’s account, reviews any critical information in the profile and then looks to the notes and interactions for any useful information. He quickly realizes this prospect had previously purchased a solution from the company but had since left because of a poor service experience.
The notations from the one previous contact between the salesperson and this prospect show that he is once again open to purchasing as time has passed and he is interested in advancements in the company’s current portfolio of solutions.
This scenario outlines one example of the usefulness of CRM on the go and the importance of thorough contact profiling and note taking. Many salespeople and companies are reluctant to capture notes because of the time involved. However, the little time involved in using these important relationship tools is modest compared to the potential long-term sales relationships you make or enhance because you have these contact details literally at your fingertips.
Even the most experienced salesperson would have a difficult time remembering all of the personal and business details gathered on a prospect or client. With thorough profiles and notes, you can better prepare for customer meetings via real time account details. This gives you ample ammunition for the all-important social contact and helps you keep track of vital needs and considerations from a business standpoint.
Service Benefits
Effective relationship profiles and notes also play a strong role in effective service delivery. When a customer calls your support or service center, the employee will have quick access to all necessary details about the customer’s relationship with the company and any previous call notes or support cases.
This type of quick and easy access to call details has become especially critical in team-based sales and service environments where contacts may talk with multiple representatives. Repeating the details of issues is extremely frustrating for customers. With good call notes, this frustration is avoided and necessary steps are taken to ensure the relationship carries on smoothly.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM is built for service as it allows for effective phone and e-mail communication and service monitoring. Customer data is quickly recorded in the system and disseminated throughout the organization.
Conclusions
Building a strong sales and service organization relies on a customer-centric culture; it also requires the necessary productivity tools that provide your people with visibility into all customer or prospect interactions across the organization. This means using a CRM solution that is familiar and easy to use; and readily accessible when and where you need it.
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By Ryan Plourde, ForgeXRM,
