Data is at the heart of digital marketing activity – and that includes how you develop your customer relationships. Although these relationships are built on foundations of trust, respect and reliability, the management will depend heavily on how you organise, monitor and use your data.
A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system could enable your business to more effectively understand and respond to interactions with current and potential customers. By compiling data from a range of different communication channels, including your website, telephone, email and social media, a CRM system will enable you to learn more about your customers, give staff the tools for greater engagement and encourage sales growth.
If you’re thinking about adopting a customer relationship management system or software, here are just a few of the reasons to justify investment:
Improve employee awareness
A CRM system will not only serve as a method of organising data, but it can improve the efficiency and standard of day-to-day staff activity. Quick access to customer history data will supply customer-facing staff with the necessary information to deliver great customer service by tailoring their response appropriately.
Whether that’s knowing when a customer first interacted with your business, what they have purchased or where they are in the sales funnel, a CRM system will save time wasted on searching for answers and improve service delivery by giving staff the knowledge and confidence to work effectively.
Deliver timely, personalised communication with automated processes
Digital marketing relies on finding the fine balance between automated processes and a personalised touch. A CRM system could help you to add that all-important personalisation to your customer interactions by making the most of automated alerts. These alerts can be set to remind you to complete a follow up call, chase a lead or ask a customer about their purchase. The system will remind you to complete the actions in a timely fashion, the data will enable you to personalise each communication.
Tailor your marketing and grow your audience with customer insights
Understanding the data that you hold will enable you to not only develop a clearer picture of who your audience are and what makes them tick, but you will be able to specifically target segments of your customers with key messages or offers that will encourage the best conversion rate. Gaining insights on the most popular products, the typical customer journey and the most successful marketing tools and messages will enable you to turn individual data into a broader understanding of your customer base and how to both retain and expand upon it.
Improve customer engagement and your brand reputation
Data-driven activities will help to improve the quality of engagement from your customers. Listening to your customers’ needs and expectations will allow you to improve all aspects of your business including your products and services, delivery, marketing, customer service… the list goes on. As your customers develop a good relationship with your business, you will be able to improve retention and cultivate a great brand reputation that attracts new customers too. In turn, your CRM systems will begin developing a cycle of improved customer interactions that will enable quicker business growth.
Ultimately, a Customer Relationship Management system could simplifying how you manage your customer data and enable you to make better use of this important information. This could help you to not only improve customer relationships but facilitate longer term benefits including better customer retention, improved sales and greater profits.
If you’d like to get independent, practical insights and advice to make the most of a CRM system to improve your customer service and boost sales, register now for the free Data Protection and Customer Relationship Management Masterclass.
Get more information and top tips in the Superfast Business Wales Guide on How to Develop your Customer Relationship Management.