February 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Use CRM software to retain customers. Customers do not like to feel like the sales agent is reading to them from a script. They want to feel important and that their relationship is valued. Use CRM software to empower the sales department to deliver on a successful customer experience. Focus on the people, process and CRM tool.
Create customer programs (acquisition,growth and retention). Customer retentions should be a guiding principle to move your customers through the lifecycle to maximize their value. Pay attention to wait times, offers, education on new products cross-sell, etc. This can all be tracked in a CRM solution.
Collect and use the data, from the CRM software, on each customer interaction to identify behaviors and attidues. It iwll help you monitor the customer experience and retain your customers.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
You need to know what customer data is necessary for your CRM strategy to be successful. Make sure you see your customers through the same lens. Various departments in your organization may see your customer differently than another. Using one integrated set of analytical data throughout the company can help executives to make key decisions about how much to invest in a particular customer.
A good understanding of the level of customer data is critical. Have a clear and realistic picture of who you are in the matter of serving your customer. What do you value? What are you really selling them? It is not just a list of products, you need to focus on builidng a relationship with your customers. Keep your promises. Respond quickly to customer inquiries, a customer's time is precious.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
CRM software can benefit your customers, which in turn will benefit your company. Identify your customer segments and know who you want to serve. Understand what the customer wants and prioritize. To understand your customers, you need to know what they want and how they want it from you. Define customer experience goals. How should your customer feel? Identify important business interactions such as high volume and identify interactions that are important to the customer such as high involvement.
Many companies do not have a good connection with their customers. Use CRM software to develop a systematic approach to incorporate the needs of the customer. The key to developing a successful new customer experience is to develop a response to the customer need that is unique, compelling and adoptable.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Consider the list below to enhance the likelihood of long-term CRM success.
- Executives need to back your CRM strategy. Implementing CRM requires working across organizational boundaries. Mamangement needs to believe in the new CRM software for it to be successful.
- Build a team. A CRM team with reperesentatives from each department needs to be created and needs and concerns addressed. Everyone on the CRM team will need to own the customer experience. Consider people, process and technology since they will all be affected.
- Define your business objectives. Take time out to form your CRM strategy with your business objectives and customer requirements in mind.
- Identify who your customer is. The marketing department may be thinking one thing, customer service might say another. Define your customer after talking to all departments and make a consensus.