December 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
CRM solutions can be finely tuned to optimize the timing of sales: The sales cycle can be customized to the individual customer so that you have the best chance of making the sale. The sales cycle is flexible to meet the needs and motivations of the individual customer.
Functions across your entire organization may be candidates for CRM: If you think about CRM from a broad viewpoint, you might consider much of the company under a CRM umbrella. If you want to take this high-level view, perhaps many of the functions in your company could be placed under CRM.
Resistance to CRM culture change can mean failure: Most CRM initiatives are not totally successful. Most culture change initiatives achieve only a fraction of the benefits that were originally proprosed. Take a long-term view and have strong executive support to have a successful CRM implementation.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
CRM is a mindset and a philosophy: CRM is not only a tool. It is a small part of an equation that includes changing business practices to focus on customer needs and reorienting databases so customer data is more easily found.
CRM implementations don't happen overnight: Many organizations want to implement CRM in a short period of time. It is possible to estimate how long a software implementation may take, it is much harderd to know how long the culture change will take hold.
CRM software provides a 360 degree view of the customer: Every place in your organization that touches your customer should be integrated. Executive management, customer support, billing and account receivable, marketing adverstising should all be accounted for in your CRM solution.
CRM requires customer analysis: CRM includes the analytical aspects of understanding your customers, buying habits and reasons they make the decisions they do. Use CRM software to track this information.
Friday, December 12, 2008
- Tackle business issues before choosing a CRM technology. CRM buyers get confused into thinking that technology is the answer to their problems. Core business processes need to be rethought to better serve customers.
- Keep the customer as priority number 1. Never loose focus on your customers. Make things better for them. CRM software can help.
- Take baby steps. Having the right schedule should go a long way toward achieving more effective CRM. Take small steps instead of one giant leap.
- Keep everyone involved. Top-level executives need to know how the whole CRM process will work. The departmental approach cuases failure in CRM projects.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
The benefits of having a website and CRM solution to help get more leads are numerous. The website and CRM application will help you:
- Be more concise, precisee and appropriate in your communication messages
- More efficient cold calling by only calling upon the visiting companies
- Convert more visitors into leads then into sales
- Give the sales department a reason to call, email or send information
- Maintain relations with customers and ex-customers more efficiently
- Lower your lead generation and sales costs significantly