September 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Studies show that it is nine times more difficult to attract a new customer than it is to retain an exisiting one, so it is cirtical to keep your current customers happy.
If a customer is dissatisfied, take action immediately and record the comments in your CRM application.
Learn how to manage upset customers and turn them into long-term, satisfied customers.
Stay Calm
Listen carefully and without interruption to your customers' complaints. Acknowledge that there is a problem and empathize. Treat your customers with respect.
Gain Loyal Customers
Create loyalty by letting the customer know that their business is important. Thank them for their patience and cooperation. It often pays to reward upsect customers to keep their business.
Don't Repeat Mistakes
When you determine the problem, take steps to ensure it does not happen again. Do not make the same mistake twice.
Don't Take Criticism Personally
Don't let upset customers get to you by responding emotipanlly or giving in to outrageous demands. Recod the converstaion in your CRM solution.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
These CRM solutions automate nearly all of the tasks that salespeople and their support staffs once performed manually.
Though the features of a CRM solution can vary from product to product, there are a few industry-standard functions:
- Contact manager. A CRM solution must have a powerful yet easy-to-use contact manager in order to track sales.
- Marketing encyclopedia. This feature includes a base of information about different vertical industries, competitors and products. It's a valuable tool that cuts research time and keeps you informed as to your clients' needs.
- Forecasting module. The forecasting module lets you analyze where and when leads are generated. This information will help you to determine how to spend future advertising and marketing budgets.
When looking for a CRM solution, these features aren't necessarily standard but you may find them helpful:
- Support for mobile devices. Not all CRM software included support for personal digital assistants (PDAs) but if your sales force uses PDAs, look for software that offers connectivity options for popular handhelds.
- A Web-centric approach. Like many other applications, CRM solutions are becoming Web based, are built entirely on Web technologies and can be accessed through a Web browser.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Managing your customer relationship is important for all businesses, but is critical for Service Businesses who rely on repeat customers, ongoing contracts and referrals. Here is a list of some of the incredible amounts of data that must be managed and accessible in order to maintain a high quality relationship with your customer:
- Customer contact information
- Multiple contacts per account with contact info for each
- Multiple addresses per account
- Track and manage currenct service requests
- Record service history
- Equipment records
- Access records of inventory used and services preformed
- Notes and details about contact with the customer
- Reminders for follow up calls, appointments
- Track leads and proposales
- Notify customers of changes, updates and new products
Studies consistently show that it costs 8 times more to ciltivate a new custoemr than to keep an existing one. A good CRM plan will make your business more profitable...Guaranteed!
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Tip 1: Tackle business issues before choosing a technology.
Many CRM buyers get confused into thinking that technology is the answer to their problems when in most cases, core business processes need to be rethought to better serve customers. Consider your current sales, marketing, support and service processes. Will the new system fit into them? What kind of change is needed?
Tip 2: Explain real business needs to CRM vendor before investing.
The lack of communication between organizations and vendors has factored heavily into the deminise of the relationship. Communicate the business issues to your vendors. The best vendors will ask smart questions and come up with smart solutions.
Tip 3: Keep the customer as priority number 1.
The point of CRM is getting closer to your customers. Organize your CRM efforts around the customer and not the products or geographies.
Tip 4: Baby Steps.
Take manageable, precise steps towards your CRM goal. Make it work in one area effectively before moving onto the next.
Tip 5: Keep CRM throughout the company.
Too many executives are not involved in the CRM process. Their CRM project is done on an individual deparment basis which can cause failure. CRM needs to be strategized at an enterprise level to be successful.