There have been many learning moments worldwide due to the pandemic and are still ongoing. We found out that human contact is even more important than we thought, we found out that working from home is more possible than previously thought, and we found out that CRM is a very good tool but there are also some pitfalls.
Let’s learn from this terrible pandemic and learn about the pitfalls and importance of CRM in our mind. More than half of CRM initiatives fail to a greater or lesser extent: goals are not met, projects take longer than planned and budgets are sometimes alarmingly exceeded. Know what can go wrong and avoid failure! You can read more about that in this blog!
Why use a CRM system?
With a CRM system, companies can keep customer data up to date, track every contact with their customers, and manage customer accounts. CRM systems are designed for companies that want to improve their customer relationships and Customer Lifetime Value (CLV).
The purpose of a CRM system is simple: to improve business relationships to grow your business. CRM tools allow you to manage customer relationships throughout the customer lifecycle, in every interaction with marketing, sales, e-commerce and customer service.
What are the pitfalls when using CRM?
• No insight into the customer.
Many CRM journeys are started without a good understanding of what customers really wants. Yet it is the customer who decides whether or not to do business with you. That is why it is extremely important to understand what drives customers.
• No clear objectives
CRM is about better management of customer relationships, but what does that mean in concrete terms? It is essential to clearly state what the customer will experience and how we will implement this. For one company this can mean an acceleration of the quotation process, for another the possibility to offer customers a solution in the contact center directly in the first conversation. By formulating clear, measurable CRM objectives, it becomes clear to everyone in which direction the organization is heading. It is of course important that the CRM strategy and objectives are in line with the company strategy.
Examples of CRM objectives:
o Increase customer satisfaction
o Gaining insight into customer needs
• Not taking enough time
To make all changes, in working methods, organization and systems, succeed at once is a feat. ‘The culture change is planned for Thursday at half past three’ is the well-known example of this.
It takes employees time to get used to new processes, to their new role or tasks and to the use of new systems and performance indicators. It is therefore usually recommended to make a series of small changes rather than a few very large ones. Small changes reduce complexity and therefore the chance of failure. By quickly achieving small successes, the rest of the organization is also inspired to participating.
• Choosing the wrong CRM software
There are countless software solutions on the market, but not every system can do the same. On the surface, the differences are sometimes small. But your way of working, organizing or managing ultimately determines which system suits the organization best.
Choosing the wrong system can lead to expensive custom adjustments or to weakening of the intended wishes ‘just to fit into the system’. The system that is best for your neighbor is not necessarily the best for you. Therefore, specify very precisely what is really important to make a difference. And make sure you choose (or have built) a system that fits.
At WeSquare we know that it’s not that easy to set up the right CRM. As we are experts in setting up, integrating and optimizing your Oracle Service Cloud CRM, please contact us if you would like to have more information!
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As an experienced Oracle Gold partner, we are happy to answer any questions remaining, or to help you boost your online business with your CRM software. Call us at +31 853 012 993, or click here to visit our website. We are looking forward at the opportunity to create just the perfect situation for you. Together we can make your (online) business a success!