Most organizations invest in a CRM to help manage, monitor and optimize the sales process. In reality, a CRM can provide a host of additional benefits, many of which you may not even be aware. Whether you’re looking to track your competition, provide extra support to HR or even do something as basic as creating a content calendar, the right solution can deliver all of this and more. Here are six specific ways you can start leveraging your CRM to keep your business operating more smoothly.
Email Marketing
Any email task that is repetitive in nature can easily be automated with the right CRM. You can use your CRM to do everything from preparing communications and sending messages to tracking and measuring the effectiveness of your email campaigns. This will not only save your marketing team time, but it will also provide valuable insight into the sales funnel for more optimized outreach.
Account Lifecycle Management
Most people know that a CRM can be used to track initial sales, but what they often fail to realize is the additional opportunity such a platform represents – particularly in terms of relationship-building and upselling. The cost to acquire a new customer is far greater than retaining an existing one. With the right CRM, you can manage the entire customer journey to maximize lifetime value and increase revenue.
Hiring and Onboarding
Hiring and onboarding is another process that is wrought with time-consuming manual tasks and workflows. A CRM can be used to help facilitate and manage this process, similar to how a contact can be tracked through the sales pipeline. Bring new recruits up to speed quickly without wasting valuable man-hours in the process.
Virtual Rolodex
A CRM is a great tool for storing important contact information, like phone numbers, email addresses and additional details. Keep track of customers, colleagues, vendors, charitable donors and everyone else in your professional network. That way, when you need to get in touch, everything you need will be available right at your fingertips.
Competitive Advantage
Sales and marketing automation can do much more than simply save your company time. It can provide you with a leg up on the competition. Chances are there are at least a few of your competitors that haven’t yet climbed aboard the artificial intelligence bandwagon. By getting a jump on them, you can position your company leaps and bounds ahead.
GDPR Compliance
In May of 2018, the EU passed The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which restricts the way companies are allowed to manage and store a customer’s personal data. Failure to comply can result in hefty fines and sanctions. Thankfully, with the right CRM, you can ensure that all client data is stored in a secure place, helping your company to remain in compliance at all times.
Whatever your business size or industry, the right CRM tool can help make the entire operation more efficient. If you aren’t yet leveraging the power of automation through your CRM, you are missing out on tremendous savings and other tangible benefits as a result.