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How CRM Software Works
How CRM software works -- creating customer satisfaction with a click
When people ask, “What is CRM?” the literal answer
is, “Customer Relationship Management,” but that doesn’t
really convey much in terms of what all CRM does for a
business. This CRM definition is too narrow to really
explain everything the system does if it is working to its
fullest potential and is user-friendly enough to expand and
grow as a customer-client relationship changes and grows.
CRM in the broader sense encompasses not only customer
relationship management itself but how customer
relationship management is handled and the most important
elements of a CRM program that are essential to its being
successful. The range of CRM software options vary from
those that provide simple customer tracking and live chat
capabilities to the more complex CRM solutions that can
integrate all of the customer relationship data an
enterprise has on each client past, present and future in a
dynamic information data network.
What should I look for in a CRM software package?
If there’s an ideal CRM software package that works for
every company and every situation, it hasn’t been discovered
yet, simply because every company has slightly different
needs for their customer relationship management needs as
well as software implementation.
In general, however, when you are looking for a strong
CRM software package there are a few things to keep in mind.
If you are shopping for a CRM package, try to forget about
the initial price tag at first (as difficult as this may be)
and focus on the adaptability, usability and integrity of
each system you evaluate as it relates to your particular
needs. A few things to consider:
- What are the most important facets of customer
relations are we looking to address, and does this CRM
software support tracking and updating all aspects of
this? For example, if your company wants to customer
service to have ready access to changes in customer
spending habits and an opportunity to offer new product
options based on these records, make sure this capability
is built into the software. Customization down the line
will be time-consuming and expensive -- if you have a
primary goal, make sure it is standard in your CRM
software package.
- Will the CRM software package integrate smoothly with
all platforms currently in use at your company? If you
will have to re-enter all databases such as client names,
addresses and phone numbers, this will significantly
increase the amount of money you’ll spend in the long run.
Make sure that you can either integrate smoothly or import
all information needed flawlessly.
- Is the product more than you need? An enterprise
solution that offers fifteen functions you don’t need and
never will isn’t a bargain if you will never expand into
that market niche. Just because it’s available doesn’t
mean you have to have it. Selling custom-sewn hats? You
won’t need a CRM software package for tracking
million-dollar overseas accounts.
- Has this CRM software package been used for a company
of your size before? If it has been used for companies up
to 10,000 and you have 150,000, the system may simply not
be able to sustain the volume of data and crash or develop
glitches. Look for something more powerful with a support
system capable of understanding the size of your company.
Can you build me a dream CRM software package?
Hmm…let’s see. The best CRM software package would be
optimally functional across all platforms and have its own
customer support backing it, and …. Well, let’s take a look
at our own list of what we’d really like in a CRM software
package if money was no object and we could “have it all,”
so to speak:
- A CRM software provider that has partnerships with
other vendors for support in the event you need it for
integration of platforms.
- Extensive training from certified CRM software
technicians who will walk your people through the process
of setting up, using and training others on the system.
- Full data migration capabilities to and from all
programs in current use to the new CRM software.
- Offsite server storage backup for all information in
the CRM system for added security.
- A toolbox for company programmers for customizing
templates for company use -- this will save huge amounts
of time by eliminating the need to write custom codes from
scratch.
- Either in-house consultants or a choice of contracted
consultants they recommend (try not to be at the mercy of
one consultant when there is a problem).
- A CRM software package designed by a company familiar
with our specific industry and its structural needs.
The best CRM software packages enable customer service
representatives to review the account information of each
client or customer when they are talking to him or her and
immediately understand something about that person’s needs,
wants and spending patterns.
For banks, CRM software can indicate their banking
patterns -- are they investing through the bank? Have they
recently looked into a money market fund? Do they have
substantial funds that could be put to better use than
languishing in a simple CD?
A mail order company can note your shopping tendencies
and make Christmas shopping suggestions based on past
purchases by seeing that you buy a lot of kids’ clothes and
that you spend about $200 each holiday. Used correctly, a
toy company can steer you toward some bargains and suggest
alternatives, enriching your shopping experience and
building customer loyalty.
Why does CRM software fail so often after it’s put
into place?
You’ve heard the stories about a company buying a CRM
software package and then realizing it hasn’t really changed
anything. The big-wigs are disappointed, customer service is
frustrated, and the clients are aggravated with the new
changes that don’t seem to show any improvements in customer
service or client relations. How does it happen?
Because CRM software was purchased that wasn’t
appropriate, was purchased too soon, or wasn’t implemented
properly. If you don’t purchase CRM software that
specifically addresses what your customer concerns are, you
may have software that is very detailed in an area you don’t
need and somewhat lacking in exactly what you do
need.
Purchasing too soon means you bought the software before
you had evaluated what you really wanted. Many companies by
CRM software with a goal “to improve customer relations,”
which is not a clear business goal! You should have a
very specific, well-defined objective that your CRM software
solution can address, and you company should have developed
a formal objective before you went shopping for a solution.
Retaining customers? Improving the size of current customer
portfolios? Penetrating a new market niche? Reduce customer
complaints? Improve customer repair response? Determine what
it is you want to focus on as a goal, and then choose your
CRM software solution based on how it will address it.
Finally, implementation of a new CRM program requires
proper management support and effective training. That means
that management must be behind it one hundred
percent, and not have “head in the sand” approach where they
determine that “that’s for customer service, I never did
understand that stuff,” and avoid learning how the CRM
software works. It is an attitude that will pervade the
company.
Second, training is essential and must encompass the
company to ensure that all levels of personnel will embrace
the new system and understand the genuine need for it and
the real goal of what you are trying to achieve with your
new CRM software solution.
Some CRM software options for small and medium sized
businesses
For small and medium businesses, the most common customer
relations management software request is for anything that
enhances online communications and improves the time between
a customer complaint or question and resolution of the issue
for them.
For many companies, there are software solutions that can
be purchased or downloaded to be used through their Internet
website for basic services such as online customer support
through live chat and customer assistance with online
purchasing that is both efficient and relatively
inexpensive. If your need is primarily to improve sales
volume, improve response to customer questions and
complaints and to make your company website more
personalized, look into these solutions that are at the
lower end of the price spectrum while providing solid CRM
products:
- LivePerson offers two different versions, Basic and
Enterprise that provide live chat, email and a variety of
interactive forms customized to meet companies’ needs for
customer relations. This company has developed live chat
solutions and online forms for everything from
universities to financial services firms. This company
provides a wide range of services, including online
marketing, case studies, and software designed to improve
online shopping cart capabilities.
- LiveHelper offers many of the same features, and adds
real time traffic monitoring and other data assessment
features as well. For the price, LiveHelper is a very good
CRM software value.
- GroopZ includes customer routing software so that you
can transfer entire chat strings from one customer service
rep to another if you need be, along with an efficient
filing system for chat transcripts and customer records.
For improving customer relations, the software support
suggests pre- and post-service questions for all customers
who contact you.
Also included are templates you can set up with
specific, pre-scripted answers to frequently asked
questions in online chat to save customer service
representatives time and make the process clearer and more
efficient. This company does a bit more customizing on the
front end to fit your needs, and pricing is adjusted
accordingly.
-
SupportWizard gives you three CRM options that give
you some flexibility -- you can buy, lease or let them
host your customer service/relations solutions.
Interactive FAQs, live chat, standard answers to frequent
questions, and Boolean search capabilities to review past
interactions all make this package extremely effective.
SupportWizard also has more customizable features than
some, including an “escalation alert” that can be tailored
to specific situations when a supervisor would be notified
if a customer service situation exceeds certain
parameters.
This is one of the more expensive packages available,
but rather than a monthly fee you are paying for lease or
outright purchase options, so factor this into the cost.
You will also get spectacular customer support and
constant upgrades and patches when necessary. The
integration of email, live chat and telephone information
into one database is also a plus with SupportWizard.
- BoldChat offers free CRM software for online customer
service chat that you can use for a limited time, and
offers a $9.95/month and a $39.95/month customized version
of their CRM software. Both offer live customer service
chat, but one adds customized windows and more options on
buttons and the number of available customer service reps
you can add.
- CSLive offers the most comprehensive CRM software
solution available for small and medium businesses, with
live chat, email, and the usual customer service features
you expect from a small business CRM solution, but with
plenty of extras. CSLive also offers an extensive tracking
and filing system, an Internet server site where you can
upload and store files of customer help articles that
customers can be referred to that can by emailed directly
to clients by your reps. Throw in the message center and
online meetings, and this is practically an enterprise
sized solution at a small business price of $29.95 a
month.
CRM software, whether on a monthly user basis or
purchased outright and downloaded onto your own server, will
make serving and understanding your clients and customers a
more productive experience, and you will all be happier for
it.
Also See: [ Top 7 CRM Software Mistakes to Avoid & CRM Best Practices ]
[ Compare CRM Software Solutions & Systems Using BuyerZone.com ]
[ What Does CRM Stand For Anyway? ]
Home Page:
[ CRM-Software-Guide.com ]
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