The CRM that makes your sales force more effective
What do people think about CRM? Which CRM is right for you? Some features are basics, but others are more elaborate and can make you more efficient.
CRM: back to basics
Focus on sales
The priority need for a business and for an entrepreneur is sales. Customers are the lifeblood of your business and will sustain it over time. The priority is therefore :
- find customers
- keep them
A classic CRM
To do this, you need to equip your company with a CRM: Customer Relationship Management software. This tool enables you to organize your sales approach in such a way as to make it effective. This involves :
- good prospect management: contact details, information, updates,
- segmentation of your Database (DB): filters to sort information according to geographical criteria, sales, sector...
These two functions are the cornerstones of a CRM solution. But some software solutions go even further.
Finer segmentation...
...to filter data
Any CRM will download your database. But not all will offer the same functionality for consulting it. And your data can quickly become voluminous, with customer files, prospect files, etc. It's hard to find your way around. Access by alphabetical order isn't necessarily the most relevant. For example, a sales rep preparing a tour in the Drôme region might want to export only contacts located in the 26 department.
...to analyze your conversion tunnel
The sales pipeline is made up of all your current business, more or less mature, and which you hope to bring to fruition in the short, medium or long term. Analyzing the content of this tunnel enables you to :
- assess your company's situation at any given time
- establish an up-to-date forecast
Some CRMs also allow you to filter by quotation amount. This is particularly true of TigerPro software. You can sort your pipe so that you only see the list of current business with quotes over five thousand euros.
... to organize your sales force
Segmentation is not only useful for analytical purposes. By filtering the data, you can create a segment of contacts for whom you can set specific actions. For example, you can draft a standard e-mail, and decide to send it to just one type of lead - sales contact. In addition to these filters, some software packages are able to take into account the workloads and/or customer portfolios of your sales reps. With Initiative CRM, all information is cross-referenced. As a result, work and resources are organized efficiently.
... to optimize operations
The ability to enrich each customer file with information of all kinds not only enables them to be sorted according to precise criteria, but also ensures continuity in follow-up. Taking the example of a vacation period, it's easy for the person taking over to consult the history of the customer file. If the latter calls, all the information is available to provide an appropriate response.
A more relevant workflow
Fine-tuned segmentation not only facilitates operations, but also has a strategic impact on the actions taken.
Lead workflow
When it comes to keeping your leads up to date, the watchword is undoubtedly " assiduity ". If a prospect tells you to call back in a month, you've got to keep up. But how do you manage when there are thirty or even fifty of them? This is where an efficient process based on qualified segmentation makes all the difference. In your CRM tool, you fill in the return appointment form. An alert is programmed to serve as a reminder in a month's time. Some software programs, such as Initiative CRM synchronized with Google Calendar, add it directly to your calendar.
Customer workflow
Just as it's important to stay in touch with prospects, it's equally important to stay in touch with customers. In most cases, if a customer leaves you, it's because you haven't been able to retain them. You have to keep in touch with them. Not easy when you've got your head in the sand... But here again, CRM is an invaluable tool. If you want to let your customers know at least every 60 days, you can set the tool to remind you in due course.
Invoicing workflow
These functions, specific to CRM, are just as valuable in management. Some software packages have an integrated management module. With TigerPro, the database is directly interfaced with payment tracking. If an invoice is overdue, the tool takes care of sending a reminder e-mail: the guarantee of being up to date with your unpaid invoices, with a minimum of time and energy.
Having a CRM is good. A good one is better. Not all CRMs are created equal, nor do they go as far in terms of segmentation finesse or workflow relevance: features that not only add operational value, but also strategic value to your day-to-day sales organization.
Article translated from French