Customer Relationship Management Systems
Definition of a Customer Relationship Management System:
Customer Relationship Management describes a system where every contact with a customer is centralized.
The purpose of CRM is to enable businesses to better service their audiences via reliable processes and consistent messaging. Customer Relationship Management is about the ways company’s interact with its customers and helps staff do what they need to do more efficiently. CRM is the most important application that SBO and professionals will use. The impact of CRM means having control over your business so you can focus on making money, eliminate tasks which fall through the cracks, and access the tools which systematize the business.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN IMPLEMENTING A CRM SYSTEM 
- help the sales professionals manage and close opportunities
- provide managers a complete view of the existing pipeline
- document workflows of operations
- nurture the existing client relationships
- host a recruit database
- run targeted marketing campaigns
- ensure accountability across business units
A centralized, lean, minimalist, easy and fast system will result in greater buy in. The balance between functionality, cost, and ease of use needs to be paramount in the decision making process.
Elements of a CRM System
- contact manager
- opportunity management
- activity records
- task manager
- calendar
- workflow processes
- project management
- document files
Small businesses, professional practices and business units are able to utilize cloud services specializing in customizable CRM, also referred to as SaaS (Software as a Service).
Cloud applications are accessed from any computer or device with Internet capabilities making the program accessible on-demand and portable. The data is held on the supplier’s servers (not the client’s), there is less infrastructure overhead, a pay per user fee means better cash flow, and backup are managed by the provider.
Implementing and Adoption Strategies
The selected system must be useful to all stakeholders and cannot be too complicated. Every extra screen and field deemed to be mandatory, the greater the chance that end users will not embrace the functionality of the program. Another key concern of integrating CRM into a business is synchronization capabilities between multiple computers and hand held devices. An experienced implementer who can be on-site guiding you through the process is essential in helping you determine the best configuration to meet your needs and migrate existing data to the new platform. A contracted implementation specialist can offer training and long term maintenance services, if required.
Having your new CRM system adopted enthusiastically from the onset is critical. Roll the program out from the top. Use of the system will be associated with seniority and others will feel privileged to have access to it. Invite different administrators onto to the site and give them ownership of the content. Reference the site at all opportunities and limit criticisms of the system. Introduce usage and reporting rules early in the adoption phase, encouraging members to use the system consistently. Design a rollout strategy with training modules.
~ “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci
