Reasons why even small businesses need CRM

While large enterprises and big corporations have wholeheartedly incorporated CRM into their business, smaller companies still seem a bit reluctant to do so. This, of course, is to be expected as all new technologies need time to settle in. But, if you want to stay ahead of the curve, you should really be aware of why small businesses need CRM. That way, you will know that the time to implement a CRM solution for your business is not next month or next year, but now.

Top reasons why small businesses need CRM

It is fair to mention that CRM can be a very useful and powerful tool in any industry. And, like most powerful tools, it will only be as useful as the person(s) who handles it. In good hands, CRM is unstoppable when it comes to:

• improving your online presence
• streamlining your services
• ensuring a new level of communication

But, to make this possible, you need to know what CRM is all about and how to best utilize it. So, do yourself a favor and continue researching CRM once you are done with this article in order to choose the right CRM software solution.

Gathering valuable customer data

One of the modern marketing trends is orienting your online efforts towards improving customer relations. The days when you could simply have a catchy commercial and enjoy numerous paying customers are long gone. In the modern area of constant media and available internet, you need to show your customers that you care about them. Luckily, this is precisely what CRM can help you with.

With CRM, you can easily track all the necessary data regarding your leads. By using it, you will avoid having to look for previous conversations, requirements, and issues. Instead, you will have all the data you need in one place when communicating with customers.

Tackling email marketing with ease

But, let’s say that you already have all that data. How is CRM supposed to help you out now? Well, email marketing, for starters, is one aspect in which CRM will be tremendously valuable. While email marketing is no substitute for solid SEO, social media, or PPC – it is quite useful in client retention and lead conversion.

As we mentioned, the key for modern marketing, especially when it comes to conversion rates, is the personal touch. This is one area of online interactions where emails still come out on top, as you can hardly be personal through online posts or forum comments. A good email strategy will help you engage with your customers and offer them the right service at the right time. This is an optimal scenario for any experienced marketing manager, as doing so is by far the best way to naturally gain paid and returning customers.

Ensuring top-notch communication with customers

One of the most important things to realize about modern consumers is that they have a very short attention span and little to zero patience. The speed and development of the internet have accustomed them to get an instant response, no matter the hour, no matter the subject. And, while you won’t and shouldn’t have round the clock live communication line with potential customers, with CRM you will definitely improve your overall response time.

With CRM software you will easily sort through various customer requests. This is necessary for prioritization, without which you simply cannot have satisfactory customer service. Not to mention busy periods, business trips, complicated projects, and all the other situations when you simply will not be able to answer your customers right off the bat. This is where CRM software steps in as it allows you an easy way to stay on top of your inbox.

Ensuring proper teamwork

Does CRM only help with customer relations? Of course not. The beauty of improving your communication system is that you help everyone in your company function in a much more efficient way. Without CRM, customer requests have to go through various channels. This can often present a problem, especially if there is an ongoing correspondence with a lot of different information.

With CRM, everyone in your company can stay on top of what is going on. Even if you choose to outsource your advertising strategy with a marketing agency for startups, you will still have an easy way to communicate with them and explain what needs to be done for better customer relations. 

Improve overall sales and effectiveness

The main reason why small businesses need CRM is that it improves your sales and effectiveness. As a manager, you will have a much easier time staying on top of everything by incorporating CRM. Without it, you will only be able to make educated decisions while you are in the office, surrounded by people with the necessary info. But, with CRM, you will have all that you need to know in the palm of your hand. So, do yourself and your business a favor and incorporate CRM as soon as possible.

Getting a powerful tool, for a reasonable price

With all that we’ve outlined so far, it must seem that CRM software will cost you an arm and a leg. But, in fact, CRM software is quite reasonably priced nowadays. The need for it lead to high demand. And the high demand led to significant market saturation. So, now, we are in the stage where CRM software is abundant and affordable. This makes it perfectly suited for smaller companies as more and more CRM providers compete for them. Some even incorporate further tools along with CRM like:

• job calculations
• claims management
• workforce management
• Google Calendar sync

But, even with basic CRM, you can automatize various aspects of your online presence. So, in the long run, it certainly saves you a ton of work hours, all of which would cost you money. With so many different options out there, small businesses that need CRM can certainly find it at more than affordable rates.