Upsides of integrating accounting tools into your CRM

Why should one go through the trouble of integrating accounting tools into your CRM? This is the question that website managers often ask themselves. After all, while the process of integration can be fairly straightforward, it is by no means easy. And, in certain instances, it can come with added costs. So, why go through it all? Well, there are certain benefits of integration between accounting tools and CRM that you should definitely be aware of. Therefore, let’s not dilly dally, and let’s explore a bit why this international is quite useful.

Top reasons for integrating accounting tools into your CRM

When starting out companies usually have different systems for accounting and for customer relations management (CRM). At first glance, this makes perfect sense, as there doesn’t seem to be much connection between the two. But, as you will soon learn either from this article or from practice, having your CRM connected to your accounting is not only smart but necessary. To help elaborate on this further, we are going to give you specific examples of why integrating CRM with your accounting is a good, worthwhile idea.

End-to-end sales system

The first benefit of integrating your CRM with the account tools is that you end up with an end-to-end sales system. Such a system allows for much better oversight of both your revenue and your customer satisfaction. Such information can prove quite valuable when trying different marketing strategies, or while promoting new products. So, the most effective way to collect that information is to set up an integrated end-to-end sales system and keep track from the get-go.

Increasing efficiency

Once you have your data collected, you will have a uniform database, all in one place. This allows for surprising efficiency in handling that data, as all of the important information will be neatly located together. When it comes to new entries, you will also have a much easier time keeping everything in one place. The alternative is to create two databases, one for accounting, the other for CRM, and painstakingly keep them integrated. It won’t take much to show that the integration will easily save you hours of work.

Improved communication

One first thing that new company managers learn is that customer communication is rarely a simple endeavor. Often you have to go back and forth with your customer in order to figure out what the issue is and how to address it. This can require changes in payment, product replacement, or a service overhaul. So, it is not uncommon for a large number of people working in your company to tackle one customer. And the one thing that always makes this efficient is effective communication, especially if you plan on running a remote sales team. Luckily, that is precisely what CRM and accounting tools integration provides. With it, you will have a single piece of data that is easy to find, and easy to share. This makes handling customers relatively efficient, especially if you have good software for your information.

Better customer experience

In modern times customers have grown accustomed to efficient customer service. Long gone are the days where a customer could give a complaint and have it answered within a week. Today’s customers expect their issue addressed as soon as they report it. So, it is has become more important than ever to have efficient CRM and to ensure that it functions well at all times.

Well, that is another thing that the aforementioned integration provides. By using it you can not only address issues in an efficient manner but also gain valuable information about your customers. By keeping track of their spending habits, you can outline their behavior and work on tailored marketing tactics. A good email marketing strategy is one of the best ways to improve your retention rates and gain trusting companies.

Marketing ROI

One of the best things about keeping track of your customers is that you can find out which marketing strategy is working for you. With multiple strategies implement, it can be hard to track where your business is coming from. This is why a lot of companies often ask their customers where they heard of them. But, alas, this only works for a fraction of your customer base, as most don’t care much about answering questions.

The more elegant solution is to use the integration of CRM and accounting to track your customer. By interpreting the gathered data you can soon learn what marketing efforts actually lead to sales. This can be quite useful for email marketing, where customer info is of the essence. Afterward, you can reorient your investment and therefore see a better ROI. Know that every marketing strategy takes time and patience to develop, as you have to learn from your customers. But, the beauty of the integration that we are discussing is that it shortens that time considerably.

Easy payments

A well-integrated system allows for easy payments, both to and from your company. This, in turn, allows for efficient running as your assets will be surprisingly easy to deal with. The live update allows you to keep track of your finances and ensure that there are no surprises. Furthermore, accounting is made far easier, as every transaction is carefully monitored and regulated.

Cost-effectiveness

By now you should realize that while integrating accounting tools into your CRM may be costly, it is an investment that will be well worth your money. By integrating your info from the get-go, you will still the arduousness of doing so once your company starts running. Furthermore, the longer you use the integrated system, the more info you will have to learn and reap benefits from. So, whether you are a large or a small company, know that integrating your CRM with your accounting is a worthwhile idea.