Remember the “old school” method of keeping track of a customer’s valuable information? This usually took the form of Rolodexes, which had business cards and Post-it notes shoved in. You might remember that it was next to impossible to find the information you needed when it was required. This all changed with the advent of computers and digital databases.
These days, CRM software not only keeps track of your customer data but can also do so much more for you. Let’s take a look at this tool and how you can integrate it with your other software, such as a CPQ system.
What is a CRM?
CRM Stands for Customer Relationship Management and refers to a software system that allows you to organize and access your customer data on demand. Some of the most popular providers of CRM software include Salesforce and NetSuite.
A quality CRM platform is a system that allows all your departments to share the same information without any interruption of access. It is a “one-stop” hub where your management, sales associates, marketing, customer service, engineering, and production departments can all view the same data. This is incredibly important as successful businesses rely on customer service. If a company does not create a personal connection with their clients, then rest assured those clients will move on to their competitors.
Don’t believe us? Let’s look at the numbers:
- 96% of consumers rank customer service as an important reason for brand loyalty
- 33% of consumers have abandoned a brand because of poor customer service
- 54% of consumers feel they have higher expectations for customer service than they did a year ago
- 64% of consumers have contacted customer support in the past year
- 52% of consumers believe companies should use feedback from customers to guide their work
From these numbers, it’s apparent customers take this personal touch very seriously. A good CRM system can take this data and utilize it for customer service that surpasses companies not using a management program. But the uses don’t just end there.
CRM platforms also allow companies to retain more of their existing customers, which translates into a significant financial benefit for the company. It costs 16 times more to earn the business of one new customer than it does to cultivate a relationship with an existing customer. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that CRM systems have become increasingly popular with companies looking to retain existing customers.
What are the benefits of a CRM?
So, other than having a centralized location for all your customer data, exactly what can a CRM do for your business? The reality is that CRM’s make your business more successful by concentrating on customer service.
Let’s explore some of the benefits:
- Customers don’t want to think of the businesses they work with as “faceless” entities. Instead, they want the personal touch that comes with an actual working relationship. CRM systems make the customer more likely to come back and continue to do business with you, but it also helps by allowing you to customize everything from your promotions to sales pitches based on this data.
- When you know your audience better, you can anticipate the needs of your customers. If you offer customization of your products, this will allow you to tailor these options to fit the needs of your customers better.
- Today, we’re all about instant gratification. We send a text message and expect an almost immediate response. Having all the data for a customer at your fingertips allows for quicker communications, which, in turn, leads to happier customers.
- Finally, having all your data saved and synced to one centralized location allows for better security. If you have the same data collected in three or four (or more) locations, then you’re increasing the chances a hacker will be able to get into one of these areas to steal your data. This can be disastrous for your company. Sixty percent of small businesses that are hacked and have their data compromised go bankrupt within a year. You don’t want to be a statistic, so keeping a secure, centralized data center is essential.
How can CPQ Software help your business?
CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) software can integrate perfectly with your CRM platform to create a combined system allowing you to work even better. No more worries about keeping up with two sets of data. By having everything saved in one location and then synced regularly, you have the most up-to-date data available.
If you already know about CPQ software, then you know what it can do for you. Customization is the key to gaining new customers and maintaining those relationships.
It is no longer possible to use a “one-size-fits-all” mentality when it comes to your products.
Customers have individual needs that are specific to their businesses. So, you need to allow them to customize their products to meet those needs. CPQ software provides this customization by letting customers relate specific requirements to your sales department.
With the right software package, a company will not only be able to design these products, but many of them can also create advanced 2D and 3D models of the products. These, in turn, can be used to ensure the customer is satisfied with the product before it goes into production.
How does Configure One integrate with CRM software?
Currently, Configure One’s CPQ software can integrate fully with a variety of CRM platforms, including:
Configure One can tie in directly to your CRM interface so that you can generate configurations as well as quotes and pricing features. When you create a quote, for instance, the data stored in the CRM system is populated into the quote. The CPQ workflow can be accessed directly from your CRM’s hub. Now, you can generate a fully priced quote without having to go to your engineers for the quote information.
Configure One Offers Efficiency
A streamlined approach to handling quote generation makes the process quicker and easier. You’ll save time from having to take customization options to your engineers so they can provide you with a quote.
Instead, you’ll be able to move directly into production, saving time and energy. Additionally, your production engineers will be able to spend time on new product development instead of having to deal with quotes and customization.
Increase Sales with Customization Options
Configure One’s CPQ software offers the ability to see a variety of customization options at a glance. Sales associates can see what options are available as well as the data of the customer’s past orders.
This means the sales associate can upsell and offer customization options based on their knowledge of the customer’s needs.
By having all the information for your clients synced between your CRM platform and your CPQ software, you can generate sales leads readily and increase the opportunities for your salesforce to offer clients potential deals.
Data synced between CRM and CPQ is crucial because you ultimately save yourself work. No more will you enter the data in two (or more) times to have it saved in each system. By syncing the systems, everyone knows exactly where they stand with the customers and their data.
Streamline Your Customer Relationship Processes
By opening your data for all the departments, you’re streamlining your work process and creating an environment that lets your employees collaborate. But you’re also linking it with the CPQ system that enables you to offer your customers more opportunities for top-quality, customized products. This integration is the very definition of a win-win situation.
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