Establishing a CRM Strategy
We provide a simple four-step process for any company to use when defining their CRM strategy. Before the process can be applied, it is recommended to take a broad look at the various departments within the company.
It is also recommended to evaluate the different technologies used. After the preliminary evaluation, the process can be applied. This simple process will help you understand CRM better. Also, it will help you lay a foundation for the CRM Strategy to be applied.
Step 1: Identify your Company Internal Challenges
Here, an internal look must be taken at the company. You must identify the process(es) of how a customer can purchase a product from your company. For example, what are the steps they must go through to buy a product? Is it just a simple one-click order from your website? Or do they have to coordinate with multiple people? These are the questions that should be asked during this step.
Similarly, you also need to identify the problem your employees have. Employees may wish to contact customers, but they may not have the appropriate information. Also, employees may not have the correct tools or access to contact customers. These challenges need to be identified and listed.
Step 2: Map the Customer Journey
Here, a detailed process of how the customer interacts with your company must be documented. Begin with how a prospect finds the company. This may be through the web, mailing lists, adverts, etc.
Next, you need to find out how the customer interacts with your company. For example, do they first visit your website? Next, how do they consume or buy your content? Essentially, in this step, you need to map your sales process.
Your sales process and customer journey must work together. This will accomplish two things; firstly, to make the sale process simple. Secondly, easily guide your customer where they need to go.
Step 3: Define your metrics
Identify and define a list of benchmarks that you want to achieve. These targets should be based on current sales targets. Then identify the sales activities that will improve these benchmarks. KPIs can also be taken into consideration here.
Step 4: Business Milestones
Make sure to mark any important business milestones that may be taking place in the next year. Also, take notes on things that may result in technical problems so that can be avoided.
What are the factors to consider when creating a CRM strategy?
Several factors need to be taken into account when developing your CRM strategy. These are listed below;
– Vision: Plan the process of how CRM integration would work with different sections of the company
– Culture: Ensure that the organization has the methods needed to use a sales process that is customer-driven.
– Journey: The steps the customer takes when they want to purchase your products. Create a clear and well-documented version of this journey by mapping it.
– Education: Create documentation and training videos for all teams interacting with the products
– Communication: Plan the way the documentation and videos can be shared
– Leadership: Define the various roles in the transition. Clearly define the leadership and the responsibilities of each team member.
– Value: Devise a plan for creating awareness within the company for the CRM.
– Technology: The benefits and technology of the CRM need to be explained.
– Implementation: Document a structured plan of the new organizational processes and their implementation.
– Success: Create measurement standards by which the strategy will be assessed. Assign KPIs.
CRM is all about data and communication. If these elements are correctly implemented in your plan, the CRM will be an effective tool for your company.
CRM aims to enhance the customer journey while empowering the various teams in your organization. Focusing the CRM strategy for your customers increases sales and allows sales teams to be better.
Enhancing sales through CRM Tech
One of the most important goals of any CRM technology is to enhance sales processes. CRM technology can do this by automating several processes. Rather than redoing menial tasks such as outreach, follow-up, and qualification, CRM can automate them. CRM can provide notifications for various alerts, based on the user’s preferences. This ensures that a customer is never ignored.
Additionally, CRM can automatically monitor and keep tabs on your sales funnel. The biggest part of the sales funnel can be known at a glance. CRM allows you to contact customers and receive feedback on your communications with them. You can also easily integrate customer interviews and surveys within the system. This can help improve customer satisfaction by identifying gaps in your support communication.
