Customer relationship management (CRM) is the ability of an organization to identify their desired customer base, successfully acquire those customers, and then use marketing skills and high quality products to retain those customers and foster their loyalty.
Strong customer relationships are what make or break a business. Rather than just gathering relevant information from sales numbers, effective CRM solutions gather the necessary
information from multiple sources, including other departments within the organization, business partners, and customer channels. This makes the customer relationship management more effective, as some staff – customer service technicians, for example – have a different type of contact with a customer than do the sales people. This gives a company multiple views of their customers which, in turn, gives the company an edge when trying to anticipate customers’ needs.
To make CRM easier and their businesses more successful, companies are starting to turn to technology solutions. In today’s business world, employees are more mobile than ever. They travel, work in the field, work from home – which means that they need to be able to access their company’s CRM information wherever they are.
The best way a technological CRM system can serve its customers is to have:
Both online and offline access
Internet access is notorious for disappearing at the most inconvenient times. An effective CRM solution allows the mobile workforce to download, cache, and synchronize data so that it can be used offline.
Access across various devices
Remote workers likely have more than one device with which they access their CRM data. A successful CRM system will offer the ability to switch between desktops, laptops, smart phones, tablets, and other mobile devices. It will allow workers to use various platforms as well – Mac software, Windows software, iPhone/iPad operating systems, Android applications, etc. Most importantly, a successful CRM product will optimize their software for each of these devices; on smart phones and tablets, for example, screen real estate is far more of a concern than it is on a laptop or desktop.
Reliable security
Desktops are rarely at risk for theft. Laptops and mobile devices, however, are far more likely to be lost or stolen; CRM solutions must be able to protect company data. A good CRM system will offer password protection, a secure https proxy, and a feature to remotely disable a device’s access to the company profile/sensitive information.
Most importantly, a company must choose a CRM that works best for its own unique needs. Contact Oates & Company today and let us help you make the choice.
