Must-Have Features in a CRM System to Support Business Growth

Customer relationships provide the crucial wind in the sails of businesses to steer their metaphorical ships toward success. Hence, it is vital that businesses do all they can to maintain the best possible relationships with their prospective, present, and past customers. The modern solution to this challenge is Customer Relationship Management Software.

Therefore, purchasing such an important tool for your business should be a well-thought-out process. Of course, there are other steps to be taken after you choose a CRM (like hiring resources to manage the CRM or choosing CRM data entry services to maintain data utility). But none of that strategizing would matter without the right CRM.

So, here are the top features you should consider before buying a CRM to fulfill your business objectives.

Table of Contents

Must-Have Features In Your CRM Software

● Automation Of Workflow

A lot of time and other resources are wasted when a process is completely manual. They can be saved with the infusion of automation. Your CRM software should, thus, support workflow automation to the maximum extent possible. You should purchase one with plenty of customization options so you can fine-tune it to your specific requirements. Typical tasks to automate include email distribution, sending follow-up messages if there isn’t a response from the lead to a previous one, coordinating communication between salespersons and prospects/customers, etc.

● Third-Party App Integration

No multi-function software is an island unto itself, requiring the addition of others to realize its full potential. A complex one like CRM is definitely on the list. Hence, it is necessary for you to check if your potential purchase allows for the integration of third-party applications that you use. For example, if you are using a professional Gmail account for your email communication needs, then the CRM should allow for its integration into its system so that you won’t have to shift to a different email service provider.

● Easy Customer Service

Your customers should not have to struggle with poor support if you want their loyalty. So, your CRM should be able to manage all incoming and outgoing customer support traffic. It should augment your customer support team’s functions so that they are not overwhelmed by the workload.

● Employee Tracking

Modern technologies have made employee performance tracking a lot easier than it used to be. A CRM should help you in this regard by providing the relevant data analysis reports of your sales and marketing personnel. It needs to integrate with your company’s HR software for more seamless employee performance management.

● Lead Activity Monitoring

Your business also requires the successful tracking and analysis of lead activities so that you can be aware of their needs and predict their requirements. Your CRM software should provide you with that ability.

● Analysis and Report Generation

A CRM software is not complete without the ability to analyze the data it has. It should also be able to report that analysis in a manner that suits your requirements. That means the ability for you to customize the reports. It’s best if it can do this in real-time.

Pro-Tip to Utilize The Chosen CRM Well: Ensure Data Accuracy

While a CRM system can be a powerful addition to any organizational structure, its efficiency and effectiveness always rely on data quality. Therefore, despite choosing the best CRM out there, you will face challenges unless your data management processes are in sync.

Outsourcing salesforce data entry services is one way you can overcome this challenge. When you hire professionals to ensure that the data in your system is accurate, coherent, and relevant, the CRM feeding on such data will automatically ensure optimized outcomes.

Conclusion

As technology evolves, businesses get better means of managing their various functions. CRM software is one such example. With the right CRM software, you can establish the kind of relationship you need with your targeted consumers and open doors for your business.

Author Bio

Gracie Ben is a data analyst currently working at DataEntryIndia.in, a leading company providing data entry & mining services & other data-related solutions. For more than ten years, she has actively contributed to the growth of many enterprises & businesses (startups, SMEs, and big companies) by guiding them to utilize their data assets. Having a keen interest in data science, Gracie keeps herself up-to-date on all the latest data trends and technologies shaping the industry and transforming businesses. She has written over 1600 articles and informative blogs so far covering various topics, including data entry, data management, data mining, web research, and more.