In Deloitte’s Digital CRM study published in 2020, 92 percent of the CRM decision-makers surveyed described effective customer relationship management as crucial to their company’s business goals. Small and medium-sized businesses also face the question of how to improve their customer relationships. Here are eleven practical tips.
What does CRM mean?
Customer relationship management, or CRM, means building and maintaining lasting relationships with your customers. It involves understanding their needs and shaping the relationship beyond individual purchases.
Customer contact is part of everyday business. A structured CRM approach takes shape when you align information, processes and teamwork with your customers’ needs.
11 tips for better customer relationships
Personalisation starts with recognising that customers are people with different needs. Relevant offers and reliable contact lay the foundation for trust and lasting relationships.
- Get to know your customers. Analyse buying behaviour and preferences to develop relevant solutions and offers.
- Make room for personal contact. Give your customers opportunities to speak directly with your team in day-to-day business.
- Use your contact history. Record previous interactions in your CRM so your team understands the context of an enquiry.
- Connect your contact channels. Make transitions between channels smooth so your customers feel understood and valued.
- Listen to feedback. Respond proactively and use what customers tell you to improve your products and services.
- Automate suitable processes. CRM technology can simplify recurring work. Artificial intelligence can help predict customer needs and improve satisfaction.
- Train your team. Help your staff use CRM tools and communicate well with customers. Your employees connect your business with its customers.
- Reward customer loyalty. Choose loyalty programmes that offer real value and support customer retention.
- Protect customer information. Follow data protection requirements and handle information carefully. This strengthens trust in your business.
- Keep developing your strategy. Adapt your CRM approach to changing market conditions and customer needs.
- Connect systems and teams. Integrate your CRM with other systems and encourage collaboration across departments.
The aim is to put customer needs at the centre of your work, provide good service and increase revenue. Small and medium-sized businesses can also stand out through relevant offers and personal contact.
Examples from Apple and Amazon
Apple’s devices and services work together. The Apple Account, previously called Apple ID, provides access to services such as the App Store, Apple Music and iCloud. A shared account across several services shows how connected touchpoints can make everyday tasks easier.
Amazon uses information such as search, browsing and purchase behaviour to personalise product recommendations. This shows how existing customer information can help make offers more relevant.
Further reading: how to reduce customer service costs without compromising quality.
Technology for your CRM
CRM systems bring customer information together and support automation in marketing, sales and service. AI can identify patterns in data and suggest what customers or prospects might need.
Well-known CRM systems include:
- Salesforce: The platform offers tools for sales, marketing, customer service and business analytics. Businesses can choose suitable modules and extend the solution.
- Microsoft Dynamics 365: This software connects CRM functions with other Microsoft applications and is particularly relevant for businesses working within the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Creatio CRM: The platform for sales, marketing and service combines CRM with workflow design and automation.
- HubSpot CRM: The system offers automation and integration features. Alongside paid products, it provides free CRM tools with a limited range of functions.
The right system depends on your requirements, processes and the connections you need. Professional CRM consulting can support you with selection and integration.
Finding the right CRM consulting partner
Whether you are introducing a new system, improving your existing CRM or need a custom integration, a CRM consultant should understand your requirements and processes. Alongside expertise and references, consider how the consultant connects your teams, systems and customer needs.
Our CRM specialist has been integrating these systems into existing business structures since 2005. We focus on practical implementation that helps you in your daily work.
As a Zendesk Premier Partner, we look at CRM particularly in the context of your customer service. We help you connect customer information, marketing and sales with Zendesk in a useful way. You can find more about the platforms we work with on our partners page.
Challenges when introducing CRM
Although CRM systems are widely used, their implementation and integration can present technical and organisational challenges:
- Data protection: Complex datasets, different sources and security risks require suitable measures to protect customer information. The GDPR provides an important framework.
- System integration: Different platforms and limited interfaces can make it harder to bring information together. Depending on your systems, custom integrations may be needed.
- Data management: Managing and analysing large amounts of data can be demanding. Business intelligence helps turn this data into useful insights.
CRM consulting can help you assess these challenges and plan appropriate steps.
How CRM is developing
Technology and more personal customer relationships are shaping the development of CRM. Three areas play an important role:
- Artificial intelligence: AI supports personalisation, the prediction of customer needs and the automation of service processes.
- Data analytics: Analysing customer data helps you understand behaviour and communicate more effectively.
- Omnichannel strategies: Connected communication channels help create a consistent customer experience, wherever an interaction begins.
Maintaining lasting customer relationships
Good customer relationship management develops alongside your customers and your business. Understanding their needs, connecting information and using suitable technology creates the foundation for lasting relationships.
