Archive for the ‘technology’ Category

CRM Systems: Making Them Work for You

Client Relationship Management (CRM) systems are used by companies to develop profiles of their clients, allowing them to track buying habits, preferences, and other information in order to help maintain a better relationship with that client. These systems can go a long way in helping companies strengthen their relationships with clients; however, you must do your research and choose a system that suits the needs of your business, your staff, and your clients.

When looking for a CRM system, here are some things you might want to consider:

• Compatibility: Does your staff use other existing systems or devices (e.g. Blackberry, Outlook) to store contact information or take notes? If so, having a CRM system that integrates with these will allow them to continue using important tools as they always have. Many companies will implement a new CRM system expecting staff to change their habits and begin adding information directly to a new system; however, this is not always realistic. The transition to a new CRM system will be easier and far more successful if it works with tools your staff are already successfully using.
• Accessibility: Does your sales team work on the road where they don’t always have internet access? If this is the case, look for a CRM system that allows them to work offline and automatically sync updates once internet access is available. This saves them from having to enter information twice and guarantees that no information will be lost as they’re transferring notes. Lost information can mean missed opportunities for both your company and your client.
• Reporting: All companies rely on reports of some capacity to gauge the success of their business, so it’s important to make sure that your CRM’s reporting functions fit your needs. What are you reporting? To whom are you reporting it? Do your reports need to be printed or emailed? You must take all of this into consideration in order to find a system that will make the process of converting sales information into meaningful reports seamless.

Some companies believe in closely monitoring and reporting on accounts, opportunities and sales activity, believing that a hard-working sales team is a natural indicator of customer happiness. Others take a less report-heavy approach, believing that cultivating client relationships and making those relationships a priority will naturally lead to positive results. It’s important to consider which camp your company falls into so that you know what reporting functions to look for in your CRM system. If your company values heavy number and results reporting, you’ll want a system with Sales Force Automation (SFA) functions. If you’re primarily interested in building client information, you’ll want a system with a more standard CRM approach.

• Segmenting: Odds are you have more than one type of client. Some might be regular or return customers; others might be sporadic and occasional in their purchases. Some might repeatedly buy the same product or service; others might like to know when you have something new to offer. Find out what features your prospective CRM system has that will assist you in segmenting and managing your clients lists. This will allow you to effectively target your marketing campaigns (e.g. email marketing) in order to drive conversion.
• Customizability: How many employees does your company have? How many different
  tiers of staff are you working with? If your team consists of many roles with differing responsibilities, you will need to look for a CRM system that allows for dashboard customization. Each type of employee will have different needs and uses for the CRM system so it doesn’t make sense to have them all using the system in the same way. Each type of employee should be able to see the content and functions they need right on their dashboard.

These considerations should not only be taken into account when looking into a new CRM system, but should also be weighed against your current system periodically. As your company grows and evolves, changes in roles, personnel, and corporate culture might make it necessary to update.

Is your company currently using a CRM system? If so, are you using it to its fullest potential? If you’d like to chat about CRM systems and how they can work for you, give us a shout.

Image Credit: flickr

Posted by Ramona on February 2, 2012 in technology

A Quick Look at QR Codes

In a recent post on Korea’s Tesco Homeplus stores, we mentioned their use of QR (Quick Response) codes to make grocery shopping more convenient. QR codes are 2D codes which are readable by smartphones and are used to provide additional information on a product or service. ComScore recently released a study of QR code use; here are some of their findings:

• Approximately 14 million mobile users have scanned a QR code
• Men were 50% more likely to have scanned a QR code than women
• Over half of the people who had scanned a code were between the ages of 18 and 34
• More than 1 in 3 QR code scanners had an annual household income of $100,000 or more
• Codes were most likely to scanned at home or at a store, and were most frequently scanned from a printed magazine/newspaper or product packaging

If you’re interested in finding out ways you can enhance your business through QR code technology and mobile marketing, give us a call.

Image Credit: University of Utah

Posted by Ramona on January 29, 2012 in industry, interactive, technology