CRM 1080

I trust you had great holidays — Happy New Year!   

There are probably tons of articles for what the CRM world is going to bring to the market this year…  Perhaps you should read the ones from 2009 to see if the “predictions” were just a great wish list by analysts.  Instead of predicting what CRM features are going to be popular or should be popular this year, I am going to take a different approach.     

So, here is my take on where we are headed…   Let’s just say the keyword is Contact Intelligence.  And what do I mean by Contact Intelligence?   What if pertinent information about your relationships is fed to your CRM system automatically and what is the point?  The point is that building a business is not purely based on the quality of your products but rather based on the relationship you form with your customers.  So, the more you know about them, the more you cater to their every unique need.    For example, Let’s say you have 50 prospects in your pipeline;  Now,  what if your system automatically provided you with the latest content relating to your prospects region, industry, organization or even personal accomplishments.   And what if you could use this information as a “gateway” to a deeper conversation and/or providing kudos for an accomplishment to your prospect.   This level of relationship touch builds trusts and may just be what is necessary to close the deal.   

The technology that can provide this level of sophistication and intelligence is already in R&D.  In some lesser way you are already seeing the beginning of these “features” when companies and/or analysts talk about CRM integration with Social Networks.  But integration with Social Networks is just part of the picture…  Integration without intelligence is like having a car and not knowing how to drive it.   There is vast amount of data with the various Social and Public Networks — the key is to integrated these networks with CRM in a manner than can provide value to both the user of the CRM solution as well as the recipient — in this case the prospect or client.   

As the year progresses… I will be sharing more about the technologies that are making headway in Contact Intelligence the way I defined it.   In the meantime, it is critical that you review the usage of your CRM solution to ensure that each customer touch point is optimized for the highest possible results.   Also, make sure you review all automated processes to adhere to changing business processes and/or focus.   

Happy New Year – May the force of your CRM solution continue to drive your business towards the goals you have set!   

Regards,
The CEO

Capture, Route, Follow-Up and Close Leads from the Web!

You work for an office automation solutions company.   You are one of 100 sales reps but you specialize in selling high end copy machines — you know, the ones that does pretty much everything except pour coffee…   

It is a busy day and you are on the road when your PDA sounds off  — you have mail.  It is a new lead that was just routed to you by your CRM solution.    The lead was a result of the prospect visiting your website and filling out a web form. 

So, why did you receive the lead and not any one of the other 99 sales reps?  Well, it is because based on the type of solution requested by the prospect and other infographics, your CRM system was intelligent enough to route the lead to you.   And here is the best part!  Your CRM solution already contacted the lead on your behalf and provided with initial brochures, case studies, benefits, etc.   Now, you just have to follow-up with a phone call.  And just in case you miss that step — well, you won’t!  Because, your CRM system is intelligent enough to keep bugging you until the call is made! 

Next, your CRM solution makes sure that you utilize the best practices established by your organization to ensure that you close the sale.   The system also informs sales engineers that they will have to work with you to demonstrate the solution to the prospect.   All of these activities are being scheduled and/or taking place at precise intervals. 

The above capturing of leads and automation is a must have tool in today’s competitive landscape for sales representatives.  Companies no longer can rely on static web pages with basic telephone numbers or email address for prospects to call or to send a question.  With web forms, leads are captured from the web and routed to the appropriate sales rep based on criteria that you set up.   Automated triggers can also send out acknowledgements, follow-up reminders, drip marketing messages, etc.   The system also can automatically create a contact record as well as a sales opportunity record.   So, now, this opportunity is in the Sales Rep’s pipeline.  This pipeline is visible not only to Sales Rep but also to his supervisor, his regional manager as well as the VP of Sales.  All of this happens in seconds form when a prospect clicks on the submit button requesting the information on the corporate web site. 

Your marketing folks will be really happy too!  Because, your CRM system will automatically associate the sales opportunity to “corporate web form” as the marketing source.  So, on a realtime basis, marketing folks will be able to tell the impact of various web pages and/or web forms. 

So, welcome to the world of CRM and capturing leads from the web.  It is the only way to improve response times, associate the right rep to the right deal, follow-up in a timely manner and close the deal based on the science behind best practices. 

Now… go close the deal! 

Regards,
THE CEO

Configure, Automate and Deliver Literature when requested!

Ever wondered how companies are able to send you the exact information you are looking for when you have visited their web site?  Welcome to the world of Literature Fulfillment using CRM automation.    

One sure way to reduce operational cost is to create a knowledge management database that supports the constant needs of your prospect or customer base from product brochures to annual financials to credit application forms to contract templates.   Why should you dedicate any human capital when this can be done so much more efficiently through the right CRM automation?  You shouldn’t! 

So, how can CRM solutions help again?   Well, when you visit a website, they often ask to your create an account or login before you can view certain information or before you can request to see a demo of a product.   Once you do that, the CRM system immediately tracks your every move and at that point is able to match your request or your web page visits to information that you may find useful.   This information is then automatically emailed to you in a timely manner in the delivery method that you have selected. 

That’s it… pretty simple for the prospect or customer since they had to do little to request the information they need to make a decision.   

Literature Fulfillment using CRM can handle a multitude of activities including ongoing communication relating to product offerings, updates, recalls, cross-selling and up-selling opportunities and more!   You can also schedule drip marketing relating to literature fulfillment. 

Of-course Literature Fulfilment is not simply limited to someone visiting your website.  It can also be used to fulfill request that comes through your customer service or sales department.   The goal is for the agent to quickly search for the information being requested and quickly send it to the person requesting the information with minimal effort.  

The best part about CRM is that every activity is tracked — regardless of how it was requested or how it was delivered to the end user.  This allows for historical audits when necessary for certain industries. 

CRM automation and Literature Fulfillment has come a long way… but you will start seeing more and more use as CRM automation intelligence continues to stride forward towards continued innovation. 

If you have a CRM solution, make sure that you have configured it to deliver Literature to your audience when requested around the clock! 

Have a great weekend,
The CEO

Wouldn’t you like your sales staff to receive business alerts regularly?
Let’s see what kind of alerts you pick!

Welcome to another week of Fun and Excitement!

What Will Make My CRM Deployment A Success? - CRM1080

As the economy continues to limp by, you realize your business requires efficiencies.  You need to better compete and you want to do more with less.  So, you do some research, verify with business associates and come to the conclusion that you need a new system to help streamline and automate operations.   Yes, you have been introduced to Customer Relationship Management — a combination of strategy and software solutions may take your business to the next level.   Caution!  It is a serious move that requires a serious investment — both time and money.

You are now ready to start reviewing the many different vendors and options relating to your deployment.   It is somewhat overwhelming but with the help of the internet and perhaps a consultant, you start your review.  Once you have narrowed it down to the last 3 vendors, it is time to make a decision.   Right before you do this, perhaps asking some Common Sense Questions may be prudent:

• Does the Solution Deliver Business Objectives
  Not just general business objectives but objectives unique to your organization or your small business.  The specific way your Sales team works.   The unique marketing methodologies you utilize.  The outsourced customer service company that you use.   Or perhaps, something as simple as the various internet devices utilized by your business to get the job done.
   
• What is the Programs Long Term Value
  Is this a permanent Hosted (SaaS) model where you subscribe to the service or is the solution an on-premise solution where you require the right IT staff to deploy and maintain the system.   Or better still,  is there flexibility — can you move between Hosted or On-Premise?   As your business requirements change, does the solution grow with you or will you be going to this entire process again in 3 years?   So, what is the ROI again?
   
• Cost
  Many a time, you look at the cost of the software license (if it is an on-premise solution) or monthly subscription cost (if it is an online hosted solution) and you make your decision based on that.  Wait a minute!  There is more.   What about the cost of training your staff, on-going maintenance and additional services not part of the “package” ? 
   
• Staffing Requirements
  Time and time again a deployment has gone south just because the appropriate level of staffing to deploy a CRM initiative successfully was completely neglected.   The sooner you realize that this is NOT just like installing a new version of MS WORD, the better!   The CRM system will force everyone in your organization to work a certain way!  So, not Configuring it correctly can be disastrous!  It is absolutely critical that the CRM solution works the way you do business and not the other way!   This requires appropriate levels of staffing to review, coordinate and get trainned.   It will take time of your managers, your executives, your line staff, your…  you get the message — it touches everyone in your organization.  So, all staff must be trained on it.  Make sure that you have allocated and accounted for the time.
   
• Risk
  Last but certainly not least — the Risk.  What if you do not meet the timeline for deployment? What if the CRM initiative is a Failure?  Yes, what if it is?  How will it impact your business.   Answering these two questions will avoid any undesirable consequences to the health of your business should you have to face them.   Having said this, CRM industry has come a long way since the late 1990 and your chances of success is almost a guarantee — of-course, you must follow best practices.

In addition to the above questions, there are best practices that can help ensure a successful CRM deployment.  I encourage you to visit our Resource Links.    But as always, feel free to ask a question and we will utilize our vast experience to put you on the path to success.

Have a great business week!
The CEO

Organizations have a variety of methodologies to track and report on sales related activities…  from the formal to the informal.   Some work and some don’t.   Check out the poll below and see where you stand on sales management compared to other companies:

CRM Solutions today offer many features and functionalities.  But core CRM feature are still the main reason for selecting a CRM system that can help you retain your customers while acquiring new ones.

So…. take the poll below and learn how the general public is using the system compared to how you use it.

Hello There…. 

It is mid-month, your accounting department sends out past due notices and you realize that some of the notices come back because the address is bad.  A quick check reveals that the address information has been correctly updated in your CRM system but your financial application is still showing old address or typos.   This is just one small reason why CRM Integration to your back-office financial/ERP application can make a HUGE difference if they “talked.”     

Integration

Welcome to the world of CRM Integration.   I have often advocated that it is a must for a 360 degree view of the customer because it completes the picture of the customer when information is not located in your CRM application. 

What are some of the most common reasons for having CRM integration to back-office financial applications?  
Here is just a sample of what can be integrated: 

• Seamless and updated Customer, Vendor  Contact Information
• Ability to View Back Office Information in your CRM such as:
  • Purchase Orders
  • Invoice History
  • Credit Status
  • Account Balance
• Automatically Convert Quotes from your CRM into Orders in your Financial System
• Keep updated Inventory Information between your CRM and Financial System

In addition to viewing the above information, automated data updates to and from financial applications greatly reduce unnecessary duplicate data entry and facilitate data consistency throughout your business. The tight integration and real-time access to information has many benefits, from reducing user account management and end-user training on multiple applications to increasing data integrity and improving efficiency, plus decreased usage licensing costs for integrated applications like QuickBooks, PeachTree, Macola, MAS, Great Plains and so on. 

Just how does integration benefit your organization?
Well…  here is just a sample of the benefits: 

• Get a true 360-degree view of your customer on one screen
• Quickly identify cross-sell and up-sell opportunities
• Easily access account balance information
• Identify additional purchasing power — or lack thereof
• Identify availability of products for sales
• Quickly assist customers with order status
• Generate more accurate quotes and proposals
• Avoid redundant data entry
• Maintain data integrity through automatic updates between systems
• Reduce the need to login and learn financial application interface by accessing information directly from your CRM Solution.

Buyer Beware?
Hopefully, I have been able to whet your appetite with relations to CRM integration to Financial applications.   There are many solutions out there, just make sure that it is the right kind of integration.  So, often the word “seamless” is well intended but because of the various variables, it may not be.   What works for one company may not work for yours.  At the end of the day, integration must improve efficiencies to your organization.  

Most vendors provide a good solution that works…  
Click Here for Integration to QuickBooks.
Click Here for Integration to Financial applications. 

May CRM Integration complete the 360 degree view of your Customer! 

Regards,
The CEO 

Hello there Marketing Enthusiast,      

By now, you must have heard about email marketing… and if you have not, there is a good chance that you have received mail from an email marketing campaign. eMail marketing is one of the fastest growing marketing strategies right now.     

Email Marketing — CRM 1080

  E-mail’s ROI in 2008 was $45.06 for every dollar spent on it, according to the Direct Marketing Association’s Power of Direct economic impact study. This compares to $48.34 in 2007, and a projected $43.52 for every dollar spent in 2009.   

 So, its about time that your business realized its full revenue potential using email marketing campaigns.  Still not sure why it may be right for you?    Here you go…. my Top 10 Reasons why Email Marketing may be the right for your Business:   

1.  Cost Less than Traditional Marketing.   Let’s face it, mailers and other forms of advertising can put a real dent in your pocket.  With email marketing, you reach thousands of prospects at minimal costs.   

2.  One Marketing Campaign Does NOT fit all. Consumers tend to respond to communication that they can relate to.  With email marketing, you can do just that — Target and Personalize your communication with your audience.   

3.  Schedule your Delivery. Unlike traditional advertising, with email marketing you can make sure that prospects get the message when you want them to get it.   

4.  Ability to Get Consumers to Act. One of the unique power of email marketing campaign is that you can provide a link or a button that allows your consumer to act immediately.  We all know how we have bought things on an impulse.  The right solution with the right incentive and easy means to purchase always works for the business.   

5.  Know the Truth Immediately. Because email marketing is as Real Time as it gets, you will be able to see results within hours and sometime even minutes of sending email.  The truth sometime hurts, but there is even some good news even if your campaign is failing — you can quickly change it (message, time-sensitive discounts, target, etc.)   

6.  Provide Opt-In/Opt-Out Options. Today’s consumers want to control when and how they want to communicate with you.  By providing personalized opt-in and opt-out options, consumers are more likely to engage in receiving marketing content because they are in control of what they want to receive and when they want to receive.  And with Online solutions, the entire management of who gets what is managed by your audience — so you don’t have to worry about it.   

7.  Easily create Drip Marketing.   If you have been in business long enough, you know that it takes at least 6 touches before consumers are comfortable with a particular product line.   

8.  Know which Marketing Campaign works! By that I mean, brings the best ROI.  So, that you can continually improve your delivery for the campaigns that don’t work as well.   

9.  It’s more than just a Sales & Marketing Tool. eMail marketing is fast becoming the method of choice for both business and consumers to communicate… whether it is Upcoming Events, Tips & Tricks, Business Update, Guides and more!   

10.  It’s Integrated with your Customer Database.  An Online CRM Solution (there are plenty of them out there) that supports email marketing with easy to use templates will manage not just your email marketing activities but also all your other communications including sales and customer service tracking.   So, one great solution that integrates all key components for success.   

Now, it’s time for you to act — start using an email marketing solution that is part of a broader CRM solution to help you achieve all your marketing needs.  In just a few steps and a few days, you can reap the many benefits thousands of companies are already experiencing…  Btw, here is a video on YouTube that may provide further clarity on the subject:      

Email Marketing Overview.       

On your side,
Zeynep