CRM software has been around since the 90s but even though many users understand the need for CRM software in their Sales, Marketing and Support process and even claim to know what CRM software is and how it should be used, they often do not understand the complexities and modules within a CRM system or misunderstand the true strength of the software lies in the users using it, not with massive and all encompassing automation of what are essentially very 'human' processes: customer communications.
CRM standards for:
- Customer
- Relationship
- Management
The internet is full of articles and information about CRM. A few definitions we like are as follows:
“Uses reliable processes to better serve customers”
“A tool, usually internet based, used for interacting with customers and storing customer and sales information”
“Helps a company manage customer relationships in an organized way.”
Typically the departments who make most use of a CRM system are:
- Sales - a CRM improves lead tracking, consolidating large volumes of data, client communications and tracking sales pipelines against quotas.
- Marketing - can log marketing campaigns and campaign related activities then understand resulting sales compared with marketing costs.
- Support - a CRM will allow support teams to log customer complaints and resolutions as well as all complaint related communications.