Content
- What is a CRM system?
- Interface of the "Bitrix24" CRM system
- Goals and objectives of the CRM system
- Advantages of implementing CRM
- Examples of CRM usage
What is a CRM system?
A CRM system, or Customer Relationship Management system, is a software solution designed to automate and control the interaction between a company and its customers. The main goal of a CRM is to organize and structure information about orders and clients, which in turn helps to optimize marketing strategies, increase sales volumes, and improve service quality.
The term Customer Relationship Management translates to "management of customer relationships." This approach focuses on building a business around the needs and desires of customers, ensuring a deeper understanding of their preferences and behaviors.
Interface of the "Bitrix24" CRM system
There is a common misconception that a CRM system is merely a customer database. However, this is far from the truth. Modern CRM systems, such as "Bitrix24," offer a wide range of functions that go beyond simple information storage. They include task planning and control, sales automation and analysis, as well as launching and managing marketing events.
It is important to understand that CRM systems differ from Business Process Automation (BPM) systems. While BPM systems focus on planning, modeling, and controlling all business processes, including development strategy and financial management, CRMs are oriented towards sales management and customer interaction.
Goals and objectives of the CRM system
CRM systems address various tasks related to several key areas of business, including:
- Creating a unified database: Stores and structures information about clients and suppliers, including data on orders, payment capabilities, and history of interactions with the company. All incoming requests are logged and automatically distributed among managers, which helps avoid customer losses and provides each with personalized offers.
- Automating business processes: Reduces the time spent on routine actions such as sorting requests and processing documents. This allows companies to optimize their marketing strategies, segment customers, and analyze the results of advertising campaigns.
- Assessing work efficiency: The CRM system collects data on employee activities, including the number of calls and meetings, as well as the time spent on tasks. Reports on key performance indicators (KPI) allow for quick identification of weaknesses and assessment of team performance as a whole.
- Data protection: Provides various levels of access for employees to information, protecting data from leaks and unauthorized access.
- Analyzing marketing activities: Allows for assessing the effectiveness of sales and marketing according to various key indicators, including customer acquisition cost and return on investment, as well as identifying problem stages in the sales funnel.
Advantages of implementing CRM
Thus, implementing a CRM system significantly eases the work of employees and allows for monitoring the effectiveness of sales and internal business processes. Proper use of CRM can lead to increased sales and higher consumer loyalty. In practice, this means that companies can respond more quickly to customer inquiries and provide higher quality service.
Examples of CRM usage
Let’s consider a few examples of how a CRM system can enhance service quality and simplify work for a company:
For instance, I often order products for delivery, such as ready-made meals. For three years, we have been ordering dumplings from the same place, but they still process orders manually: I write my order in WhatsApp, and they deliver it. This system is far from ideal.
First, they ask for the delivery address each time. At first glance, this may seem insignificant, as I can order food to my home or send it to my parents. But when our favorite pizzeria simply asks, "To your home?" it creates a sense of a personalized approach and care for the customer.