CRM

Find out:

• What a CRM is
• How extensive customer data really is
• Which components of a CRM are available

What does CRM even mean?

CRM, short for customer relationship management is to be understood comprehensively as a strategic approach to customer-oriented corporate management. CRM software is used as a corresponding control instrument with the aim of optimizing, strengthening and expanding customer relationships.

However, a successful CRM goes far beyond individual marketing measures. Rather, it means a CRM strategy first of all, employees who live this strategy and in the digital age it also means an appropriate software as well as ongoing adjustments in your strategy to changing circumstances.

• CRM as a corporate philosophy: All customer-oriented processes must be coordinated and connected. The requirement is to identify all customer touchpoints in advance.
• CRM in your sales team: Once every salesperson in your team has accepted and realized that the customer is king, the foundation for a successful CRM has been laid. A central collection of customer data as well as a transparent insight for all employees in combination with employee meetings and training courses are a guarantee for a functioning internal flow of information and consequently for customer advice that exceeds all expectations.
• CRM for your customers: Acquiring new customers is not only more time-consuming and expensive, the turnover for repeat purchases of existing customers is also higher. If you know the expectations of your customers, you can meet or even exceed them. This is how your customer comes back, finds confirmation that you are the right address again and an emotional connection develops between your customer and you, your business or your brand.

The basic goal of customer relationship management is to maintain customer relationships and keep them over the long term by making interactions as personal and individualized as possible.

Your customer, the unknown being

Let’s be honest: How well do you really know your customers?

Not only is every person and therefore every customer individual and has different preferences, expectations or wishes, but the variety of possible contact points has long overtaken the shop as the only salesroom.

Is local retail no longer relevant? – It is, but nothing is as constant as change. Although it was not triggered, but accelerated by the Corona pandemic, the buying behaviour has changed drastically. Physical stores remain the place where most of the customers buy a product for the very first time. Here you can taste, see, touch, smell and experience the quality. The shop has not lost its value, but its function has changed fundamentally. While it used to be the only point of sale, retailers now have to bridge the gap between the physical and the digital world.

Now you probably don’t know that the customer who is at this moment standing in front of you had a question about product availability via your web chat 3 weeks ago? Or you would like to include the customers who took part in your Instagram competition in your newsletter? And anyway, what is the name of the customer who has been coming regularly for years and bought her complete wardrobe from your shop? The colleague who is currently on vacation would remember the name and would have exactly that wardrobe in mind…

Components of a CRM

• Operational CRM
  The basis for a functioning CRM is data. Basic data can be obtained at all contact and touch points and can then be used for analysis purposes. Not only relevant data for an individual customer, but also a development of all customers and their behaviour can be derived from a good CRM. Since new data is primarily entered in this step, “the data quality and above all the validity is crucial, since the quality of the output can never be better than the underlying database” says Ola Walter, CRM expert and lecturer.

• Communicative CRM
  Emails, SMS, or a visit in your store – all channels are synchronized and coordinated to ensure an overview of all conceivable communication channels. So, everyone in your team knows which contact method is preferred by which customer and the basic data is fed further.

• Analytical CRM
  Every company can pull out the greatest added value from this part of the CRM: New insights are gained through the analysis of operational data with the help of business intelligence functions, such as the creation of customer reviews, identifying cross-selling options or segmenting a target group.

• Collaborative CRM
  This component of a CRM is particularly helpful in the event of a persistent shortage of skilled workers or cross-site or cross-departmental teams: Overlaps are prevented, coordination between different teams is possible, but also the communication with external parties such as customers or suppliers is simplified, work processes are coordinated and information is bundled centrally and transparently.

Therefore, a CRM system offers the solution for connecting all channels, be it telephone calls, video calls, your own web chat, social media, your online shop and finally – your shop. Customer information is collected and, with the help of AI and automation, enables personalized advice for your customers and increased productivity for your team. With a 360° view of your customers, you not only increase their satisfaction, your sales and long-term customer loyalty, but also support your employees in offering a uniform and unique customer experience, personalized experiences and seamless service across every touchpoint. Satisfied customers in a motivated team become long-term customers through a sense of achievement.

If you want to learn more about a CRM in general, feel free to check out our upcoming blog post, subscribe to our newsletter below, or contact us directly at hallo@mpocket.io. We would be happy to discuss with you personally which solution we have especially for local retailers, restaurant owners and service providers.

We look forward to your feedback – and with your consent, we will include your data in our CRM.

*For reasons of better legibility only the simultaneous use of male and female language forms is not used. All personal names apply to both genders.

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