Customer relationship management (CRM) is a vital factor of any digital marketing campaign. In a world where everything happens online (thank you, COVID-19), competition is ferocious. You can find thousands, even millions, of similar or identical products or services, all with the simple click of a mouse. Options are endless, and unless you have a forever-binding contract with your client, retention and satisfaction require constant management.
The winning formula is simple : happy customer, happy company. A company benefits from a strong relationship with its customers, which is built throughout every step of the customer journey. Many different components come into play before, during, and after each direct contact with the client. It truly takes rigorous analysis and organizational choices to optimize communications with clients.
According to Creatio, a CRM software company, “CRM is a combination of business strategies, software and processes that help build long-lasting relationships between companies and their customers” [1]. There is said to be 3 main categories of CRM : operational CRM, analytical CRM, and collaborative CRM.
Here are some benefits of CRM and why you should never neglect its importance :
Efficient Targeting
Proper CRM will allow a company to personalize their offer, no matter the size of the clientele. For example, companies often opt for CRM software because all data on their clients is stored in a centralized system. This way, the data collected allows companies to cater and personalize their campaigns more efficiently. Indeed, companies use clients’ information to cater their recommendations, ads, and offers to target segments.
Client Retention
Every interaction with a client is important for retention. Therefore, when every department and worker has access to the same data and follows the same strategies, these interactions become more efficient. Both parties will waste less time and the company will increase its credibility, overall bettering the brand image and the company’s name. For example, social media CRM is a growing channel of communication between clients and companies. It is said that “21% of millennials will unfollow a brand due to a bad experience” with a company’s social media presence [2]. This includes unresponded messages, spam posts, or simply the lack of online presence.
Organisational Efficiency
A successful digital marketing campaign holds many different components. It takes a team of connoisseurs or professionals to efficiently target and reach your desired audience. Indeed, a successful implementation of CRM, via strategies and processes, will create a synergy effect in a company. This way, all aspects of CRM, from online customer service, social media ads, to email marketing, sales forecasting, and marketing automation, will be coherent.
Finally, CRM offers endless benefits for a company and must be adopted to optimize overall organizational performance!
