Important features in a CRM
When deciding which CRM system to use for your business, you need to think about your must-have features. These features will vary for every business depending on their needs, but in general, some important features that you should look for in a CRM include:
Integration
Before you had a CRM, you probably had a lot of other software that you used to organize your data, manage payroll, track time, and so forth. So, a very important feature to look for in your CRM system is integration. You want to be able to integrate your other platforms into your CRM system so that you can manage all your tasks from one place.
That way, you don't have to keep switching from one system to another just to close a deal with a potential customer. To create a seamless customer experience, you need to have CRM integrations.
Collaboration
Regardless of the type of CRM software that you use, you want your system to be collaborative. This means that all the different departments in your business can work together and everyone can have access to the same information at the same time.
Without collaboration tools in your CRM, important customer data can easily get lost, which can deter potential customers from choosing your business over competitors. An ideal CRM system will unite all your teams so you can prioritize customer satisfaction across every department.
Whether your employees are working in an office or remotely, they should also be able to access the CRM from anywhere. You should choose a CRM system that offers a mobile version so that your employees can get online even when they’re on the go.
Security
Your customers are trusting you with their personal information, so it's crucial to choose a CRM system that is safe and secure. Not only does your CRM contain customer data, but also your business's private information, so you need a CRM that offers various security features.
Some important security features to look for in a CRM include encryption, authentication, data backups, and password privacy. These features will ensure that an outsider cannot enter or hack into the CRM database unless they have a password, and the data backup will save any data in the case it gets lost.
If you want to achieve customer satisfaction, you need to promise your customers that their personal information will be kept safe in your hands.
Reporting tools
A CRM will gather important customer information, but it needs to go a step beyond that and also analyze that information. You should choose a CRM that offers various reporting tools so that you can gain insight into your customer's preferences and make better decisions for your company based on their wants and needs.
This will help you build stronger relationships with both existing and potential customers, identify more leads, create more personalized marketing campaigns, and more. Some reporting tools that you should look for in a CRM include signup forms, an audience dashboard, behavioral targeting, and audience segmentation.
With these tools, you can better understand your contacts and get a holistic view of your customers so that you can reach and grow your audience.
How do you choose the right type of CRM for your company?
So now that we've gone over all the different types of customer relationship management software, you're probably wondering how you can choose the best one for your company.
The right type of CRM for your company ultimately comes down to your business operations and specific needs. How one business functions might be entirely different from how other business functions and each would benefit from a different type of CRM. So before you can go ahead and make a choice, you need to figure out what problem you're trying to solve with a CRM and what your business's unique goals are.
Once you've identified your goals, you then need to think about your budget. The price of a CRM system can vary greatly, and one with more features is inevitably going to cost more than a basic version. While a CRM can help you cut costs in the long run by increasing revenue, it can be expensive to get started with, so your budget is definitely something you'll want to take into account.
The last thing you should think about when deciding which type of CRM is best for your business is which features you can't live without. If you need a system that can analyze customer data and perform data mining, then an analytical CRM is right for you.
But if your main focus is improving the customer experience and increasing customer retention, then an operational CRM is probably a better choice. Think about the specific features that are non-negotiables for you and choose the CRM that offers those.
Prioritize customer relationships to improve customer retention
As a business owner, your customers should be your utmost focus. But in order to make sure their needs are being met and they're satisfied with your products or services, you need a way to track and manage their data.Fortunately, you can do all of that, and more, with a customer retention management platform. The right type of CRM can help you prioritize your customer relationships so that you can retain more customers, and in turn, boost sales.
Choosing the right type of CRM for your business can be difficult, especially when they all have their own pros and cons.
Ultimately, the best CRM software depends on your company's unique wants and needs, what your goals are, and what features you need to accomplish those goals. If you're looking for a comprehensive CRM that offers all the features you need to grow and improve your business, consider Mailchimp.
Mailchimp is a marketing automation and email marketing platform that helps businesses of all sizes improve their customer relationships. With Mailchimp's free CRM, you can connect all your contact data on one platform, understand patterns in your data, turn audience insights into action, and more.
Mailchimp's CRM offers everything from audience tools to sales automation, so you can have a better understanding of your company's sales process and make the right decisions to increase revenue. With Mailchimp's customer retention strategies, you can strengthen the relationships with your current customers, and build relationships with new ones, in no time.
