Mobile CRM lets businesses keep sales team and staff members connected to their customers even when away from the office. Imagine being able to call a customer while caught in traffic, when stuck at home due to bad weather or while at a business conference. Mobile CRM solutions understand that in the modern business environment a business should never be out of contact with its customers.
If any branches or employees in a company work in customer service and related fields the ability to quickly access and respond to customer inquiries, request for assistance and complaints can go a long way towards ensuring the customer is happy with the level of service they receive. Such practices also build loyalty and ensure a customer that a company values their money and relationship.
What exactly is Mobile CRM?
Mobile CRM uses web-enabled devices in order to allow employees' instant access to client files from any location. Laptops with wireless capabilities, Blackberry devices, iPhones and cell phones are used in mobile CRM, these programs can be fully interactive allowing them access to the same information they would view from the office. With web-enabled devices, employees can quickly update customer information, take orders at a customer meeting, look up information on a customer complaint, schedule appointments and automate services to save time.
What do employees gain with mobile CRM?
Mobile CRM offers enormous value to employees, both those who work in the office and field based representatives of your companies' products or services. Mobile CRM is ideal for scheduling or rescheduling a service call and providing staff with a quick update of what has changed. It can also be used to allow staff to track inventory when out of the office, and review a record of a customers contact with the company. Invoicing, task scheduling, calendar and event options are options with most mobile CRM platforms.
How to Choose a Mobile CRM Platform?
Before choosing a platform businesses should take time to investigate the options available to them, especially if they already have a platform in mind that they want to use. Though support among CRM platforms for the iPhone are expanding at present only a handful currently have support for the iPhone. Blackberry platforms are already widely circulated, since Blackberry is presently the most used Smart Phone device among business users. Many of these programs offer the speed and synchronization needed to make mobile CRM a success. Allowing real-time access to information and designed to be user friendly.
Companies have to take care that they choose a mobile solution that is secure from unauthorized users. Though free programs may offer great speed and access to accounting information on customers unless this platform offers advanced encryption and user authentication features, customer information can be compromised. Platforms that provide instant updates and alerts are also valuable to employees, especially those who routinely work in the field. With an update log, employees can instantly be notified of a rescheduled meeting or find out that customer orders have been placed on hold. They can also find out which items in inventory are temporarily unavailable without ever having to call the office.
Customer Relationship Management is not about technology, though technology is the means by which companies can implement CRM, the technology is not the focus of smart CRM. For example, a company may choose to spend thousands of dollars and purchase the most expensive CRM platform available, hiring an internal team of software engineers to provide round the clock support for their product. This however is no guarantee of success and most small business cannot afford to throw money at ideas and hope they work.
Research: You do not start a business with out creating a business plan and analyzing the current market. Why would you purchase a CRM solution without taking the time to research its effectiveness? Not only does a business need to know what features and services a CRM platform can provide, they also need to know what features are important for their business. Some businesses choose to handle this, by purchasing a customized solution, but it is expensive. By starting out with web-based CRM solutions and taking the time to do a little research small companies can increase their sales.
Put the customer first: CRM may use expensive technologies and a high tech approach, but it covers an issue that should already be automatic to any business, putting the customer first. Simply put businesses are supposed to understand the wants and needs of their customer base then go about fulfilling these needs. Treat each customer as if they are the only priority. Following up after a sales call to see if a customer was satisfied with their purchase, make sure when customers enters your store or office that they are greeted and get the attention they deserve.
Make the customer a part of your community: Smart businesses know that CRM is useless if the customer does not feel as if a company appreciates their business. Ask for the customers' opinion about your business and let the customer know that they are a part of the makeup of your business. Some businesses use social networking sites like Twitter to let customers feel as if they are involved in the activities that happen with the company behind the scenes.
Get employees interested in making customers happy: Utilizing customer service employees who treat customers with respect, listen to the clients needs and have a positive attitude go a long way towards keeping customers loyal. Train employees on behaviors to avoid, as well as techniques for handling rude customers. By showing employees how to handle any situation, you can keep a frustrated client from deciding to cross your business off their list for good.
Happy employees work hard to create happy customers. Making sure employees receive performance bonuses for a job well done, can encourage employees to do a good job. As will having employee of the month contest, newsletter recognition and pay raises to award loyal customers. Even though your customers are your buyers employees are the image of your company and they carry the responsibility of making a sale. The attitude of an employee tells the customer a lot about whether or not they should do business with you.
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