Implementing CRM applies to businesses. Many businesses, although aware, need to apply software to customer relationship management (CRM) but are not bold enough to equip themselves, partly due to lack of information about how to approach it or where to start. The article hopes to address some of the initial concerns of businesses regarding CRM implementation.
Implementing CRM requires the following 6 factors:
1. Building a strategy
- Typically, the need for CRM application arises from companies that truly want to build good relationships with customers and want to enhance potential customers. This includes companies that use CRM to manage orders and distribution agents more effectively. For example, a company distributes a variety of products and diversifies its business.
At the end of the year, distributors often want to increase their orders. Salespeople also want to sell as much as possible to meet targets. The problem arises when many distributors have not paid off their old debts, and outstanding debts have exceeded the limit. Without implementing CRM, analyzing the performance of sales staff and forecasting the sales of distributors can be challenging for companies to make accurate decisions about which distributors to supply to and which ones are no longer capable of growth.
The above is just an example of one of the many features of CRM (sales management). To see the bright future that CRM brings to each company on the business path. However, for CRM to work truly effectively, a plan needs to be developed. Working with the CRM system in stages in a reasonable manner. The main prerequisite is to ensure that customer information is entered into the system as “cleanly” as possible. Additionally, the CRM strategy needs to be based on the company’s own customer orientation.
>> You need a consultant to advise and implement CRM.
2. Choosing a CRM solution
In addition to identifying the management needs of your business, many factors need to be considered, such as: the level of expertise and skills of employees (corresponding to which solution), and the price that suits the financial capabilities of the company. However, as mentioned, the choice of solution should be based on the goals and clear needs of the company. For example, if a company needs to enhance activities in the sales process such as:
- Customer acquisition
- Marketing
- Sales, etc.
Therefore, they need a solution to address the weaknesses in sales. If a company especially focuses on tracking the results of marketing plans to target customers, they will look for a solution with modules to manage feedback information from customers or similar support features. When there are many needs to be met, prioritize the most urgent needs, at a moderate or average level, then choose a solution that best meets those needs.
Many solution providers advertise that their software can meet all the needs of a company. In that case, it is necessary to consider whether the software can be used immediately or requires customization to be suitable. And whether any changes are needed in the company’s operations to support the CRM deployment process. Companies should also explore 2 – 3 different solutions. Based on that, compare the advantages and disadvantages of each solution to make the most accurate decision.
3. Steps for CRM process implementation
Mapping out the implementation steps is an experience in CRM implementation for businesses. Depending on the scale, industry, the process of implementing CRM in companies will vary, but still include the following basic steps:
- Set specific and detailed requirements for each department based on the general goals initially set in the CRM strategy.
- Design and integrate the system, which is often the most time-consuming stage of implementation.
- Test the system: check the functions of the selected solution to serve the company’s needs at what level, ensuring the system operates smoothly.
- Train employees to exploit and use the system.
- Collect feedback from employees, especially from the customer service department, as well as feedback from customers. Based on that, evaluate the results, the benefits that CRM brings.
4. Challenges of process change
Changing business thinking, workflow, and even broader, the culture of the company is the biggest challenge for companies that want to embrace CRM. Specifically, companies need to create an interactive working environment between departments. Help employees exchange experiences. At the same time, promote democracy, delegate more authority to employees.
This is often a weakness of small and medium-sized businesses in Vietnam, operating in a specialist or family model, where all decisions depend on top management. Simply put, such as resolving customer complaints, following the “specialist” model. Even though employees have full information. And can provide appropriate handling methods, they still need to consult. This causes inconvenience and wastes time for customers. Therefore, the information collected from customers through CRM needs to become meaningful.
5. Ensuring data cleanliness
An experience in CRM implementation for businesses is to ensure that data is always clean. Since CRM governs almost all business decisions, ensuring that the input data into CRM is always “clean” is very important. Clean data is accurate and complete data about customers, updated regularly, serving the highest level of behavior analysis, shopping habits of customers. From this data, the CRM system will extract accurate, multidimensional information to serve the evaluation and analysis of business departments within the company.
6. Maintenance and promotion measures
Every time a management system is put into use to change existing processes, managers need to apply new regulations immediately to ensure that employees comply with these systems. Because if not strictly adhered to the agreed-upon processes, there may be gaps in information, gradually leading to the system’s failure like any other applied management system.
In fact, data entry personnel may not see the value of data as managers exploit it. The sales department does not see any value in warranty information. The accounting department may lose “information power” when sales hold accounts receivable…
Simply put, the process of approaching customers, usually when there is no CRM, we will transact directly with customers when we have their transaction addresses. When using CRM, employees will have to comply with the process of approaching the market through CRM. Meaning, access through steps:
- Build a common database about the market
- Analyze that base on CRM to target markets
- Set up a business plan
- Carry out transactions.
