As an SME, the use of CRM software is essential to manage customers, save time in the sales process and optimize sales. So, each company equips itself with the management solution that best suits its needs. And since there are so many to choose from, selecting a CRM software package is far from difficult when you know the criteria on which to base your choice. Nevertheless, here are some of the reasons why small and medium-sized businesses should use CRM software.
CRM helps you get organized
The success of an SME depends on its ability to get organized. In France, SMEs are three times less equipped than large companies. This statistic speaks volumes about the ability of some SMEs to grow.
In fact, poor organization is likely to slow you down in achieving your objectives. An SME that gradually finds itself with a doubling customer base may no longer be able to keep up with the pace of its planning. This is where CRM comes into play.
By definition, crm is a software package designed to help salespeople better manage their customer relationships. However, it also enables SMEs to plan more effectively. Basically, it’s easier for SMBs to plan their tasks on a single platform. You will then be able to see how far along each task is and prioritise the most important ones: in other words, the activities that bring the greatest added value to the business.
Use CRM to get closer to your customers
In today’s competitive environment, customers and prospects can switch from one SME to another at the click of a button. On the other hand, when there is a certain closeness between the customer and his company, this change is less obvious. As you will have realised, CRM will help you build closer relationships with your customers.
Indeed, some management tools embed conversational robots that chat instantly with customers. These are known as chatbots. By definition, a chatbot is a computer programme designed to perform a specific task (that of interacting with a user).
Since CRMs can integrate your communication channels, websites, messaging systems and more, they start talking to customers as soon as they contact you. However, there may be times when your CRM’s chatbot is not effective enough to hold a relevant and coherent conversation.
From now on, you can rely on Botnation, a platform capable of providing you with chatbots based on artificial intelligence. This means they can understand your customers’ queries quite clearly. From there, these chatbots can guide the customer through the entire purchasing process.
Useful tools for easier access to customer data
Whether you’re a large company or an SME, it’s important to have a panoramic view of your customers. Many SMEs still use Excel to update their customer contacts. For a business set to grow (as is often the case with SMEs), it will be difficult to manage a very large number of contacts on a day-to-day basis.
CRM software will enable you to build up a more comprehensive database. With such a management tool, you can create personalized profiles of each customer. The CRM software also allows you to save conversations with customers, meaning you can view them at any time.
This will enable us to understand the customer’s expectations, so that we can tailor our support to their needs. CRM software is therefore a useful customer relationship management solution for business growth.
Using CRM to avoid miscommunication between employees
Poor communication between employees within an SME is a factor that can slow down its growth. Since CRMs are collaborative tools, they can be used to communicate between sales staff. They can share information on current sales, for example, in order to make more informed decisions.
What CRM options are available for an SME?
There are enough customer relationship management tools available to ensure that users are not limited in their choice. What’s more, some marketing solutions are better suited to SMEs than large corporations. The features on offer are more than enough to enable small and medium-sized businesses to identify new business opportunities.
Salesforce
Salesforce is known as a CRM designed for large companies, as it includes features that meet their complex needs. However, SMBs can also take advantage of it, thanks to the lite version introduced by developers. This version of Salesforce will enable small businesses to get their money’s worth. Once again, a range of options is available to suit the needs of each SME.
Hubspot
Hubspot is a management software that can be useful for your small business. It’s a free marketing tool with a wide range of functions. For example, the free version of Hubspot can be used by an unlimited number of users. However, you will only be able to save up to one million contacts. If you have more prospects and customers, you would be well advised to upgrade to the paid version of the management software.
Pipedrive
If you want to optimize your sales pipeline, Pipedrive will be an interesting marketing solution. The tool offers interesting time-saving features for your sales team. With Pipedrive, you can import important data. Its pricing plan looks very attractive to SMEs, who will find it a reliable marketing tool.
Axonaut
SMEs will also benefit from Axonaut’s customer relationship management software. It’s a management solution whose effectiveness lies in the panoply of features it offers. It’s also simple to use, making it easy for your teams to find their way around the management tool platform. Users can access it from 29.99 euros per month. However, subscription prices may vary depending on the features you require.
Zoho CRM
Zoho is a cost-efficient management solution. As well as being affordable in terms of cost, it offers features relevant to a CRM for SMEs. With its high degree of customizability, you can be sure of sending personalized e-mails to every customer in the company, should the need arise. You can try the free version for two weeks before deciding whether to incorporate it into your marketing toolkit.
Other CRMs you might find useful include Freshsales, Monday software, Copper or FreshWorks CRM, to name but a few. On the other hand, Hubspot is the most reliable software if you’re looking for a free tool with relevant features. On the other hand, it can quickly become expensive if you’re looking for even more advanced features.
