Benefits of Customer Relationship Management:

Top seven CRM benefits

1. Increased revenue and profits -- Finding the right CRM software that matches companies' strategies and objectives allows management to develop a plan for increasing sales and profits for the long term. CRM software makes sales data and forecast information all immediately accessible and permits decision-makers to accurately study revenue and expenses to decide where to cut costs, decide how much inventory to stock, and determine what discounts may be allowed.
    
2. Improved capture of sales leads -- When companies generate a large amount of leads, they can then increase their sales and revenues. With an automated workflow system that includes set timers, CRM software enables the sales team to view leads on the computer screen and then see those leads disappear when they become customers. In addition, CRM software creates specific sales territories so that the sales team can manage their areas via CRM generated reports that give complete, concise information.
    
3. Flexibility through scalability -- Scalability is an especially important factor for expanding small-and medium-sized businesses who wish to develop their customer offerings in the near future, but don't wish to outlay a great deal of money for their CRM software solution. Many CRM solutions, like SalesProCRM offer a package that requires no software installation on the user's computer and gives new users the confidence to slowly build their system to match their needs. 
   
   Other CRM vendors allow smaller companies to rent licenses and to then have that vendor manage and maintain their CRM solution, which leaves small companies free to perform other day-to-day tasks. Once the business gains more customers and wishes to expand their CRM capabilities, the CRM vendor can offer the company user licenses, which require yearly maintenance fees, but give the company complete autonomy from the CRM vendor. Having a license may give the company a greater sense of security, since vital customer data is now only housed in their IP network. 
   
   Some CRM software solutions for small businesses use web-based solutions to share data with other applications such as Microsoft Outlook and ACT! which helps these companies integrate a CRM solution into their business plan, while lessening their administrative time.
    
4. Improved customer service -- The CRM software should include access to centralized customer data as well as e-mail templates that allows CRM associates to quickly key in on important customer details and communicate effectively with those customers when they need assistance with their services or products. This customer information has been captured from either point-of-sale (POS) systems or through sales and purchase data.
    
5. Increased cross-selling and up-selling opportunities for existing customers Businesses make money when they keep their customers through loyalty, more than by depleting their resources trying to find new customers. With "A-list" sales leads in hand from call centers, surveys, and other inquires, along with the existing customer data, customer service reps or the sales team can offer expanded services to their customers.
    
6. Accessible decision-driving information -- When the CRM software solution contains a competitor tracking function, management and the sales team can access these reports to identify trends, measure and forecast sales, track sales processes, and evaluate their own business performance. The CRM software also includes access to important resources such as brochures, white papers, and competitor reports.
    
7. Improved customer profiling and target marketing -- In order to know customers and serve their needs, the CRM software system must be able to capture customer details like present accounts, pending orders, and payment history. The centralized database is also integral for customer profiling and for predicting what services that customer may need in the future.

Making customers count and stay

The concept of CRM has existed in the business world for a long time, but in recent years CRM use has grown because of better technology access and database integration. Companies should investigate CRM solutions to keep their existing customers and serve their unique needs. If companies focus on delivering exceptional service that is tailored for these customers, then, they will build loyalty, which will in turn build revenue.

Finding the right CRM solution is an investment for the company and the company's executives need to wholeheartedly support the new CRM solution. This solution must fit within the company's objectives and staff must be trained, or the CRM solution will go to waste if sales leads aren't captured correctly, or if additional customer windows of the CRM software aren't accessed by the right people in a timely fashion. Although somewhat costly, businesses know that when they lose a customer due to inefficiency or delays, they will lose revenue and potential revenue when that upset customer tells ten or more associates of his or her negative experience.

A CRM solution used by a trained staff with the company's goals in mind will promote shorter sales cycles, reduce administrative costs, require less time to track down information, improve reporting and give quicker issue turnaround time, increase sales closing rates, and improve customer retention. As a result, CRM software solutions allow companies to escape revenue plateaus by capturing new customers, retaining existing ones, and by better managing their business.

Other Benefits of CRM

• Simplify Selling - Give customers what they want without increasing workload and complexity.
• Increase Sales Productivity - Improve close rates and repeat business.
• Reduce Order Mistakes and Delays - You need to automate to avoid human errors.
• Support Sales Online, in the Office or in the Field - Manage accounts, contacts and opportunities etc.
• Reduce Sales Costs - Remove duplication of work.
• Speed up Sales Cycle - Implement customer self-service over Internet e-Commerce website.
• Simplify Ordering Process - Maximize customer service and revenue by implementing CRM System.
• Improve Accuracy of Product Configuration - Reduce errors in the ordering process.
• Improve Responsiveness - Slow sales cycles give your competition a way in… respond immediately.
• Improve Business Processes around selling, marketing and servicing functions across all customer touch-points (e.g. Web, e-mail, phone, fax or in-person).

Each division uses CRM as follows:

• Sales Department uses the CRM solution for sales-force automation, accommodating requests and distribution of contacts and leads.
• Marketing Department uses CRM solution for cross-promotion, advertising and direct marketing.
• Customer Service Department uses the CRM solution to build familiarity with customers, store customer data and provide quality support.

Every customer call is a potential sale. Every contact is a sales opportunity. It is 10 times easier and cost much les to sell to your existing customers than to find and sell to new prospects. And a few regular customers can generate more revenue than hundreds of occasional customers, so these customers deserve special attention.

CRM benefits - Marketing Manager:

• Manage Marketing Script: Create marketing script for salesperson.
• Manage Call Activities: Record all call activities for salesperson.
• Create Sales Forecast: Demand of forecast management is used to consolidate and refine the independent requirements for specific materials.
• Manage Marketing Campaign: Record sales advertisement or promotion campaign.
• Manage Auctions: Create auctions for all unwanted scraps or stocks, capital goods, building and machinery.
• Automatic Bid Feature:- Give your customers better chances of winning bids via auction.
• Create Recurring Order: A billing plan is a schedule of individual billing dates for a single item in a sales document while periodic billing can be used, for example, in rental contracts.
• Print Customer Labels: Print detailed customer labels.

CRM benefits - Salesmen:

• Check Call Plan: Check sales call plan to meet sales targets mentioned in campaign plan.
• Add Inquiry: Add a new inquiry based on sales call.
• Send Quotation: Create a quotation based on this inquiry. Sales manager checks quotation and modify if needed. Sales manager will approve or rejects quotation. Salesmen send approved quotation to customer.
• Submit Sales Reports: Salesmen can submit sales report online.

CRM benefits - Tele-Marketing Salesmen:

• Check Call Plan and Talk: With CRM, past communication with customer, follow-up calls can be planned with greater confidence.
• Submit Feedback: Salesman can submit feedback report online.

CRM benefits - Shipment Manager:

• Maintains Transporter: Transporter details are managed to ensure timely transport facility.
• Maintains Warehouse: Warehouses are maintained with inventory movement analysis.
• Finish Goods Receive: This is automatically entered when last location of Lot Traveler or Production Route is executed. Finished goods stores need to open received goods and allot warehouse location to it.
• Finish Goods Issue as per Sales Order Dispatch Plan: With reference to a sales order, a stock transport order, a subcontract order, a project without any reference.
• Enter Shipping Details: Shipping department must ensure that freight forwarding or other shipping company is advised early enough so that sufficient time remains for packing and loading to be carried out. An availability check can be carried out on the deadline date for availability for the goods.
• Enter Packing List: Packing list ensures that product is shipped along with requested accessories
• Print Packing Labels: Prepare packing labels according to pacing list details.
• Print Performa/DO: Print Proforma or Delivery Order.

CRM benefits - Sales Controller:

• Approves Quote: Approve quotation.
  Select Best Bidding and Approve Auction: Select best bid among all the bids bid comparison report available to approve the auction.
• Approve Recurring Order: Approve recurring orders.
• Credit Check: Minimize credit risk with credit management by specifying a specific credit limit for your customers. Thus you can take the financial pulse of a customer or group of customers, identify early warning signs, and enhance your credit-related decision-making.
  Enter ATP Dates: Enter availability to promise dates of delivery through checking of stock card.
• Confirm Sales Order: Confirm order through ATP dates and credit check of customer.
• Approve Service Order: Approval of service orders through warranty check.
• Approve Trading Order: Approval trading orders by authorized signature.
• Approve e-COMMERCE Order: Approve online orders. Approve through ATP dates and credit check.
• Dispatch Advice: Dispatch advice report will guide sales controller to give TAP dates.
• Print SO Checklist: View and print sales order checklist.

CRM benefits - Common Self Service:

• Desktop Self Service: Built into CRM - Address book, appointments, folder workroom, chat machine, email message, phone dialer, and wizard facilities are available for each user.
• Company Self Service: Company news, company profile, online shopping, job vacancies, help desk is available for each user.
• Login Management: Security through proper user rights allocation.

CRM benefits - Sales Manager:

• Create Price List: Create Standard Price List for online shopping, or even can create customer-specific price list.
• Create Schemes: Create or Define Schemes in your standard price list.
• Enter Territory: Define Sales Territories.
• Enter Salesmen: Enter Salesmen Details.
• Enter Partners: Enter partners details.
• Enter Customer: Enter Customer Details.
• Check Product Cost and Creates Quotation: To check online total production cost of the product.
• Enter Sales Order: Enter Sales Order Details.
• Enter XML e-PO: Directly convert customer’s PO in our sales order.
• Copy Quote-to-SO: Convert quotation into sales order directly.
• Copy Auction-to-SO: Convert best auction bid into sales order directly.
• Copy Recurring Order: Convert Recurring Orders into sale order.
• Stock Transfer SO: Create Stock Transfer SO.

CRM benefits - Exports Manager:

• Enter Export Benefit AL/DBK/DEPB: Maintain and print AL/DBK/DEPB.
• Enter LC/TR/BA: Enter details of LC/TR/BA.
• Export Certificate: Print export certificate.
• DEPB Declaration: Maintain DEPB declaration.
  In-house Test Report: View and print in-house test reports.
• Print ARE 1: Print ARE1 form.
• Print GR Form: Print GR form.
• Print Export Invoice: Print export invoice.
• Print Excise Invoice: Print excise invoice.
• Print Packing List: Print packing list.
• Letter to Bank: Create and send letter to bank.
• Bank Realization: Create bank realization.

CRM benefits - Service Manager:

• Enter Service Agreements: Maintain Record of Services.
• Enter Service Order: Enter Service Order details.
• Enter Warranty Card: Enter Warranty Card details.
• Enter Service Call: Enter Service Calls details.
• Enter Service Status: Enter Service Status details.
• Check Over/Under Valid etc. Warranty: Products that come back for service in the premises are checked for under, over warranty and other validation checks.

Customer Relationship Management Partner Self-Service:

• E-Commerce Shop: With CRM, you can maintain finished products (with images) for sale in online shop.
• Bid for Auctions: Enter or maintain bids for auctions.
• Product Support: Enter Product Support details.
• Order Tracking: Track Orders where and in which form it is lying in company.
• Submit e-PO: Enter e-PO.