CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management, or Customer Relationship Management. It is a software that manages customer relationships, ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty through the automation and organization of processes, helping to reduce costs and increase business profits.
What is or at least should be the main focus of companies today?
If you answered that it should be the customer, you're absolutely right! Now, how is it possible to do this without neglecting the many gears that make up a business?
In the end, it is important to think about the assembly of qualified teams, the training given to them, the Digital Marketing planning, sales process, etc.
However, without the customer as the center of attention, none of this would make sense, and as a company grows, it is more difficult to organize everything.
That is why tools such as CRM end up being indispensable for the development of the enterprise.
Don't know anything about it? Find out everything you need to know about CRM and why it is worth using one.
What is a CRM?
The term CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management.
But, the first thing to understand is that when we talk about CRM we are not just talking about a software, but a business strategy focused on the customer.
Through the CRM system, a company is able to maintain a detailed database of each customer, as well as a history of interactions that helps to enrich and personalize future services.
Through the information received in real time from CRM, teams are better able to prepare leads for sale.
How does a CRM system work?
After knowing exactly what a CRM is, it is important to understand how it works and some of the principles involved in the use of this tool.
Among the main features of CRM we can highlight that:
It operates in the cloud
The vast majority of current CRMs work through cloud systems, which is becoming a requirement because of the benefits that this brings.
For example, by being in the cloud, the information always remains secure on an external server and even if something happens with your team you will not lose the work done.
Besides that, being in a 100% online environment, it is possible to access the CRM information from anywhere, which allows you to work with mobility without losing accuracy.
Automate part of the tasks
If at first you think that the CRM does not go beyond a list of contacts with some extra resources, you should know that it does much more than this.
Some of the common tasks that you would have to perform manually, without the use of a tool like this, are automated, allowing you to spend more time on other important activities.
Among the automated actions is the registration of customers and the search for certain relevant information while you attend to them, for example.
Integrates different areas
Another feature of CRM is that it does not benefit only one part of the company, it also manages to integrate different areas and generate equal value for each one.
So, don't think of it as a sales or marketing automation system. In truth, it also helps a lot in customer support and success.
All of this also facilitates dialogue between professionals from different teams, who come to better understand each other's situation and collaborate with each other.
To learn more about the importance of integrating Marketing and Sales teams, we invite you to read our e-book on the concept of Ventarketing.
It has solutions for every type of company
In the end, a CRM is not one of those solutions that serve only one market segment or for companies of a specific size.
From small companies to large multinationals, from agribusiness to smartphone app development, all can use a CRM with the same success.
This is because the system is not too specific and offers everything you need to manage your customers in the best possible way.
5 benefits of using a CRM in your company
If you are still in doubt about the value of having a CRM system in your day-to-day business, this doubt will disappear now.
We selected no more and no less than 5 benefits that accompany the use of this very important business tool. See what they are:
1. Centralized information in real time.
The first benefit is the centralization of information, that is, everything you need to know about all customers is in the same place.
In addition, because it is a cloud solution, everyone can quickly access the information from anywhere in the world at any time.
What if someone updates the customer record? The update will appear for everyone in real time, avoiding any headaches.
2. Broader view of the business
Because of the centralization and cross-sector integration we have already discussed, managers and team leaders can have a much broader view of the business.
This leads to smarter decisions, which take into account several important aspects that otherwise would not even be taken into account.
Therefore, the opportunity to get decisions right with the use of a CRM is much greater.
3. Helps customer loyalty
Better organization of information, better internal collaboration and smarter business decisions. They not only have an effect on day-to-day work, but also on customers.
All this translates into better service, better quality products, more effective marketing strategies and successively improved sales processes.
All these factors are essential for customer loyalty.
4. Increases productivity
Another great advantage of working with CRM software is the productivity gain, and this is not only due to the automation of some tasks.
To deliver reports on each area (sales, marketing, customer service, etc.) CRM helps to improve processes and make them more efficient.
In this way it is possible to perform more meaningful tasks, which result in less time for the business.
5. Improve according to needs
Finally, following the mold of most modern software, most of today's CRM systems work on the SaaS (Software as a Service) model.
This means that you only pay for what you use, and if you need a more elaborate solution over time, you can simply upgrade to a more advanced plan.
So, when choosing a CRM it is important to evaluate if it offers you this option, in order not to run out of options in case you need something more elaborate.
How do you know if you need a CRM?
Even with so many benefits, you need to consider if a CRM is what your business needs, in the end, every investment must have a basis to be made.
So how do you know if your company is in need of this system? Here are 5 signs that make this clear:
1. You waste too much time sorting spreadsheets and notebooks.
The first sign that you need to acquire a CRM is if you realize that you are spending too much time organizing spreadsheets, agendas or notebooks to manage your customers.
These solutions are not scalable, so as the relationship with the customer progresses, it becomes increasingly complicated to record everything that is relevant about him, using any of these means.
2. You are not serving all customers in the same way.
It is very important that you establish a customer service pattern and achieve it when interacting with each of your customers.
If you are not managing to maintain that pattern and you see that the quality of service varies too much, this is the second sign that you need to use a CRM.
By having everyone's information available quickly, as well as the tools to add any new important data, it will be easier to maintain the quality of service.
3. You have already lost business by not having important information at hand.
You know that at certain times it is necessary to have information at hand, in order to convince the customer to make an important decision, don't you?
Well, if you learned this in the worst way, losing business for lack of that information at a critical moment of negotiation, CRM is knocking at your door.
With it, you will have all the information you need, no matter if you are in the company or at a trade show 3,000 kms away.
4. You find it difficult to personalize customer service
Attending is one thing and personalizing attention is another. So even if you are managing to have a good customer service, as we talked about before, is it difficult to personalize it?
If your answer was yes, you are in time to change. In the end, today's customers don't just accept the basics, they need tailor-made solutions.
How does CRM help in this case? It was made for this! The database of each customer is designed to understand their needs and anticipate their demands.
In other words, it was made to personalize your attention and constantly generate more value.
5. You need an integrated team that works remotely.
Does your team work remotely, perhaps traveling constantly to close deals or network with potential clients?
Even if this is not your case, you may have made the right decision to align marketing and sales of the company or bet on customer success.
The mobility of remote work, the transparency for a good integration and the data needed to help the customer in a deeper way require a robust technological solution, such as CRM.
5 examples of CRMs available on the market
Here are practical examples of the top 5 CRMs on the market today.
1. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot, one of the best known names for being the creator of the Inbound Marketing method, also created this very useful tool.
HubSpot CRM allows you to organize, monitor and increase your sales pipeline. And best of all, you can start using it with a free version. As you feel the need, you can subscribe to a paid plan. However, to get started, the free version will help you a lot.
The tool is easy to use and the stored data has no expiration date. This CRM synchronizes with Outlook and Gmail, which allows all activities to be logged automatically.
HubSpot CRM includes free live chat tools, team email and even chatbots, allowing you to manage all your contacts from one place.
2. SalesForce CRM
This CRM is another of the top CRMs on the market today. With it you can access more leads and close more deals, all faster.
With this tool you can control and manage your business from anywhere. Through various platforms you can connect with your customers and leads. In addition, it allows you to use the data from your database for future marketing strategies.
3. ZohoCRM
This automation software allows you to integrate the most popular applications such as Office 365, Twitter, G Suite, LinkedIn, Zapier, Mailchimp, etc.
With the help of artificial intelligence it allows you to stay in touch with your customer 24/7. In addition to helping you with process management to automate sales processes.
This tool provides you with security and delivers complete performance and results analysis.
Request a free trial on their website to learn more about it.
4. SugarCRM
This CRM promises to give you the best experience and boasts the best Net Promoter Score among the top CRMs.
SugarCRM claims to be free of unnecessary features and promises to deliver you only the features that will be really useful for your marketing and sales strategy.
With a simple and intuitive platform SugarCRM adapts to all types of businesses, small and large, automating them efficiently.
To learn more about it, you can request a free trial on their website.
5. PipeDrive
This automation tool allows your sales team to do their job with less effort and better results.
Its platform is easy to configure, simple to run and allows you to integrate all customer contact channels. It is also possible to integrate it with more than 100 applications.
It also allows automatic monitoring so you can keep track of your sales process.
When you open the CRM you and your team can quickly and clearly visualize the sales process. This makes it easier to focus on what really matters.
You can try it for free on their website.
6. Freshworks CRM
Freshworks CRM is an advanced platform that integrates sales, marketing and CRM activities into a single system. With the platform, marketing teams can gain insights into personalizing the customer journey to address pain points, while sales teams get immediate access to sales-ready leads to close these deals.
And maintaining customer engagement is also easy thanks to Freshworks CRM's multichannel capabilities.
This software offers numerous powerful features that benefit both sales and marketing teams. Professionals can create tasks, reminders and appointments to ensure that prospects move through the sales or marketing pipeline at the right time.
Automated workflows and sales action sequences also reduce the need for manual entries and help teams focus on more important tasks.
The advantage of using an integrated platform like Freshworks CRM is that it serves as a centralized hub that provides quick access to demand and bid information. Detailed people profiles allow sales reps to add context to customer interactions, which improves the chances of a deal's success.
However, for all its bells and whistles, Freshworks CRM may work best for companies that can take full advantage of all its features. The platform is ideal for organizations with a larger customer base and well-defined workflows for sales and marketing.
7. NetSuite CRM
NetSuite CRM is a robust CRM solution that gives you a holistic view of your entire business process and automates it.
With NetSuite, you receive a continuous flow of information from all points in the customer lifecycle, allowing you to provide a personalized experience, from qualified lead generation to compliance and post-sales support.
As a free trial, we can enjoy all the premium features at no cost when we sign up, allowing us to take a look and see if it works within our working ecosystem.
8. Oracle CRM
Oracle CRM is one of the most renowned and trusted CRM tools in the market today among all customers. This company gives us a complete, integrated and extensible suite of applications for a modern customer experience.
In this sense, we will have at hand reliable solutions for marketing, sales, commerce, social networks, among many other functionalities.
Undoubtedly, it is a very robust platform and has a variety of implementation models; this helps to create good and healthy relationships to increase conversion rates and profitability of marketing and sales actions.
9. Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a popular and robust CRM software. It helps streamline processes and increase profits in sales, marketing and service divisions.
It aims to provide the best functionalities to create a strong bond with customers, thus satisfying their expectations and requirements; it maintains centralized information and automates interactions.
In short, it is a client-server software that improves the visualization of data to automate workflows and has Android, IOS, web applications and creates a new information base for the data already available.
We can say that CRM is more than an interesting software, it is also a business strategy focused on the customer. From now on it's with you: evaluate if you need a CRM and if this is the case, choose the one that best meets your main needs.
Well, now you have identified the importance of a CRM and we talked about the automation of some tasks, then it's time to discover how marketing automation can help you in this process. We invite you to download our e-book on the subject, don't miss it!
What is or at least should be the main focus of companies today?
If you answered that it should be the customer, you're absolutely right! Now, how is it possible to do this without neglecting the many gears that make up a business?
In the end, it is important to think about the assembly of qualified teams, the training given to them, the Digital Marketing planning, sales process, etc.
However, without the customer as the center of attention, none of this would make sense, and as a company grows, it is more difficult to organize everything.
That is why tools such as CRM end up being indispensable for the development of the enterprise.
Don't know anything about it? Find out everything you need to know about CRM and why it is worth using one.
What is a CRM?
The term CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management.
But, the first thing to understand is that when we talk about CRM we are not just talking about a software, but a business strategy focused on the customer.
Through the CRM system, a company is able to maintain a detailed database of each customer, as well as a history of interactions that helps to enrich and personalize future services.
Through the information received in real time from CRM, teams are better able to prepare leads for sale.
How does a CRM system work?
After knowing exactly what a CRM is, it is important to understand how it works and some of the principles involved in the use of this tool.
Among the main features of CRM we can highlight that:
It operates in the cloud
The vast majority of current CRMs work through cloud systems, which is becoming a requirement because of the benefits that this brings.
For example, by being in the cloud, the information always remains secure on an external server and even if something happens with your team you will not lose the work done.
Besides that, being in a 100% online environment, it is possible to access the CRM information from anywhere, which allows you to work with mobility without losing accuracy.
Automate part of the tasks
If at first you think that the CRM does not go beyond a list of contacts with some extra resources, you should know that it does much more than this.
Some of the common tasks that you would have to perform manually, without the use of a tool like this, are automated, allowing you to spend more time on other important activities.
Among the automated actions is the registration of customers and the search for certain relevant information while you attend to them, for example.
Integrates different areas
Another feature of CRM is that it does not benefit only one part of the company, it also manages to integrate different areas and generate equal value for each one.
So, don't think of it as a sales or marketing automation system. In truth, it also helps a lot in customer support and success.
All of this also facilitates dialogue between professionals from different teams, who come to better understand each other's situation and collaborate with each other.
To learn more about the importance of integrating Marketing and Sales teams, we invite you to read our e-book on the concept of Ventarketing.
It has solutions for every type of company
In the end, a CRM is not one of those solutions that serve only one market segment or for companies of a specific size.
From small companies to large multinationals, from agribusiness to smartphone app development, all can use a CRM with the same success.
This is because the system is not too specific and offers everything you need to manage your customers in the best possible way.
5 benefits of using a CRM in your company
If you are still in doubt about the value of having a CRM system in your day-to-day business, this doubt will disappear now.
We selected no more and no less than 5 benefits that accompany the use of this very important business tool. See what they are:
1. Centralized information in real time.
The first benefit is the centralization of information, that is, everything you need to know about all customers is in the same place.
In addition, because it is a cloud solution, everyone can quickly access the information from anywhere in the world at any time.
What if someone updates the customer record? The update will appear for everyone in real time, avoiding any headaches.
2. Broader view of the business
Because of the centralization and cross-sector integration we have already discussed, managers and team leaders can have a much broader view of the business.
This leads to smarter decisions, which take into account several important aspects that otherwise would not even be taken into account.
Therefore, the opportunity to get decisions right with the use of a CRM is much greater.
3. Helps customer loyalty
Better organization of information, better internal collaboration and smarter business decisions. They not only have an effect on day-to-day work, but also on customers.
All this translates into better service, better quality products, more effective marketing strategies and successively improved sales processes.
All these factors are essential for customer loyalty.
4. Increases productivity
Another great advantage of working with CRM software is the productivity gain, and this is not only due to the automation of some tasks.
To deliver reports on each area (sales, marketing, customer service, etc.) CRM helps to improve processes and make them more efficient.
In this way it is possible to perform more meaningful tasks, which result in less time for the business.
5. Improve according to needs
Finally, following the mold of most modern software, most of today's CRM systems work on the SaaS (Software as a Service) model.
This means that you only pay for what you use, and if you need a more elaborate solution over time, you can simply upgrade to a more advanced plan.
So, when choosing a CRM it is important to evaluate if it offers you this option, in order not to run out of options in case you need something more elaborate.
How do you know if you need a CRM?
Even with so many benefits, you need to consider if a CRM is what your business needs, in the end, every investment must have a basis to be made.
So how do you know if your company is in need of this system? Here are 5 signs that make this clear:
1. You waste too much time sorting spreadsheets and notebooks.
The first sign that you need to acquire a CRM is if you realize that you are spending too much time organizing spreadsheets, agendas or notebooks to manage your customers.
These solutions are not scalable, so as the relationship with the customer progresses, it becomes increasingly complicated to record everything that is relevant about him, using any of these means.
2. You are not serving all customers in the same way.
It is very important that you establish a customer service pattern and achieve it when interacting with each of your customers.
If you are not managing to maintain that pattern and you see that the quality of service varies too much, this is the second sign that you need to use a CRM.
By having everyone's information available quickly, as well as the tools to add any new important data, it will be easier to maintain the quality of service.
3. You have already lost business by not having important information at hand.
You know that at certain times it is necessary to have information at hand, in order to convince the customer to make an important decision, don't you?
Well, if you learned this in the worst way, losing business for lack of that information at a critical moment of negotiation, CRM is knocking at your door.
With it, you will have all the information you need, no matter if you are in the company or at a trade show 3,000 kms away.
4. You find it difficult to personalize customer service
Attending is one thing and personalizing attention is another. So even if you are managing to have a good customer service, as we talked about before, is it difficult to personalize it?
If your answer was yes, you are in time to change. In the end, today's customers don't just accept the basics, they need tailor-made solutions.
How does CRM help in this case? It was made for this! The database of each customer is designed to understand their needs and anticipate their demands.
In other words, it was made to personalize your attention and constantly generate more value.
5. You need an integrated team that works remotely.
Does your team work remotely, perhaps traveling constantly to close deals or network with potential clients?
Even if this is not your case, you may have made the right decision to align marketing and sales of the company or bet on customer success.
The mobility of remote work, the transparency for a good integration and the data needed to help the customer in a deeper way require a robust technological solution, such as CRM.
5 examples of CRMs available on the market
Here are practical examples of the top 5 CRMs on the market today.
1. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot, one of the best known names for being the creator of the Inbound Marketing method, also created this very useful tool.
HubSpot CRM allows you to organize, monitor and increase your sales pipeline. And best of all, you can start using it with a free version. As you feel the need, you can subscribe to a paid plan. However, to get started, the free version will help you a lot.
The tool is easy to use and the stored data has no expiration date. This CRM synchronizes with Outlook and Gmail, which allows all activities to be logged automatically.
HubSpot CRM includes free live chat tools, team email and even chatbots, allowing you to manage all your contacts from one place.
2. SalesForce CRM
This CRM is another of the top CRMs on the market today. With it you can access more leads and close more deals, all faster.
With this tool you can control and manage your business from anywhere. Through various platforms you can connect with your customers and leads. In addition, it allows you to use the data from your database for future marketing strategies.
3. ZohoCRM
This automation software allows you to integrate the most popular applications such as Office 365, Twitter, G Suite, LinkedIn, Zapier, Mailchimp, etc.
With the help of artificial intelligence it allows you to stay in touch with your customer 24/7. In addition to helping you with process management to automate sales processes.
This tool provides you with security and delivers complete performance and results analysis.
Request a free trial on their website to learn more about it.
4. SugarCRM
This CRM promises to give you the best experience and boasts the best Net Promoter Score among the top CRMs.
SugarCRM claims to be free of unnecessary features and promises to deliver you only the features that will be really useful for your marketing and sales strategy.
With a simple and intuitive platform SugarCRM adapts to all types of businesses, small and large, automating them efficiently.
To learn more about it, you can request a free trial on their website.
5. PipeDrive
This automation tool allows your sales team to do their job with less effort and better results.
Its platform is easy to configure, simple to run and allows you to integrate all customer contact channels. It is also possible to integrate it with more than 100 applications.
It also allows automatic monitoring so you can keep track of your sales process.
When you open the CRM you and your team can quickly and clearly visualize the sales process. This makes it easier to focus on what really matters.
You can try it for free on their website.
6. Freshworks CRM
Freshworks CRM is an advanced platform that integrates sales, marketing and CRM activities into a single system. With the platform, marketing teams can gain insights into personalizing the customer journey to address pain points, while sales teams get immediate access to sales-ready leads to close these deals.
And maintaining customer engagement is also easy thanks to Freshworks CRM's multichannel capabilities.
This software offers numerous powerful features that benefit both sales and marketing teams. Professionals can create tasks, reminders and appointments to ensure that prospects move through the sales or marketing pipeline at the right time.
Automated workflows and sales action sequences also reduce the need for manual entries and help teams focus on more important tasks.
The advantage of using an integrated platform like Freshworks CRM is that it serves as a centralized hub that provides quick access to demand and bid information. Detailed people profiles allow sales reps to add context to customer interactions, which improves the chances of a deal's success.
However, for all its bells and whistles, Freshworks CRM may work best for companies that can take full advantage of all its features. The platform is ideal for organizations with a larger customer base and well-defined workflows for sales and marketing.
7. NetSuite CRM
NetSuite CRM is a robust CRM solution that gives you a holistic view of your entire business process and automates it.
With NetSuite, you receive a continuous flow of information from all points in the customer lifecycle, allowing you to provide a personalized experience, from qualified lead generation to compliance and post-sales support.
As a free trial, we can enjoy all the premium features at no cost when we sign up, allowing us to take a look and see if it works within our working ecosystem.
8. Oracle CRM
Oracle CRM is one of the most renowned and trusted CRM tools in the market today among all customers. This company gives us a complete, integrated and extensible suite of applications for a modern customer experience.
In this sense, we will have at hand reliable solutions for marketing, sales, commerce, social networks, among many other functionalities.
Undoubtedly, it is a very robust platform and has a variety of implementation models; this helps to create good and healthy relationships to increase conversion rates and profitability of marketing and sales actions.
9. Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a popular and robust CRM software. It helps streamline processes and increase profits in sales, marketing and service divisions.
It aims to provide the best functionalities to create a strong bond with customers, thus satisfying their expectations and requirements; it maintains centralized information and automates interactions.
In short, it is a client-server software that improves the visualization of data to automate workflows and has Android, IOS, web applications and creates a new information base for the data already available.
We can say that CRM is more than an interesting software, it is also a business strategy focused on the customer. From now on it's with you: evaluate if you need a CRM and if this is the case, choose the one that best meets your main needs.
Well, now you have identified the importance of a CRM and we talked about the automation of some tasks, then it's time to discover how marketing automation can help you in this process. We invite you to download our e-book on the subject, don't miss it!