CRM systems - what is it? Review of the best solutions for business. CRM system: principles of its operation and application in business

In order to effectively manage a company and achieve maximum results, it is necessary to try to automate many commercial processes, including the interaction of employees with each other and work with the client base.

The use of specialized software makes it possible to conduct effective management activities, monitor and analyze all stages of transactions.

To work with the client base, specialized programs are used - CRM. They allow you to create an information base about clients, contractors, suppliers and other third-party contractors. CRM systems are successfully used in small businesses and allow companies to quickly solve current problems.

CRM system: what is it?

Translated from English, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) means customer relationship management.

These programs are responsible for organizing and automating interactions with customers and help increase sales.

CRM systems allow you to save all the necessary information about clients:

personal data;
preferences;
list of interests;
call and purchase history;
list of completed transactions.

Thanks to this data, companies have the opportunity to build effective work aimed at obtaining maximum profits based on the collection and analysis of the results obtained.

Video - what is a CRM system and why it is beneficial to use them in business:

In fact, a CRM system can be any program for keeping records of work with clients. The same Excel can be used to control all forms of interaction between buyer and seller. However, such a program is not capable of fully automating the process.

The difference between CRM systems is that they are designed for each specific area of business, taking into account the specifics and products sold.

Why are they needed for small businesses?

If the software fully corresponds to the direction of the company’s activities and allows it to solve problems specific to a particular type of activity, then the following results will be achieved:

increasing sales volume;
improving the service provided when working with clients;
optimization of the client base;
increasing the efficiency of the marketing and sales departments.

Video - why CRM systems are needed:

Key tools and features

The introduction of CRM systems will expand business opportunities.

Video - how CRM systems work in the sales department to maintain a customer base:

The main block of the software includes sections that allow you to:

keep records of the client base and fill out information that will be available to other company employees;
interact with the list of available contacts;
create ready-made commercial proposals using built-in templates;
plan and set current tasks for employees and track the status of their implementation;
promptly receive reporting and analytical information;
coordinate and control the work between employees and individual structural units;
register transactions, draw up contracts and other reporting documentation necessary for concluding contracts;
make calls to clients using the built-in Internet telephony system;
send commercial offers and send advertising letters;
analyze the completion of assigned tasks and sales performance at any time period using visual charts.

Kinds

The market for customer relationship management systems includes dozens of different programs that are applicable in various industries. A properly selected CRM system guarantees an increase in sales volume and an improvement in the service provided to customers.

Most companies do not use the full functional set of CRM, but focus on those capabilities that are aimed at optimizing their business.

CRM systems can be divided into three categories:

information type;
analytical type;
collaborative type.

Information-type programs represent a customer database in which you can work with information on ongoing transactions and monitor the progress of sales. The ability to systematize data allows you to instantly obtain information on all customers, transaction histories and cooperation with clients.

Analytical CRMs are an improved information option. Due to the expanded functionality, it becomes possible to analyze the information received.

The tools of such programs allow you to control all business processes using reporting based on specified criteria. Analytical CRM systems use special templates and settings that display statistics on completed transactions, the number of goods and services sold, as well as the activity of the customer base.

Collaborative CRM system is the most advanced business software. It opens up opportunities to systematize and analyze incoming information.

The main feature is the availability of functionality for correcting and modernizing business processes. The program is suitable for entrepreneurs who are constantly trying to improve the service and quality of services provided.

Who will benefit

Before choosing a CRM system, you should decide - is it needed for a specific business?. Such programs are effectively used in those industries that work directly with customers and consumers of the final product.

CRM systems are needed in those areas where customers are given the greatest attention, and the main emphasis is on expanding the number of interested buyers.

In the operation of an online store, telephone calls and requests from new customers play a key role. To retain your old audience and systematically attract new customers, you need to use a CRM system with integrated Internet telephony.

CRM systems are well suited for wholesale companies that work with both clients and suppliers. In such a business, it is important that all requests from customers are processed as quickly and efficiently as possible, orders are completed, and customers are satisfied with the completed transaction. Due to this, the number of active customers and loyalty to the supplier of goods or services increases.

CRM systems will not be successful with retail stores and companies working under long-term contracts. If every contract with new clients is concluded through personal meetings, not a single CRM system will produce positive results.

Review of popular CRM systems

Among the most popular systems, the following should be highlighted:

Bitrix24;
Megaplan;
SailsCRM.

Bitrix24

Development of the company "1C-Bitrix". Allows you to keep track of potential and current clients. It is possible to integrate with online stores for efficient order processing. With its help, you can set tasks for employees and keep track of working hours. The system records all events until the transaction is concluded and provides reporting data to improve efficiency. There are 8 reporting forms for sales analysis.

Official website of CRM Bitrix24 - LINK.

amoCRM is a cloud-based system for the efficient operation of a company. Its peculiarity is that the company can independently choose the necessary set of tools that are suitable for a specific type of business. amoCRM allows you to automate and speed up personal work with clients through integrated communication channels (telephony, mailing).

Video - overview of amoCRM sections:

Learn about amoCRM.

Megaplan

Megaplan is one of the top corporate CRM systems. With its help, you can conclude transactions, store and view all documentation, keep financial records and set planned tasks for employees.

Ideal for teamwork. Among the advantages, it is worth noting the rapid implementation of the program and easy learning for full-time employees. There is a free version that is ideal for small businesses.

The free version of Megaplan has a limit on the number of contacts you can enter and a ban on the use of a number of functions.

Find more detailed information about this CRM system.

Sails-CRM

Sails-CRM is a program that allows you to keep track of clients and manage sales. An intuitive and simple interface makes it easy to get used to working with Sails-CRM.

You can visit the official Sails-CRM website via LINK.

A reliable assistant for your business

If you decide to develop your business and attract new customers, and the specifics of your business are suitable for their use, then CRM systems will become an indispensable assistant in optimizing work with your customer base.

Video - how one of the CRM systems for realtors works:

Imagine a small provincial town in which two women are trading at the market... Let them be, say, Aunt Zina and Aunt Masha.

Aunt Zina stands and waits for customers to approach her. As soon as someone approaches her, she shows her product and tells why it is needed and how good it is.

Aunt Masha is also standing in the market, waiting for customers to approach her and telling about the same thing about the product. But Aunt Masha knows all her clients by sight and knows a lot about them. For example, this young man came with his mother last year and bought a jacket for graduation. Now he is looking for a spring jacket.

Aunt Masha asks him: how was the graduation, why his mother didn’t come, etc. That is, she remembers literally everything about her clients and their problems. Fortunately, on the scale of a small provincial town this is quite possible.

Of course, Aunt Masha’s sales are much better than Aunt Zina’s, because she knows the needs of her clients and can satisfy their needs much better.

(By the way, I myself constantly use the services of such a “personal” seller of sporting goods, from whom I can order what I need when I meet at the next competition or simply by phone. As a result, I no longer go to sports stores.)

But if the city is large and there are thousands of clients, then it is no longer possible to keep all the information about these clients in your head. How to solve a problem like this? It is solved by introducing a so-called CRM system into the business.

CRM - stands for Customer Relationship Management system. That is, a customer relationship management system.

A CRM system is a single database, accessible from many computers of a company, in which all information about the clients of this company is collected... Who has worked with this client before, what are the results of this work, what questions and problems were there, etc. . That is, all possible information about the client and the entire history of relationships with him.

And the next time there is contact with this client, you can look at information about the client and understand how and what to talk to him about next. Knowing this information allows you to work with the client much more effectively.

The more you know about customers (or potential customers), the better off you are, and the more intelligently you can structure your marketing. Therefore, investing in the purchase of a CRM system is an absolutely justified expense that quickly pays off.

Often people start by trying to make some kind of CRM system on their own using universal programs like Excel, Access, Word... whoever owns what. But usually they quickly realize that their capabilities of universal programs are not enough and they begin to look for a more specialized program.

As a result of implementing a CRM system, you will know a lot about the personal problems and requests of hundreds and thousands of your clients and potential clients. Naturally, this is a completely different level of communication with clients, building relationships with them. And your clients will definitely appreciate it.

You can even combine a CRM system with automatic telephone number identification. And when a client calls you, information about this client will automatically be displayed on your monitor, and you, for example, will be able to immediately greet him by name and patronymic, and ask questions about some of his specific problems. (By the way, such systems are already widespread in taxi ordering services. There, however, they are used for a different purpose - to speed up the entry and processing of orders).

How to choose a CRM system?

In my opinion, first of all, it requires the ability to adapt to a specific business, flexibility in settings. The ability to customize it to the specifics of your specific type of business. On your own or at least with the help of a “sysadmin” or specialist.

The second is an intuitive interface. That is, the ability to easily and conveniently work with the system. Your task is to sell, communicate effectively with clients, and not to understand the complexities of working with the program.

The next requirement is the ability to combine with existing systems. First of all, with the usual office programs: Word, Excel, as well as 1C (if you use it).

Also, it must be possible to use the program’s technical support without any problems. Your business will continuously develop, and new tasks will be set for the software system. They need to be resolved in a timely manner and without problems.

There must be a demo version of the system, an opportunity to try it in real life in your conditions. It is necessary that you can independently evaluate the same customization capabilities, adapt to your tasks, check interaction with technical support...

Why is a universal CRM system not enough for you?

1) CRM systems are mainly focused on solving only one task: customer relationship management. But this is far from the only task of your enterprise! There are also purchases, sales, order processing, warehouse accounting, possibly some kind of production, accounting, financial accounting and analysis of the enterprise’s activities.

All these tasks, of course, also require support with software that combines all tasks into a single information environment. A universal CRM system cannot solve all these problems, no matter how wide the customization options it has.

2) This lack of universal CRM is a consequence of the previous one. The cost of “tuning” such a CRM to your specific requirements can be VERY high. Because this will require a large amount of work by highly qualified programmers.

3) CRM developers do not know the specifics of your activities - the main business processes of your enterprise. All the “nuances” of this activity are known only to specialized software developers who have been working closely with many enterprises in this industry for many years. As a result, specialized software collects all the best automation ideas from industry leaders.

Consequence: If possible, use specialized programs designed specifically for automation your specific type of activity, and including as one of the CRM subsystems for organizing effective work with clients.

From this article you will learn:

What is a CRM system?

Why is it needed?

Why is a CRM system necessary in sales?

Who doesn't need a CRM system?

How to choose it?

The main goal of any business activity is to make a profit by selling as large volumes of goods or services as possible. Achieving it involves using all tools, in particular optimizing interaction with customers using a CRM strategy. Why we need a CRM system and what impact it has on business, we will look at this article.

Why do you need a CRM system and what is it?

CRM is an abbreviation of the English phrase “Customer Relationship Management”, which translated into Russian means “Customer Relationship Management”.

A CRM system is specialized software for companies. The function of CRM is to automate relationships with customers. It is needed by people working with consumers: sales department employees, client managers. All marketing rests on their shoulders. They are engaged in expanding the client base and searching for buyers, building relationships with them, collecting orders, finalizing the transaction, monitoring its proper execution, trying to transfer each consumer to permanent status, preventing him from leaving for competitors.

In fact, a CRM system is needed to maintain and support a database of not only customers, but also orders. Even the most basic CRM, consisting of a couple of Excel tables, can be of significant help to a client manager. Why do you need a CRM system and what actions can be carried out with its help?

CRM is required to perform the following actions:

Record the stages of relationships with customers. It follows that the client manager can at any time use all the collected data about the consumer, including information about when the last interaction was, what order was discussed with him, whether a deal was concluded and documents were drawn up.
Make plans for relationships with clients. Any work with a buyer aimed at concluding a deal can be divided into several stages. A CRM system is needed in order to record and subsequently see which stages have already been completed and which still need to be completed for the sale to take place.
Monitor and analyze the performance of any sales manager or the entire department. The system allows you to receive reports on how successfully contracts are signed and how well they are executed.
Transferring sales to automatic mode. A CRM system is needed to automate the process of generating and printing transaction support documentation (forms, contracts, invoices, reports).
CRM is necessary not only for ordinary employees, but also for managers to monitor the quality of work of any client manager and analyze the effectiveness of the entire department. The system allows you to upload information about how many contracts are signed, which allows you to understand how well the work with customers is carried out.
Using CRM means working with uniform document forms, which makes the process standardized and more efficient.
A CRM system is needed by every organization that employs several client managers. There is also a need to use it if there are more than twenty buyers. Information about such a number of consumers becomes quite difficult to keep in mind, and therefore work efficiency decreases. And even if client managers claim that they remember everything about everyone, in reality it turns out that this is not so: today the employee forgot to send an email to the client, and tomorrow he mixed up the meeting time.

Why else do we need CRM systems?

They are necessary if the manager goes on vacation or suddenly gets sick, and the work on concluding a deal with the client is stuck halfway. CRM makes it easy to redistribute responsibilities between several employees due to the fact that all consumer data is in the database and you can see how negotiations with a particular buyer are progressing. Among other things, the process of training new staff is faster and more efficient thanks to CRM systems.

What is CRM for its user? When launched, a menu appears on the screen with buttons that perform various functions.

In addition, CRM has the function of “listening” to telephone conversations. A special software node starts calling system programs for incoming calls to the manager’s phone, as well as for outgoing calls from this phone. This function is needed to be able to record all conversations, and after completion, the employee can save them in the database, adding characteristics and notes for ease of subsequent search.

Why do you need a CRM system in sales?

According to statistical analysis, the implementation of a CRM system gives a company a 20% increase in sales in the first year of use.

First you need to determine how profit for the year will change if turnover increases by 20%. When calculating, profitability and average sales margin should be taken into account. For example, if you sell for 2,000 rubles and pay half of this amount to employees as salaries, then your margin is 50%.

Next you need to calculate the profit from turnover. For example, your turnover is 50 million rubles. You calculate how much profit you can get if the margin is 20%. If, thanks to the implementation of CRM, your sales increase by only 10% in the worst case scenario, then the net profit excluding tax payments will be equal to one million rubles per year.

This forecast gives an obvious answer to the question of why a CRM system is needed and whether it is worth implementing.

But CRM is not always necessary. Let's consider another situation. Let's assume that your turnover is 800 thousand rubles per year, and the marginal profit is 10%. In this case, when implementing a CRM system, you will receive an increase in annual profit by 8–16 thousand rubles. This is hardly the amount for which you should spend money and time on a new program. Instead, it is better to pay attention to other points. For example, attend sales management training, which will give you a several-fold increase in profits.

Therefore, the first thing you need to look at is the ROI forecast. The lower your turnover, the higher the increase in profit due to management tools.

There are often cases where expanding the staff of client managers does not contribute to increasing sales. In many companies, when new people are added, the performance of one employee somehow decreases.

There are many reasons why this happens, and they can be radically different. Why do you need a CRM system and process automation if, for example, you have a client base of only a few dozen people? In this case, you probably have highly qualified managers who know everything about their potential buyers.

The effect of implementing CRM depends on the number of your employees and your clients. When the number of consumers is, for example, several thousand, an automated system is definitely needed. Because no specialist, no matter how gifted, will be able to remember hundreds of contacts and the nuances of working with each of them. The functionality of CRM systems is much wider than that of Excel or Word.

So, it became clear why a CRM system is needed - to increase sales. And yet, how exactly does such a program contribute to the growth of turnover?

It's all about expanding the functions that company managers receive by implementing CRM. The sales management process is becoming simpler and more convenient, so this system is needed to take advantage of additional benefits that were not possible before connecting it.

Many client managers complain that preparing various documentation takes a lot of time. In this regard, employees delay the preparation of reports or do not do them at all. To speed up this work you need a CRM.

As practice shows, the implementation of this software significantly simplifies the process of preparing reports, freeing up the manager’s time.

How to choose the right CRM system

When choosing a CRM system, you need to consider several fundamental points.

Saas or Stand-Alone– clouds or your own server?

There are two types of CRM systems created on the basis of different technologies.

Saas, or system as a service. In this case, all software and information are stored on the service provider's server. You access the system via a browser or mobile application online.

Stand Alone. If you need an enhanced access CRM, you purchase a license to install and use the software. In this case, you have your own server; if you wish, you modify the software to suit your needs, depending on the capabilities that the system supplier has.

If you think you need a CRM with Saas solutions and decide on it, you will have to face several limitations. You will not have access to the system code, since the software solutions are on the side of the product supplier. When using such CRMs, you will be able to change the design using the designer, configure employee access rights, integrate some external applications (receive data from the site, record calls, etc.), set up reports, etc. But all this will be stored on the provider's servers.

The next important point when using Saas solutions: you need uninterrupted operation of the Internet. In the modern world, not a single business can do without using the global Internet, and in the absence of communication, many business processes can be suspended, so we need not only the main access channel on the World Wide Web, but also an alternative option.

There is one more nuance to using Saas solutions that needs to be taken into account. If you back up your databases, you will incur additional costs. To carry out such operations, a separate payment is required.

Pros of Saas solutions:

You will not need your own server to operate the software; it will be provided by the CRM provider;

all necessary updates are also carried out by the supplier; you are simply a user of the system.

Stand-Alone means purchasing a “boxed” solution that you will need to install on your own server. In this case, you will be able to change the program code (within the limits of the access provided by the developer). When there is a need to implement non-standard solutions, this level of access is very important.

In most cases, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs do not need a CRM with Stand-Alone. Here you can get by with standard solutions, so it’s enough to use Saas. Thus, if you do not have a large business with thousands of clients, but a small company, think about why you need such a CRM system.

Integration with telephony.

Every CRM system needs interconnection with telephony. When selecting a product, always check the availability of this function and how to implement it. If you fail to record incoming calls in the system and make outgoing calls through it, this will be a significant omission.

At first glance, there is nothing difficult about entering call data into a CRM system manually. But in practice, few people do this. Firstly, this is additional work that takes time, which means it irritates managers. Secondly, you can simply forget to enter information about the call into the system. That's why CRM is needed here.

API integration: availability of ready-made solutions.

When running any business, you have to deal with a variety of services for generating applications, maintaining bookkeeping and other records, preparing documentation, etc. To optimize work processes, they need to be synchronized with CRM data. Therefore, when you choose a software product, find out whether it has API solutions for data exchange with IT telephony, 1C, integration with your website and interaction with other applications and services you need.

Relationships with a contact (customer) are usually carried out in the following ways:

telephone conversations;

correspondence by email;

mailings (sms or e-mail);

a personal meeting.

Interaction with the consumer in the first three ways can be carried out automatically. For this you need a CRM system. It will allow you to track the history of your relationship with the client, see what is happening in your work with him at this stage, and what the latest results were.

Planning and working with tasks.

When choosing a CRM system, you also need to find out whether it is equipped with functions of planning and issuing orders. It is very convenient when a manager can define a task for himself in CRM, set deadlines for its completion, and turn on a reminder.

This system is needed not only by employees, but also by managers. It should allow keeping records not only of clients, but also of interactions between specialists.

CRM is a customer relationship management system for storing and processing counterparty data. CRM helps manage sales, effectively exchange data, integrates with social networks and facilitates communication between managers and management. In this article we will explain in simple words what CRM is and how it works.

How does a CRM system work?

A CRM system (customer relationship management) is a service that systematizes contact information of clients and counterparties.

In simple terms, a CRM system is a tool for storing and constantly updating the contacts of everyone with whom managers interact. CRM also has another useful function - monitoring the work of employees and calculating the effectiveness of task completion over a period.

A CRM system gives companies the opportunity to improve relationships with customers, as well as conduct analytics. The program easily processes the entire data array. For example, it will be able to calculate the indicator “customer lifetime value” (LifeTime Value - how much on average a client spends for the entire period while purchasing this product or service). The analysis will show the value of each consumer group in the long term.

How to work in a CRM system? First you need to register and create an account. Then you can:

assign and complete tasks (schedule calls and meetings);

enter data about clients and counterparties;

communicate with clients who write in different channels through one window;

When you call a consumer who is having problems, open his card and see the entire history of interaction with him.

This is basic functionality. Different CRM systems can solve other problems. For example, CRM “Business.Ru” is built into the merchandise accounting program, that is, a unified system not only helps manage clients, but also keeps records.

What problems does a CRM system solve?

Problem 1: systematization of company data. Every time a manager picks up the phone to talk to a client, walks into a meeting with the prospect of closing a deal, or performs management tasks, he learns something new and potentially valuable about the client.

Before the advent of CRM systems, all client data was recorded in analog or electronic, but unrelated media. For example, in Excel tables or electronic notebooks. Often, important information was simply stored in the heads of employees.

Problem 2: maintaining information about consumers within the company. Agree, the situation could not be worse if a manager who has key information about clients does not keep public records and then leaves the company. After all, all his knowledge about clients, his entire base “goes” with him outside the company doors.

Stop working in a chaotic mode, based only on trust. Organizing your work is easier than it seems.

In simple words, a CRM system manages customer relationships and solves the listed problems. It not only systematizes information, making it publicly available, but also analyzes and allows you to change this data.

You can divide your clients into groups and offer a marketing campaign to each of them. The program simply updates records by adding useful and new information. All this can improve business and the impact of working with consumers, that is, it stimulates business growth.

If CRM is of the cloud type, then this facilitates mobility - company representatives can work with client data wherever they are, via a smartphone or laptop. Read more about the types of CRM systems further in the article.

Thanks to CRM, customer data becomes available instantly. Therefore, every contact will be personalized and relevant.

The list of other tasks helps to understand how CRM works:

phone call tracking;

communication in chats in “one window” mode - you can conduct several chats in one program;

holding online meetings of managers;

adding notes;

planning cases and a step-by-step plan for working with the client.

All basic CRM features provide clearer sales opportunities (compared to not using similar programs). CRM helps you close deals and make a profit.

Table. What problems does CRM solve?

Problem
Data leaks and managerial forgetfulness	It is necessary that customer data be stored in one place.	Customer card in the CRM system.
It is not clear how many of the company's customers have made repeat orders. How long have they been using the product?	Analytics needs to be automatic.	Data analysis in the CRM system.
The manager wants to track how managers cope with tasks, even while on vacation.	We need to install a task assignment program that would be available at home.	Cloud CRM is not tied to a specific location.
The manager needs to communicate with clients through different channels without opening 10 windows.	We need to install a program that could combine all channels into one window.	The function of working with different channels in one window is available in CRM.

Aliya Keshishyan, external communications manager, “Project 111”:

“Very conventionally, all CRM can be classified as project-based or event-based. As a rule, disappointments after implementation are caused by an error according to this criterion. Which one to choose?

Project CRMs are well suited for planning and controlling formalized processes with fixed stages. Such CRMs often include document flow with approvals. Projects need to be configured; these settings are not easy, but they will not allow employees to miss important points. The focus is not on the client (there are not enough of them per employee), but on the ongoing project. Examples of tasks suitable for project CRM: capital construction, concluding complex long-term transactions (many parties, state registration, etc.).

Event-based CRMs are well suited for “short”, often regular transactions that do not have strict deadlines and stages. Tasks and events in such CRMs are poorly structured, but they are created automatically or with minimal effort on the part of employees. The employee’s attention is constantly focused on many events and clients - dozens or hundreds. The task of CRM is to quickly restore the context for any request or request. Typically, a transaction does not plan a full cycle, but the next stage. Examples of tasks: technical support for a provider, sales of an online store, sales in a distribution network, etc.”

Types of CRM: “boxes” and “clouds”

In addition to project-based and event-based, there are three other types of CRM systems:

single-user systems running on one computer without integration with others;

a client/server system that stores the central database (on the server). The client program is installed on each user’s PC or laptop to access it;

Cloud systems are delivered and hosted online and are accessible anywhere through a connected device.

Single-user systems are only convenient for managers who do not work in a team (for example, individual entrepreneurs without employees). Companies that cannot choose which system to purchase - from the “box” or from the “cloud” – have more questions. Let's look at a table that shows how “boxed” and “cloud” CRM systems work.

Table. Differences between CRM types

	“Boxed” system with a server from the company	Cloud CRM system
Price	Large one-time costs for the purchase and installation of a server (server cost from 8 thousand to 1 million rubles, costs for the system administrator’s salary (approximately 10-20 hours per month) and a dedicated Internet channel.	Minimum investment for launch, small monthly fee (from 390 to 1500 rubles per month).
Security and Service	Company representatives themselves are responsible for failures in CRM and IT security.	The CRM provider maintains servers and updates security as part of a monthly fee.
Updating the CRM system	Adding new features or functionality to keep up with technological advances can be an expensive and complex decision that requires significant in-house knowledge.	New features can be turned on or off remotely and are immediately available to all users.
Mobility	The level of mobility depends on the client PC base. If these are desktop computers, then CRM can only be used in the office. Laptops with CRM can be used outside the office with a secure VPN.	Secure access from any internet-connected device: at home, in the office, or while traveling.
Disaster recovery	You need a backup and disaster recovery plan, which you have to manage yourself.	Backup is included in the monthly service fee.

CRM systems for a changing world

As technology evolves, so does the way we communicate with customers. Cloud CRM goes beyond obvious functionality to respond to changes in the world. Cloud CRM systems are superior to out-of-the-box CRM systems because they can be updated as new technology is needed by most clients.

1. Mobile CRM for remote management.

Offers mobile capabilities so salespeople can access key information wherever they are. Mobility helps to update this information immediately after a meeting with a client, while all the data is easy to remember, so management can keep track of the latest information.

In simple words, a mobile CRM system is a tool for managing an entire business from your phone. You can close deals, serve customers, and change marketing campaigns. The functionality supports work outside the office, resulting in the company reducing the amount of office space required.

CRM helps firms make the most of social media as a source of new leads and channels for serving and communicating with customers.

New social data streams are synchronized with other available customer data to create the most complete picture possible.

3. Use of artificial intelligence.

Some CRM systems can use artificial intelligence (AI) to study existing data to make recommendations for the company. In this way, the CRM system constantly and automatically improves, becomes smarter and more focused on customer needs.

How to understand that you need CRM?

You can only understand that you need to work in CRM on your own. Let's imagine a few real-life stories where entrepreneurs realized the need and installed CRM.

Story 1. CRM was installed to work with clients on social networks.

The entrepreneur opened a business selling nets and additional accessories for plastic windows. In order to successfully compete with other companies, I had to open several independent sites and communities on social networks. There was a problem of communicating with clients online in different channels. To quickly answer customer questions on social networks, it was decided to implement CRM.

Story 2. It is necessary to systematize customer data.

Spreadsheets, email, and notes may have worked great for retaining customer data when the business was in its infancy. But as it grows, these old tools limit interactions with customers, and also make it difficult to quickly make decisions and assign tasks to managers based on the current situation.

That is why the CRM system was introduced. CRM has become a centralized source of easily accessible data. Knowledge about the counterparty increased successful sales and the number of new customers.

Story 3. The owner of a wholesale warehouse goes on vacation for a month.

A couple of months earlier, he installed a CRM because he wants to control what his sales managers are doing.
A powerful customer relationship management system allows team members to update data from their mobile devices, so information is instantly available to management.
CRM helps you monitor how your team is working, even from another city. Thanks to this, you can allocate additional resources and respond to the problem in a timely manner.

Story 4. The team began to spend more time responding to complaints from old customers than searching for new ones.

Installing a CRM helps you quickly cope with the flow of customer reactions. The company will pleasantly surprise its customers with impressive service, which will keep them coming back.
In addition, intelligent CRM solutions allow you to expand the training capabilities of managers, directing information to exactly the manager who can handle the task. You can also create tutorials to help new managers find answers to questions on their own.

Story 5. A CRM system helps you work with exclusive clients and partners.

One of the companies selling prefabricated houses has a group of realtors who bring in the most clients. It is necessary to remember data on those people who cooperate with the company and bring a lot of profit.

A CRM system can automatically remind you of the birthdays of your most valuable customers, so you don't have to worry about offending them by taking your interactions with partners on a more personal level.

How to choose a CRM system?

Before you start evaluating different CRMs (by the way, a detailed analysis of 16 free CRMs is available here>>>), ask yourself the following questions:

What are the most ineffective processes in business, what are you planning to improve with the help of a CRM system?

Who in the company is going to use CRM? How many users are needed?

What other software do we want to integrate with the CRM system?

What is our budget?

You also need to pay attention to three other features of choosing a CRM system:

1. Choose which CRM you need: “cloud” or “boxed”.

For example, if you don’t have the money to install your own server and support it, the “cloud” version is suitable. If you are in a remote area and the internet connection is very unstable, it is better to install a CRM out of the box.

2. Find out what CRM features you need.

Every business is unique in terms of its processes, customer base and growth dynamics. Therefore, it is better to look at a scalable CRM solution.

According to our data, CRM users often overestimate the functions they need. Try demo versions of several CRMs and compare how well they suit your specific needs.

3. Make sure the system can be integrated with other applications. CRM is just an element in a collection of different systems.

Your CRM software should also integrate seamlessly with 1C or other accounting software, HR software, your own website, and a payment aggregator to record transactions from customers.

You also need to make sure that data is simply imported into CRM - from tables or files in which current records of interactions with customers are kept

Operation of a CRM system using the example of the “Business.Ru” service

Let's look at how a CRM system works using an example.

You can maintain a full client base

All client data is available:

Date of Birth;

Contact details;

how often were the calls;

how many times were there purchases, etc.

Such customer cards during warm telephone sales increase sales efficiency by a third.

You can raise the history of customer interactions

A meeting, a phone call, documents and signed papers - all this can be written in a separate client card. Events can be supplemented with information subsequently, and the manager can comment on the results of the meeting.

You can give instructions for your employees

A manager can assign tasks to employees in order to more successfully distribute tasks and assign managers responsible for completing a specific task. You can comment on tasks.

You can keep a to-do calendar

CRM from “Business.Ru” offers to maintain a calendar of managers’ affairs. You can not only monitor employees’ activities and change their plans, but also assign tasks.

Thanks to the calendar, the manager will not forget about an important meeting or a scheduled call.

You can fill customer cards with additional information in the process of communicating with them

For example, if you own a child care center, important additional information might be the birthdays and names of all of the client's children. Or spouse's name, hobby, etc.

You can create your own fields, that is, customize customer cards for your business.

You can attach files and images

You can add documents or photos to comments. That is, if photographs were taken at a business meeting, they will not be lost and will become available to management.

You don’t have to draw up a contract from scratch, but use templates

The Business.Ru CRM system is a storehouse of useful information. For example, it already offers standard contracts in which you can change information to suit your business.

If contracts have parameters to be filled in, for example, company name, then they can be configured to be auto-filled.

You can send SMS messages and letters directly from the client card to CRM

The function of working with SMS messages is convenient if you need to inform the client about promotions or discounts, as well as for congratulating you on the holidays.

CRM offers to create templates for letters and SMS to automate routine operations.

To make it clear how CRM works in a specific company, I will give an example. Kirill runs a window installation company. Previously, there were few clients, and everything was simple: everyone needed to take an order, go to take measurements, agree on the cost, receive payment, and install windows. But then there were not 3 clients, but 33. And it began... They forgot to call one client back, they didn’t go to another for measurements, they didn’t send a cost estimate to a third, and they accepted payment from a fourth a month ago, but the windows still weren’t installed. Buyers began to leave for competitors, and the costs of new employees no longer paid for themselves. Kirill did not have time to control every step of the employees and realized that it was time to change something.

When a buyer leaves a request on the website, a transaction card appears in the CRM, where Sales funnel stage: “First call”. CRM sets a task for the manager: “Call the client back within 15 minutes.” If a task is overdue, CRM will notify the manager.
The manager calls the client directly from CRM, records the results of the negotiations in the transaction card and transfers it to stage "Measurements". SRM automatically creates a task for the surveyor: “Go to take measurements on the transaction [date, time].”
After departure, the measurement specialist attaches a document with dimensions and technical specifications to the transaction card, transfers the transaction to stage "Approval".
The responsible manager receives the task: “Calculate the cost and call the client within 2 hours.” He records the calculations in CRM and calls.
The deal goes to stage "Payment", CRM automatically generates a document using a template, where it inserts the name, address, name of the service, amount, and payment details. The manager just has to send the document to the client, receive payment and transfer the transaction to the last stage - “Installation”.
The installer immediately receives an automatic notification that he must install the windows for the deal by a certain date.
Meanwhile, the manager monitors online reports: how many transactions were closed, how many calls each manager made, what was the amount and number of transactions, what was the conversion of applications, from which sources did the most clients come, etc.

So what does CRM do?

The program helped Kirill systematize data about clients and transactions; employees stopped forgetting about things and missing deadlines. The conversion of requests into sales has increased, customers have become more loyal, and profits have increased. Now Kirill does not need to be present in the office for everyone to work as needed, and he can devote more time to the company's strategy.

What problems does SRM solve?

Do managers forget to process applications?

CRM captures applications from the website, assigns responsible managers, and assigns them tasks at each stage of the sale. If a task is overdue, the manager will instantly know about it. You will no longer lose a single client.

Is it difficult to analyze sales?

The number of new leads, the amount of transactions, the number of calls and meetings - the CRM will provide visual reports on all business processes. CRM will give a report on each employee and help identify lazy people in the sales department.

Does employee turnover affect sales?

Does the manager leave and take away the client base?

Set up access rights in CRM so that managers see only their clients - now no one except you will have access to the full client database and will not steal it.

What should be in the SRM?

First you need to understand what you want from a CRM system. Developers are constantly expanding the functionality of the programs: adding new integrations, gamification elements, scanning business cards, etc. But often companies do not use these options, and by implementing such a CRM, you will overpay for excess functionality.

However there is a set of functions that must be present in the SRM:

Customer accounting module, which stores the entire history of interaction with clients.
Sales management module with a visual sales funnel indicating what stage each deal is at.
Automation of business processes, which allows you not only to set tasks, but also to send SMS newsletters, change data about objects, and remind you about the approach of important dates - for example, the expiration date of a contract or a birthday.
Analytics and reports in real time in the form of visual graphs and diagrams, as well as tables with detailed data.
Task management built in such a way that the manager instantly receives messages about completed and overdue tasks by employees.
Integration with mail, website and IP telephony, so that all incoming requests, no matter what channel they are received through, are immediately recorded in CRM.
API programming interface, which allows you to configure integration with 1C, corporate software, mobile and other applications.

Everything important is in SalesapCRM

Andrey Batarin, executive director of SalesapCRM:

We have developed SalesapCRM - a convenient program “for people”, one in which it is pleasant to work. We conduct all our business in our own system. An intuitive interface, extensive analytics and automation capabilities, as well as an affordable price, which is important for small and medium-sized businesses. Today we already have about 3,000 users in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.