If you’re not using your CRM effectively, it becomes dead weight. Here are 5 tips to help you get the most out of your CRM.
1. Adoption
Getting your team onboard is essential if you want to make the most of your CRM.
Tools for automation, integration and collaboration greatly increase the efficiency of your work flows, but they only work if your team is using them.
As more and more users begin to use these tools, the ROI begins to increase exponentially.
Taking the time to train your team on how to use the new system and making sure they feel comfortable doing so is integral.
Appointing a couple of “CRM champions” is a great way to spread the responsibility around.
Try selecting team members who are not in a position of authority so that slower adopters don’t feel reluctant to approach them with questions.
2. Automation
One of the most powerful tools a CRM can offer is automation. When looking at implementing your CRM, begin by examining your workflows.
Ask your team for suggestions on redundant tasks. Are there forms they have to fill out repeatedly?
Is there information that needs to be duplicated across various fields? Is there an email that needs to be sent after a particular type of interaction?
All of these things can be automated to save time and eliminate mistakes.
3. Collaboration
The power of CRM lies in its ability to keep everything organized. Every interaction with a client can be recorded and time stamped.
Notes, forms and next steps can all be catalogued for easy access. Your team doesn’t have to refer to a spreadsheet or an old email chain to get up to date.
It’s all there with the client’s contact info, account details, purchase history and more.
This makes handoffs between team members or departments a much more seamless experience.
The hours/month saved locating information is often enough to pay for the CRM by itself.
4. Integration
One of the biggest time-sinks in any workflow is app-switching. If you have to use one program to make a call and another to send an email and yet another to make notes and compile data you are losing productivity at an alarming rate.
Integrations can help all of your programs communicate in a way that allows you to stay focused and in the zone.
5. Reporting
Much of what a CRM does takes place in the background. It tracks data that can be used to create detailed reports or analysis to improve your workflows and processes.
This information can also be used to gamify results between team members, encouraging productivity in a fun and trackable way.
FreeAgent CRM is designed to help you squeeze the most out of your CRM investment. Try it out for free today and level up your business.
