top of page
Writer's pictureFrances Blackie

What is a CRM?

Updated: Aug 19, 2022


someone visiting FWRD CRM's website

Customer relationship management, CRM, as a standalone phrase is quite self-explanatory. It is the management of your relations with customers. CRM for small business, is simply the application of this management to the specific needs of a small business with the aim of process organisation and optimisation.


When used to its full potential, a CRM’s centralised system has the ability to store and share all past, present and prospective client details for a small business; everything from email communications and meetings to follow-up conversations and phone calls. Where-as big businesses often run in self-managing departments, small businesses tend to overlap duties and roles amongst fewer team members. Sales and service may be done by the same team member or one client may have several customer service managers reviewing their single account.


It is because of these internal crossovers that small businesses in particular benefit from using a CRM tool like Zoho CRM to coagulate data and improve the efficiency of their processes.


How does a CRM work?

infographic showing what a CRM includes with Zoho CRM

When you think about starting a small business, the list of management procedures and software required can seem endless. Email hosting, contact database, invoicing programs, taxation and accounting programs, reporting systems, individual staff calendars - just to name a few. With so many digital applications at your fingertips, it doesn’t take long to lose sight of your computer desktop background!


A cloud based CRM program like Zoho CRM is the solution to this problem. Zoho CRM rolls all of these tools, or integrates them, into one easy platform, accessed from a single, easy-to-use interface and giving you back that beach-landscape, desktop background for future dreaming.


What are the benefits of Zoho CRM?


Let’s not beat around the bush. Here are the benefits to using a software like Zoho CRM for small business:

  • Free version available

  • Payable versions offer no contracts, pay as you go and no hidden costs

  • Interface and tools entirely customisable to your business - you know what you need, you choose it!

  • Data collection entirely customisable to what you need for client records

  • Brand your CRM to your business face

  • Completely client centred

  • Easily integrated with existing software applications including Mailchimp, MYOB, Xero, Google Apps, Outlook and Dropbox

  • Simple addition and removal of team member access

  • Entirely cloud-based and therefore equally accessible in and out of the office from desktop or any mobile device

  • Scales according to your business growth

  • Easy setting and tracking of KPIs


How Does CRM Make Sales and Marketing Easier?


The benefits of using a CRM system are vast, but they can be broken down into three key areas: sales, marketing, and customer service.


Sales: A good CRM will make the sales process easier and more efficient by automating repetitive tasks, such as sending follow-up emails or logging phone calls. It will also provide your sales team with valuable insights into your customers, such as their purchasing history or the last time they were contacted. This information can be used to close more deals and drive higher customer lifetime value.


Marketing: A CRM system can also be used to automate marketing tasks, such as email marketing or lead generation. It can also help you track the performance of your marketing campaigns and measure their return on investment (ROI).


Customer service: A CRM system can help you keep track of customer queries and complaints, as well as provide valuable insights into your customers’ satisfaction levels. It can also be used to automate customer service tasks, such as sending out automated satisfaction surveys or responding to customer queries.


Why is CRM important?


In today’s highly competitive business landscape, it’s more important than ever to keep track of your customers and understand their needs. A CRM system can help you do this by providing valuable insights into your customer base, as well as automating sales, marketing, and customer service tasks. By using a CRM system, you can improve your customer relationships, close more deals, and drive higher customer lifetime value.


Who would need a CRM?


Any business that wants to improve its customer relationships would benefit from using a CRM system. This includes businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises.


There is no particular industry that would benefit more from using a CRM system, as all businesses can benefit from improved customer relationships. However, some businesses may find a CRM system more beneficial than others, depending on their specific needs. For example, businesses that rely heavily on sales and marketing would likely find a CRM system more beneficial than businesses that don’t.


Can I customize my CRM?


Yes, you can customize your CRM system to fit your specific business needs. This includes choosing which features to enable or disable, as well as customizing the interface and tools to match your company’s branding.


Most CRM like Zoho CRM offers a variety of integrations and customizations to make them fit your business needs.


What if I don't have time to customize my CRM?


No problem, there are many CRM systems that offer pre-built templates and workflows that you can use out of the box. These can be customized as needed or simply used as is.


If this does not appeal to you, our team can help you get started with Zoho CRM in no time as we have years worth of experience in developing and customizing your own Zoho CRM to suit your everyday needs.


How do I get started with Zoho CRM?


If you’re interested in using Zoho CRM for your business, we recommend starting with the free trial. This will give you full access to all of the features and functionality of the software, so you can see if it’s the right fit for your business.


Once you’ve signed up for the free trial, we recommend taking some time to explore the software and familiarise yourself with the interface. Zoho CRM is a very user-friendly platform, but it’s always good to get a feel for how things work before you start using it for your business.


Convinced yet? For more information, check out our Zoho CRM page. Or, if you’d prefer to chat with our CRM experts, give us a call


Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Zoho Services

Data Migration

Zoho Support

Zoho Integrations

Zoho Reports

Zoho Training

Find one of our offices worldwide

bottom of page