Why do you need a CRM system? 

While you don’t have a CRM, your business exists in notes, correspondence in instant messengers and in the manager’s memory. It is difficult to bring all the sources together; many clients leave because they forgot to call them back or the situation with the wrong investment in the order was not resolved, and in the end you lose money.

To take customer management into your own hands, you need a service that will act as the brain of the company. This is CRM (Customer Relationship Management) - a system that records calls and letters, reminds you of tasks and helps optimize the team’s work. The article explained what exactly it does, how to choose it and how to implement it in your business.

Introduction to CRM

A CRM system is customer management software. It can work as a cloud service (via a browser and application) or as a local program on a company server. The difference is that cloud solutions are easier to launch and update, while local ones require more investment, but give full control over the data. In any case, the essence is the same: you get your Houston, which will definitely solve your problems. For example, these:

1. Collects applications and appeals. The client wrote in the messenger, called or filled out a form on the website, all this automatically falls into a single database.

2. Creates a customer card. Contacts, call history, correspondence, orders and even manager notes are recorded there. Open it and immediately see how it worked before.

3. Reminds you of tasks. The system signals that it’s time to call back, send documents or clarify payment.

4. Puts deals into the funnel. Each sale moves through stages: new contact, negotiations, invoice, payment. In CRM this is displayed as a route in Yandex Maps.

5. Collects analytics. The manager sees reports: how many transactions are at each stage, how many clients are lost, and which employees work more efficiently.

Opportunities CRM automation are huge, including custom chains of actions, marketing triggers, and data transfer to accounting or a warehouse. But this is a topic for a separate article, and here we will analyze the main functions and principles of operation.

How the CRM system works

Imagine a spider that weaves a web and pulls into it everything that moves around the business, and takes into account not only online, but also offline interactions. The connection with the site or the messenger is more or less clear: on the site, integration is configured through a form, as soon as a person fills out an application, it automatically flies to the CRM, and the system connects to messengers and social networks through special connectors. Calls are recorded via IP-PBX or virtual PBX; the card includes the number, time and recording of the conversation. Questions remain about offline purchases: how does the program know that Maria Petrova bought 3 kg of gingerbread in one of the stores? There are two possible scenarios:

1. If you have cash register software, it is integrated with CRM, and sales are increased automatically.

2. If there is no integration, the manager can enter the purchase manually into the customer card so that the history remains complete.

But this is only data collection; it gives little to business. We love CRM for its smart workflow (the CEO couldn't have come up with a better one).

• The client contacted the company. For example, filled out a feedback form or wrote to messenger with a question. CRM creates a deal, assigns a person in charge and records the channel of appeal. This eliminates the situation when the application is lost somewhere.

• Launching a sales funnel. The system tells the manager what to do next with the client: schedule a meeting or call, send a commercial proposal, an invoice for payment. Thanks to this, employees work according to a single scenario, and the likelihood of losing a client tends to zero.

Bitrix24 CRM interface example

• The client is waiting for attention. CRM helps to build a communication strategy: send new ones a presentation, and remind those who “fell asleep” about themselves with a promotion. This way the business maintains contact with customers and increases repeat sales.

• The manager receives accurate data. The CRM system generates detailed reports where you can see the real effectiveness of the sales funnel, return on investment, customer LTV, and also gives advice on how to improve performance.

As a result, you get a GPS for business that will build a short route, the same for everyone, warn about traffic jams and remind you of the date of your next trip.

Benefits of implementing CRM

Let us immediately note that this is not a super-necessary thing, without which any business will simply fall apart. For example, an individual entrepreneur producing some handmade leather belts can do without it: he has few orders, correspondence takes place in one channel, most often on social networks, and the owner can cope quite well on his own. But as soon as the business grows, the situation changes. At an online electronics store, customers call the hotline, write to the chat on the website, order through the application, leave comments on social networks and come to the offline store. All you have to do is lower control a little, and long live mom anarchy, different managers respond to different people, the customer base spreads across Excel spreadsheets and phone memory, and the company loses deals simply because it couldn’t respond in time. And here CRM can be called a mandatory tool.

The implementation of the system allows:

1. Increase conversion. CRM guides the client through the sales funnel step by step: called - received an appointment, ordered - received an invoice. The business sees where customers are most often lost and can close the weak points.

2. Reduce churn and win back customers. The CRM system stores the history of interactions and segments the database. You can launch a newsletter for “asleep” clients, offer bonuses or personal promotions. It's cheaper than constantly looking for new ones.

3. Keep conflict situations under control. If a client complained, the whole story is visible in CRM: what happened, how it was decided, who was responsible. The next manager is already in the know, and the client feels that he is remembered and appreciated.

4. Save money on marketing. CRM shows which channels actually bring in customers and which only waste the budget. A manager can only invest in what works.

5. Make business independent of people. When the customer base is stored in the system, the company does not depend on employee memory. The manager can leave, but all his transactions, contacts and agreements will remain in the CRM.

Types of CRM systems

CRM systems come in different types, depending on business objectives, growth rates and channels that the company uses. We have listed the main ones.

Most often, there are three basic types of CRM: operational, analytical and collaborative. Sometimes they add a fourth one - strategic CRM.

1. Operational CRM automates sales, marketing and support processes: collecting leads, routing calls and messages, task management, reminders. It is chosen when there are many requests from different channels and it is no longer possible to cope with them manually. This includes, for example, Bitrix24.

2. Analytical collects and analyzes data about customers and their behavior: reports, performance indicators, segmentation, forecasts, LTV. It is needed when a company wants to understand what brings results and what does not, and build a strategy on accurate data. This can be called Oracle Siebel.

3. Collaborative (joint) unites different departments (sales, marketing, support) and communication channels so that everyone works from the same base. Simplifies the exchange of information between teams. One example: HubSpot CRM.

Strategic is similar to analytical, but works for the future and is aimed at long-term interaction with clients.

In addition, there may be vertical (industry) CRMs adapted for a specific niche: medicine, fitness, restaurants, real estate, insurance, etc. They already include functions specific to the industry (patient registration, scheduling, premises accounting, etc.). Recently, systems with AI have become popular; they are able to analyze all entered data and give personalized tips for working with each client.

How to choose a CRM for business

There are hundreds of CRMs on the market: from simple services for small businesses to giant ecosystems like SAP or Salesforce. To avoid drowning in choice, answer the following questions:

1. What problems do you solve?
   If you just need to store clients, set reminders and see the funnel, the minimum configuration is enough. For marketing controls, telephony integration, analytics, and more, see a more comprehensive platform.

2. How many people will work in the CRM system?
   For a company of 5-10 people, you don’t have to worry too much. But if the company has a sales department of 20 people plus marketing, you should choose a platform with flexible configuration of roles, collaboration and process automation.

3. Are integrations needed?
   CRM should make friends with your channels (if you have them): website, telephony, instant messengers, accounting, warehouse. Without this, you will have to enter everything manually, and the meaning of the system is lost.

4. How easy is it to implement?
   Sometimes a CRM is purchased, but everyone keeps notes in spreadsheets and notepads the old fashioned way because employees don’t understand how to use it. A good system should be understandable and accessible even to accountants with 20 years of experience.

5. How much does it cost?
   Look not only at the price of the license, but also at the cost of implementation, modification, and employee training.

Now, given the unfriendly environment, Bitrix24 is one of the best options for the Russian market. This CRM will not suffer from sanctions and meets the requirements of Russian legislation, which means that your data is safe. Another option: AmoCRM, also a Russian service that works as a web application (in the browser), there is also a mobile application for smartphones. We do installation and setting up the most popular CRM systems turnkey, we will select the optimal tariff and provide support after launch.

CRM implementation: step-by-step instructions

For a CRM to truly benefit a business, it must be prepared and configured correctly. Let's tell you how we operate.

1. We study how your sales are structured, where transactions are lost, what channels bring customers in order to adapt the CRM system to real processes.

2. We select a solution for the task, sometimes the functionality out of the box is enough,” sometimes additional modules and integrations are needed.

3. We set up CRM, connect communication channels, telephony, and cash register software so that all communications are in one window.

1. We transfer existing databases from old CRM, Excel, Google Sheets and notepads, and check that nothing is lost.

2. We train employees to work with the system, if necessary, conduct briefings via video conference, and show how CRM really saves time.

3. We check the operation of the system as part of a test run, and if there are any, we correct any shortcomings.

4. After the launch, we will remain nearby, if necessary, we will improve the functionality, connect new modules, etc.

Mistakes when implementing CRM and how to avoid them

Most often, mistakes are caused by haste. We bought a fancy system, told everyone to work, but there was no employee training, no adaptation to processes, no normal data transfer, the result: there is an expensive address book, but there is no benefit from it. It is important to show the team exactly how CRM simplifies work, integrate it into daily tasks, then the transition will be easier.

The future of CRM systems

In the near future, we are promised AI agents that will respond to signals from clients, independently solve routine tasks and perform other actions without human intervention. We can expect integration with IoT and physical devices: kettles and air fryers will transfer data to CRM so that companies know about problems even before a real complaint. With increasing attention being paid to protecting personal data, blockchain technology will become mandatory for CRM over the next 5 years.

Do you want to keep abreast of events and be the first to test updates? Then you know that need to be done.