Whether you're looking for a new CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system or replacing an older 'legacy' one, here's a quick rundown of the top 10 features a solution should normally have. Now this is a 'top 10' but some of what's mentioned here may not be relevant to your organisation. E.g. if you are non-profit, then probably sales opportunity management would not be important.
1. Centralised Contact Management
This is where CRM started over 40 years ago as a 'Contact Management Systems'. Gone are the days of scattered contact information across multiple spreadsheets and apps. A modern CRM should provide a unified database where your entire team can access and update customer information in real-time. This central repository should include comprehensive contact details, interaction history, and custom fields tailored to your business needs. Team members should be able to share notes, tag important information, and maintain a single source of truth for all customer data.
2. Integrated Calendar and Task Management
Your CRM should serve as the backbone of your daily operations with robust task management and calendar features. This includes the ability to schedule appointments, set reminders, and assign tasks to team members. The system should provide automatic notifications, recurring task creation, and seamless synchronisation with popular calendar applications like Google Calendar and Outlook.
3. Email Integration and Communication Hub
Email functionality within your CRM should go beyond basic sending and receiving. Look for features like email tracking, templates for frequent communications, and the ability to automatically log all customer interactions. The system should allow you to send personalised daily communications whilst maintaining a complete history of all email exchanges with each contact.
4. Lead Management and Capture
A powerful lead management system should automatically capture enquiries from multiple sources - web forms, social media, email, and telephone calls. The system should include lead scoring capabilities, automated lead assignment, and the ability to track lead sources and conversion rates. This ensures no potential opportunity falls through the cracks.
5. Sales Pipeline and Forecasting Tools
Your CRM should provide clear visibility into your sales pipeline with intuitive tools for tracking opportunities from initial contact to close. Look for features like customisable sales stages, probability scoring, and accurate forecasting capabilities. The system should help you predict future revenue and identify bottlenecks in your sales process.
6. Email Marketing Capabilities
Modern CRMs should include or seamlessly integrate with email marketing tools. This includes the ability to create and manage email campaigns, segment your audience, track engagement metrics, and automate follow-up sequences. The system should provide detailed analytics on open rates, click-through rates, and campaign performance.
7. Advanced Reporting and Analytics
CRM as well as a personal productivity tool, it's also a management tool to help you make decisions on things. Data-driven decision making requires robust reporting capabilities. Your CRM should offer customisable dashboards, real-time analytics, and the ability to generate detailed reports on key metrics. Look for systems that provide visual representations of data and allow you to drill down into specific areas of your business performance. Check out too, how easy is it to create your own reports!
8. Customer Service Management
A comprehensive customer service module should enable you to log and track support tickets, manage service calls, and maintain detailed records of customer issues and resolutions. The system should support automated ticket routing, SLA tracking, and knowledge base integration to ensure consistent service delivery.
9. Quote and Financial Management
Your CRM should streamline the quote-to-cash process with integrated tools for creating quotes, managing approvals, and tracking financial transactions. Look for features that allow you to generate professional quotes quickly, convert them to orders, and maintain accurate financial records. Integration with accounting software is crucial for maintaining accurate financial data.
10. Third-Party Integration Capabilities
In today's interconnected business environment, your CRM must play well with others. Look for systems that offer robust API access and pre-built integrations with popular business tools. This includes accounting software, marketing platforms, communication tools, and e-commerce systems. The ability to share data seamlessly between applications is essential for maintaining operational efficiency.
Conclusion
When selecting a CRM system, ensure it delivers on these ten essential features whilst remaining user-friendly and scalable. Remember that the best CRM is one that your team will actually use, so consider your specific business needs and user preferences during the selection process.
The right CRM system should not only meet your current needs but also support your business growth and evolving requirements. Take time to evaluate these features carefully, as they will form the foundation of your customer relationship management strategy.
This article is brought to you by Wizard Systems (www.wizard-systems.co.uk), a leading CRM consultancy with over 30 years of experience in supplying and implementing a wide range of CRM solutions. Our expertise spans across multiple industries and platforms, ensuring we can guide you to the perfect CRM solution for your business needs.