As we welcome the new year and businesses are starting to reset their targets and embed new strategies, it is the perfect time to evaluate your technology set-up.
In some cases, the technology that supports a business is an after-thought, and not considered early in the goal-setting process. How you manage data and processes across the company is a crucial part to get right and can have a significant impact on achieving the targets set.
As a Microsoft Gold Partner, PragmatiQ Solutions works with a lot of companies who are running an entire business off complex spreadsheets and manual processes, recognising that there are more efficient ways to manage information. Understandably, for new business owners, spreadsheets can be a lifesaver. They can be used to track finances, basic customer data, new leads, etc. However, as your business grows and you need to capture more information, spreadsheets become cumbersome and difficult to manage.
Eventually, you will require software that can support your growth, manage your customer relationships and all relevant information effectively, and fit around your requirements both today, and in the future.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software resolves these challenges, providing the ability to store all information in a centralised database and offering features to streamline your daily tasks, enhance productivity, increase opportunities and more.
Understanding the benefits of a CRM system
Better lead management – Using spreadsheets to manage a large quantity of leads can quickly become frustrating. Capturing relevant information, such as notes, calls, emails, etc, in an easy-to-read and actionable manner within a spreadsheet can be complicated and difficult to use. Additionally, there is no automation involved, relying solely on manual processes. A CRM system is designed with lead management in mind and therefore offers a far greater user experience. You have the ability to store detailed information about leads and clients, link to relevant records, track all relevant communications, automate reminders to ensure that follow-ups are not missed, and more.
Enhanced collaboration and data access – Organisations that use spreadsheets will understand how complicated things can get when spreadsheets are shared, and various people are working on different versions. Additionally, spreadsheets are not known for being overly mobile-friendly, which is a problem for users who need access on the go. A CRM centralises all information and overcomes the above challenges. Users are able to view records at the same time, changes made by one user are instantly visible to others, and information can be accessed from any device on the go.
Integrate with your other software – Occasionally, businesses will need to transfer information into other systems and spreadsheets can present challenges, with a lot of manual tasks involved. Additionally, they can not integrate with other software, such as your email system. With a CRM system, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, you can leverage integrations with other applications in the Microsoft eco-system (such as Outlook, OneNote, SharePoint, etc) and other third-party systems (such as Xero or Sage). This increases efficiency as users can work within one solution and it reduces the risk of human error.
These are just a few examples of areas where a CRM system can support, however, there are many other features and benefits that help to keep your business moving forward successfully.
Is it time for a change?
As mentioned at the start, the new year offers an opportunity to review your technology and identify areas where improvements can be made. PragmatiQ works with a variety of businesses to understand their challenges, pain points, current processes, objectives and future goals. From this, the right technology can be identified that will be best support your business and help reach the goals for 2022, and beyond.
If you would like to find out about PragmatiQ Solutions and how it can support your business, visit www.pragmatiqsolutions.co.uk or email info@pragmatiqsolutions.co.uk
