How to use CRM
CRM system can be used by one person running a small business or by several thousand team members in a large enterprise. While solo users prefer personal CRM tools to manage contacts, activities, and tasks, growing teams need a scalable solution.
When implementing a CRM solution for the fast-growing team, keep these best practices in mind to ensure smooth running:
- Set up roles and sharing rules: Roles in a CRM define the hierarchy of users, and sharing rules define how different purposes can access the CRM database. Setting this up ensures that your CRM data is always secure and is not prone to accidental edits.
- Configure workflows: Leverage workflows to automate your business processes to cut down manual tasks and improve productivity.
- Import contacts and related information: Bring your customer database from spreadsheets into CRM application. Map the fields between the sheet and CRM appropriately to ensure that no data is lost during the import.
- Integrate with other tools you use: Your sales, marketing, and support team could be using external tools to get things done. Integrate these tools to help your teams continue working efficiently.
- Configure dashboard and reports: Identify metrics you want to track regularly to set up dashboards and reports. Schedule reports to send them directly to the inbox of managers, CEO, and business owners.
- Add users: You can either import existing users or create new ones in the CRM software. Assign appropriate roles to each user. Furthermore, you can group users based on the team they are a part of.
Cloud CRM
Cloud CRM software or online CRM allows users to access CRM data from any place at any time. It means that your team will be able to access the CRM database on the go through their mobile device. There are several benefits of using cloud CRM:
- Easy installation and maintenance: You don’t have to worry about servers, hardware, or having an IT to get things up and running.
- High security: Protect your business data from physical data attacks, data losses, or data intrusion and interception.
- Reliable service: Avail uninterrupted data access from anywhere at any time on any device.
- Top-notch customer support: Get 24/5 help to get the best out of your CRM system.
- Affordable price: CRM solution costs a small amount per user. Vtiger even allows you to pay for the CRM functions each user needs, instead of everything for every user.
- Scalability: Easily add users, customizations, integration, and more as your business grows.
Why CRM Customization is important
Before you start using a CRM system, you need to customize it to fit your business needs. You will have to add users, set up user profiles and hierarchy, configure workflows, dashboard, and reports, rename fields, or create new modules. These customizations make working with CRM easier and automate several mundane tasks.
Customization makes CRM tools more user-friendly. For instance, you could rename CRM fields to reflect the business terminology you use. Or you could create a whole new module to capture information that is not possible in the traditional CRM setup. These customizations allow you to get the best of the system without compromising your business process.