Chapter 3

What should I look for in a CRM solution?

 

Today’s customers are fast-moving, well-informed, and impatient. And with more information — and more options — at their fingertips, they’re going to be even tougher to please tomorrow. You may be asking yourself “What CRM should I use?” and “How do I keep up?” You’ll need a CRM system built to create relationships that last. To be successful, choose a solution with these features: 

  • Automation: Repetitive tasks are the enemy of growing businesses. Automation saves your teams from manual processes and improves productivity. Use the time saved to make personal connections with customers.

  • Collaboration: To create a great customer experience, everyone who interacts with customers should work together from the same up-to-date information. Sharing data helps your team work more efficiently and provide the kind of experiences today’s customers expect.

  • Intelligence: To be competitive in today's data-intensive world you need to learn from your interactions and data. A CRM tool with artificial intelligence will uncover insights, anticipate outcomes, and suggest best next steps with customers.

  • Integration: Taking advantage of new business tools — such as marketing automation, accounting software, chat services, plus key social tools — and integrating them with your CRM system lets you follow people, information, and groups on social networks. It also lets you capture real-time data.

  • Mobility: The modern field service or sales teams are no longer confined to their desks for 8 hours a day, so they need to be able to access everything they need to work on the road from their mobile devices. 
  • Customization: Every business runs differently, so a good CRM solution should be easily customizable and have an information hierarchy that puts what’s important up front and center. The best CRM platforms feature drag-and-drop customization capabilities, and deliver regular upgrades that won’t break those customizations.

  • Cloud-based: Cloud-based solutions work on any internet-connected device with a browser. They are easy to implement CRM solutions, even without IT support. And since they don't require server maintenance or upgrades like on-premises CRMs, you can save money and more easily scale as your business grows.
 
See how a CRM system can help you find, win, and keep customers happy.
 

Demo Video

What is Salesforce CRM? See how the #1 CRM can help you grow your business.

Getting Started with CRM

Overview

What is CRM?

Chapter 2

Does my business need a CRM system?

Chapter 3

What should I look for in a CRM solution?