Four CRM hacks for small businesses

Are you losing money on your CRM without even knowing? Here are four CRM hacks for small businesses you need to know.

Most businesses today recognise the importance of having Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software in place at their business. Nevertheless, having it installed is one thing, and using it correctly is another.

You could be losing money on your CRM software without even realising it if you are not using it effectively. Are you sure that you are taking advantage of all of the CRM tools that are available to you to accelerate your company? Read on to discover some CRM hacks that can help to take your business to the next level, ensuring the biggest ROI.

1) Measure metrics you think you don’t care about

It doesn’t matter how robust your CRM system is, it can be very tempting to only track the metrics of your business that you deem the most integral to your success, for example, contacts made and sales closed.

However, it is a good idea to make the most of the tracking capabilities that your CRM supplies. After all, you do not know what sort of metrics are going to become pivotal in the future. By having all this data available to you, you will be able to fine-tune your marketing techniques.

2) Use CRM features to detect anomalies

The vast majority of CRM users are aware of the functionality of their software with regards to analytics and reporting. However, the trouble is that they do not know how to use these tools to their full advantage.

Rather than just relying solely on periodic reports, it is advisable to set up your system so that anomalies are detected in real-time. After all, why should you wait until each month’s end in order to assess your sales performance? Instead, you can pick up on any potential issues in a day or two, rather than waiting 30 days.

3) Ensure future success by using scheduling today

The core function of your software is to ensure that you have all of your customer details within the one place so that everything is accessible and you can maintain good relationships with all consumers.

Nevertheless, this is the basics of CRM, and if this is all you are using your software for, you are missing out on a huge number of opportunities. The most forward-thinking companies are using their system to drive more follow-up calls. Scheduling future interactions is the best way to ensure the future success of your business. 

4) Automate, automate and automate some more

Last but not least, you should make the most of automation on all analog tasks. Most companies use basic automation, but again, you need to go beyond this.

The best thing to do is break down the existing workflows and tasks, and then determine which parts can be automated and which need to be carried out manually. This will ensure that your day-to-day operations are much more efficient. 

Which CRM hacks will you use?

So there you have it- four CRM hacks for small businesses. Use the suggestions that have been mentioned above to improve your relationships with your customers and get the most from your software.

If you are still struggling as far as CRM is concerned, it is a good idea to use the services of a CRM consultant. Such a professional will make sure you have the right software in place to begin with and that it is optimised to suit your business.

They will also ensure that you and your employees receive the required training so that you utilise your CRM platform to its full potential. 

Photo by Avel Chuklanov