Maybe you started working with a CRM last year, but you didn’t get it set up in the most efficient way to meet your business needs. Maybe it’s one of your goals in 2016, and you’re just not there yet. Don’t worry – you can still take advantage of all the great features a CRM has to offer. When used correctly, it can help improve customer retention with better service and more personalized marketing, which leads to customer loyalty.
CRM and Customer Service
Your CRM goes beyond storing standard customer contact information. It tracks sales history, and any points of contact made with employees across the organization; whether by phone, chat, email, or social media. The information can be used to improve customer service.
More than three quarters or customers (76%) say they look at customer service as a test of how much the company values you. 77% of customers say valuing their time is the most important thing a customer service agent can do. Perhaps it’s not so shocking that 33% of people would rather clean a toilet than deal with customer service. More than 60% of global consumers have left a company as a result of poor customer service.
Want to keep customers happy? 90% of consumers expect brands to provide a self-service customer support option, and 60% of them consider it a plus if that portal is also mobile-responsive. Your CRM can help you see trends in the questions customers ask, so you know which answers to include in your self-service channel. Customer service is expected to be the key differentiator, even over price, by 2020. Taking steps to improve this area of your business can help you stay on top and increase profits.
CRM and Personalized Marketing
With your customers’ shopping trends at your fingertips, you’re ready to start personalizing your marketing campaigns and increase conversion rates. 73% of people prefer to shop with businesses that make use of personal information to customize their marketing efforts. However, the majority of those customers (88%) want companies to let them control how the information is used to personalize their experience.
Personalize marketing by offering product and service suggestions based on what your customers have purchased or viewed on your website in the past. Web analytics data can help you see which options are getting the most attention from your visitors, whether they’ve converted or not. You’re more likely to get conversions when you tailor your emails to customers based on their purchase history, according to 88% of customers.
Customer Loyalty
When you combine stellar customer service with personalized marketing, over time, you build customer loyalty. Have you ever taken a look at how much of your revenue comes from new vs. repeat customers? On average, about 40% of your revenue comes from 8% of your customers. That’s not to say you shouldn’t focus on customer acquisition, but far too many businesses fail to place enough emphasis on customer retention. Repeat buyers spend an average of 67% more with your company, and those who’ve made two or more purchases are nine times more likely to convert than a first timer.
Improve Your Content
Content marketing is the most effective technique you can use today, and creating great content isn’t possible without intimate knowledge of your customers. Unless you know what their interests are, what they want to know about your products or your industry, and what bothers them the most, your content will miss the mark. The data stored in your CRM can help inform your content and guide your marketing efforts.
The numbers don’t lie – customer experience is everything. Investing in a CRM with the right features will improve it in a number of ways, while also helping operations run smoother. What are you waiting for?
