Most entrepreneurs want their companies to grow and serve more and more customers. However, development means not only successes, but also challenges to be faced. Despite the increasing number of orders, how to maintain a high level of customer service and organizational efficiency?
If a small business is growing, specific problems are inevitable. Difficulties in communication may arise even with a few employees. In addition, with time more and more documents and deadlines appear. Increased number of orders causes permanent chaos, increases stress, which has a negative impact on the atmosphere in the company. An attempt to coordinate work so that the execution of orders runs smoothly may seem like a Sisyphus work, and the situation is not facilitated by the lack of archive of tasks carried out for a given client. If employees have to rely on their own memory and loose notes, the company probably lacks a coherent system that would define the principles of cooperation with customers.
Overcome the chaos
Entrepreneurs who would like to improve the organisation of their business may fear that by introducing uniform procedures and systems, they will lose the flexibility so characteristic of small businesses. – At the beginning of using any CRM system you have to invest some time to learn how to use it and, above all, get used to using its capabilities on a daily basis. But thanks to this we can expect a return on such an investment soon.
The basic benefit that any company (even one-person!) can gain is organizing matters, tasks and relations in the company. Data on all customers can be stored in one place together with documentation, which can be associated with the person responsible for its execution in the company.
Communication becomes transparent. Access to data about customers and their interests makes it easier to take care of the relationship. As a result, the CRM system does not complicate, but simplifies and organizes the company’s affairs. A positive effect is also a lower level of stress among the staff and bosses resulting from the feeling that all matters are under control and are properly managed.
Functionality first
If the company is already determined to start using the CRM system, it is a matter of choosing the right software, and this one on the market is huge. You can use national and foreign systems, free and paid, boxed (installed on desktop computers), running on the company’s server or available from anywhere in the world via the Internet. So what to pay attention to? In the case of a small company, mobility may be important. If the owner or employees are to have access to data both in the office and outside it, the best solution is available in the cloud, adapted to various types of devices. It is worth paying attention to security – the system should provide an encrypted connection, which will guarantee the confidentiality of data stored in the network.
The most important issue – apart from security – is functionality. The software should have such options that will actually be used. A perfectly matched CRM should enable the introduction of all contacts, planned and completed tasks, work schedule and have several additional basic functions. Thanks to such solutions, the business will start moving in the right direction. If the CRM system is overloaded with a number of functions, it may turn out to be uncomfortable to use, i.e. impractical. Software publishers usually provide a free version or a demo. For example, the Teamleader CRM system gained great popularity thanks to the simplicity of service users friendliness.
Checking how many clicks it takes to perform an operation is a good test for a CRM system. The longer the user has to go, the more time will be lost every day. And this is another argument for believing in the words Steve Jobs was also convinced of – that “less is more”. If we really want to improve our work in a growing company, it is best to look for solutions that are simple and intuitive. Therefore, in many cases a simple CRM will turn out to be a better choice than a multi-purpose software.