Member Article

Enabling business agility and achieving real ROI

Mark Carter, Head of Marketing EMEA, Maximizer Software, talks about organisational agility and maximising ROI.

According to a survey by the Economic Intelligence Unit, nine out of 10 executives said that they believe organisational agility to be critical for business success. But a third of the same respondents admitted that their organisation is currently at a competitive disadvantage because it is not agile enough. Even though market conditions are changing faster than ever before, managers are expected to deliver business growth more rapidly but with fewer resources. This is where a good customer relationship management (CRM) system comes into its own – delivering measurable and rapid ROI.

CRM has become more important than ever before, allowing businesses to be on the ball 24/7, creating an opportunity to maintain a dialogue with the customer base, ensure all leads are followed up, complaints addressed and positive feedback logged. A good CRM solution enables companies of all sizes to increase revenues, generate high quality leads, raise productivity and delight customers.

A core benefit of CRM is that it gives you much greater insight into your customer base, which means customer service can be dramatically improved, helping you find, attract and win new business. The technology is also key for retaining current customers and building profitable relationships, which in turn improves marketing management and return on investment. CRM software can help boost sales and enhance profitability, while reducing the costs associated with marketing and customer service. It also enables improved reporting and management, increasing productivity and efficiency.

It doesn’t matter how large or small your business operation may be – or whether you are a manufacturer, retailer, professional services firm or consultancy – the ability to retrieve and share up?to?the?minute information and to act on it instantly is essential. At its best, this might mean funnelling data and significant events directly from departments (such as accounting, inventory, even HR and payroll) into your CRM system, providing accurate, consolidated information about your business. Access to real?time information means you will quickly know of any problems and be well?prepared to deal with them quickly, effectively and efficiently.

Rapid response is increasingly important as more and more organisations are reaching out to customers and prospects via the internet and through social media. In general, 24 hours is considered reasonable by many companies for an email response. However, a quicker response is a good way to stand out from the competition, even if it is just an automated acknowledgment. With the 24/7 global market, even smaller organisations cannot afford to be off?line and fail to respond to customers. CRM gives you the tools to help keep your finger on the pulse of your customers, allowing you to move quickly when necessary, and ensuring the best possible customer service – vital in today’s challenging economy. Looking after your customers is more important than ever and Developing agility necessary to keep abreast of fast?moving markets is crucial.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mark Carter .