What is CRM?

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management and refers to a software system that helps you build and maintain profitable customer relationships.  CRM is often thought of as working only for large, complex companies.  Not true – small businesses can also benefit.

As a small business owner, you need to capitalize on every possible opportunity to win new customers while also running your business.  For this article, let’s look at a fence installation company.  A homeowner calls to get a quote for a new fence.  You write down the information in your trusty notebook.  You go out and take the measurements, start the quote and the phone rings again.  You turn the page and start writing down the details of another job.  The doorbell rings and a delivery has arrived.  Finally, those fence hinges you need for a job the is still hanging from last week.  You radio squawks and one of your installers has a question.  You turn the pages back to an older job and find the answer.

How could CRM help?

A CRM system can really help you stay organized and get things done in a timely manner.  To follow our example, the homeowner calls to ask when they can expect the quote.  You realize you have the measurements but forgot to finish and email the quote.  Instead, using D365 CRM, when the homeowner called, you entered the information as an Opportunity on your mobile device.  You go onsite and enter the measurements.  Your CRM has been set up so that it sends you a reminder to finish any quote that hasn’t been sent within 24 hours of measurements being taken.  It also reminds you to follow up 2 days after every quote is sent to be sure you capture every sale.

When an installer calls a with a question and you are out of the office, someone else can look at the customer details in the CRM system and answer questions.  They don’t have to track you down to look in your book, or worse, give the wrong answer.  When those hinges arrive, you add an activity to the installers calendar to go out and install them.  Everyone knows what to do and your customers get such great service, they refer you to all their friends.

Contact us today if you would like to speak with us about how to implement and utilize these strategies or to learn more about how Microsoft Dynamics 365 can take your customer success to the next level.