Starting with good contact-management hygiene is a vital first step. A solid CRM solution will do more than simply delete duplicate email addresses in your company's contact list â it will also help you identify customers you've been ignoring, as well as the prospect objections you have yet to overcome. Some CRM platforms also enable you to track hierarchies and relationships, so you can identify the factors that might be blocking a deal and work on getting prospective clients the assurances they need to move forward.
Not to mention, a robust CRM solution will help you understand the entire history of each customer's relationship with your firm, which can streamline processes ranging from new product design to recognizing when someone might be in danger of defecting to the competition.
Project management tools keep your teams on track. They also force you to organize your efforts around clearly defined milestones. This process helps you avoid wasting time on revisions or improvements that nobody's actually asking for (or paying for). In other words, project management both increases the top line and cuts down on inefficiencies â because you can't get paid if you can't deliver.
It's not always that simple, of course. It can be surprisingly hard to craft a survey that's both detailed enough to be useful and succinct enough for respondents to complete. It's also important to note that survey results should be considered one piece of a business strategy â not a complete replacement. That said, being able to collect and interpret survey answers at scale is a huge first step.
Expanding the range of payment types your business accepts is a two-for: You cut out a great deal of paper-pushing when you accept everything from same-day ACH debits to stored value cards, and you encourage customers to do more business with you when they know you'll accept their favored form of payment.
Digital tools and platforms make it easier than ever to streamline efficiency and manage your customer relationships. Assembling the right toolkit can make a world of difference for both your peace of mind and your business's bottom line.