CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT FOR MANUFACTURING

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The rise of CRM and how it’s

transforming business interactions

Unsurprisingly, a survey conducted by Marketing Charts found that the best way to create customer loyalty is to provide exceptional customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Would you expect anything different?

This whitepaper takes a look at how a customer relationship management (CRM) system can do just that, as well as increasing brand loyalty and customer retention.

Why customer loyalty pays dividends

The first step is to decide on a solution that is powerful and flexible and can be tailored to different industry sectors. The second step, where the real value is felt, is engaging with the right delivery partner.

Choosing the best implementation partner for your organisation plays a vital role in ensuring success. An experienced partner will be able to deploy the most appropriate CRM solution for a company based on industry type, size of business and other relevant criteria.

Different systems have their own strengths and weaknesses, which can impact on overall functionality. The right partner should have extensive knowledge of the marketplace and a proven methodology to implement a solution that’s the right fit for a business – a CRM system that will enable them to deliver a truly personalised service.

Finding the right CRM solution

It’s widely believed that customers engage with competitors because of pricing or product. Yet a study by The Rockefeller Corporation shows that 82% of customers leave because they think a company doesn’t care about them.

We all want to be treated as individuals and to feel we matter. A CRM system can automate business processes that nurture customer satisfaction and loyalty. To gain competitive advantage, companies need to make sure every interaction they have with their customers is a personal one.

Therefore, choosing a system that automates synchronicity between departments to such an extent that dependable customer service can be guaranteed across an entire organisation, is a must.

Delivering a personal experience

Customers who receive competent and knowledgeable service not only want to repeat the positive experience they also want to share it with their family and friends.

But the same can be said for a bad experience. ClickFox found that one in two people would tell their family and friends about a negative experience, and in the UK that rises to two in three people. The study of 440 consumers also found that 35% would stop doing business with the company altogether. An effective CRM platform helps connect all forms of engagement with the customer so that each touch point feels like it is relevant and adds value. It allows companies to provide customers with a consistently good service.

Word of mouth

77% boost productivity and efficiency of frontline employees

The pressure is now on for companies to achieve high levels of service across every sector of their organisation. Implementing a first class CRM strategy that allows companies to reduce costs and increase profitability has therefore become a greater focus for organisations who want to remain ahead of the game.

The growth of CRM

36,509

2017

31,729

2016201520142013201220112010

27,53723,886

20,79718,090

16,08013,930

With global mobile device usage expected to reach nearly 2 billion this year (source: Morgan Stanley Research), combined with the growth of mobile workforces and home office workers, companies that embrace the growth of mobile use are benefiting from a number of advantages, highlighted by a Forrester research survey:

The rise of mobile CRM

In 2008, CRM spend was forecast to reach $18 billion by 2016, yet a recent report by Gartner shows growth has doubled and is now expected to reach more than $36 billion, such is the increase in organisations who have realised a CRM solution is critical to their success.

CRM SOFTWARE REVENUE FORECAST (MILLIONS OF U.S. DOLLARS)Source: SuperOffice.com

74% increase in customer satisfaction due to faster response to request and inquiries

87% improvement of sales and employee productivity

73% improvement of business process efficiency

62% increase in usage and adoption of CRM applications

A mobile CRM solution that provides real-time access to information is no longer a “nice to have” but is something that is critical in order for an organisation to remain competitive.

The chart below shows that 48% of CRM users now access their software from a smartphone and 45% from a tablet. The rising use of mobiles and tablets means 81% of users are now accessing their CRM software from multiple devices.

Why is this important? It means that sales (increased productivity), service (improved delivery), and support (rapid engagement) teams can access customer data from anywhere and therefore serve and fulfil their needs no matter where they, or the customer are.

Access from multiple devices

Laptop

Desktop

100%80%60%40%20%0%

Smartphone

Tablet

Percent of sample

DEVICES USED TO ACCESS CRM:Source: SoftwareAdvice.com

CRM brings cohesion across teams

The increase in accessing CRM software from mobile devices has also led to a rise in cloud-based CRM solutions.

Cloud-based CRM solutions

The move to cloud based CRM reflects a need to have a relationship management solution capable of quickly ramping up accessibility across any device within multiple locations, delivering the flexibility needed to proactively support customers as a needs arises. Delivering the same level of agility from an on-premise based CRM solution may at times hinder this.

The move to cloud based CRM is being driven/supported largely by a number of other benefits:

• Lower up-front costs through subscription rather than outright purchase

• Faster ROI as you can be up and running very quickly, short-cutting installation processes

• Reduced IT overhead as administration is minimal• Predictable budgeting as users are on a pay-as-you-consume

basis• Rapid Scalability allows you to ramp up (or down) the number

of CRM users as needed

This is not to suggest that a cloud CRM solution is the default solution for everyone, some may prefer the comfort of close control that an on-premise CRM solution offers. Often a hybrid combination of both will provide a desired happy medium.

CRM is not just about providing excellent customer service - it helps every department within an organisation to communicate with each other.

Strength in communication

So often, an action that demonstrates excellent customer care is followed by an example of poor service. This is often due to a breakdown in communication between departments within an organisation.

A CRM system can bridge those gaps between teams as shared diaries, team calendars and service schedules give everyone clear visibility of individual activities. Users are prompted to follow up on activities and sent automated alerts when important actions occur,

enabling them to manage their time more effectively.

Sales team mobility

One of the first departments to quickly realise and capitalise on the benefits of implementing a mobile CRM strategy has been Sales. Access to real-time customer information while out in the field has proved invaluable to keeping in touch with customers and prospects, and ultimately closing deals.

A recent study by Nucleus Research found that mobile access to a CRM increases salesforce productivity by an average of 14.6%. Three in ten mobile CRM users report an improvement in productivity of more than 20%.

Research by Innoppl Technologies showed that 65% of sales reps that adopted mobile CRM achieved their sales quotas while only 22% of reps using non-mobile CRM reached the same targets.

Targeted marketing campaigns

Identifying the needs of your customers and being able to send them relevant content is now crucial to the success of any marketing campaign. Marketing Charts found that six out of ten SMBs are using CRM software for email marketing, and this is because they have realised that higher quality leads are generated through continually improving contact segmentation and targeted promotions.

12%

88%

13%

87%

12%

88%

13%

87%

On Premise

Cloud-based

2008

2014

Source: SuperOffice.com

Six years ago only 12% of businesses used cloud-based CRM whereas this has now increased to 87%.

35%

65%

22%

78%

35%

65%

22%

78%

Non-achieved sales quotasAchieved sales quotas

Mobile CRM enabled companies

Source: SuperOffice.com

Non-Mobile CRM enabled companies

Five things to look for in a CRM system:

Dependable reporting: reliable pipeline reports can be used as the basis for sales and production forecasts to boost efficiency and predictably manage cash flow.

Performance indicators: peak performance areas can be identified and capitalised upon, with outstanding results rewarded.

Customer prioritisation: understand the value of each customer relationship and deploy resources to protect the most profitable accounts.

Workflow automation: cut administration by eliminating duplication and replace repetitive manual processes.

Anywhere/time access: productivity isn’t compromised as staff can work seamlessly with anywhere access to information and applications from mobile devices when on the move.

Current CRM systems can organise, automate and synchronise sales, marketing, customer service and technical support so they can work together to achieve coherent and dependable customer relationship management.

The latest tools incorporated into some CRM solutions enable informed decision-making that supports real-time data analysis and reporting across all business teams within an organisation.

Having CRM online takes this a step further and allows for anywhere, anytime access for staff outside of office walls and hours.

Benefits across the business:

The latest in CRM

Sales and Marketing costs reduced by 23%

Customer retention improved by 27%

Revenue up by 41% per sales person

Lead conversion improvements of 300%

In an increasingly competitive industry, the pressure is on to gain new customers, retain existing ones and treat them all with the same high level of service.

With the globalisation of supply chains and customer demand for low cost, it’s difficult to serve them all at the best possible price. It is therefore paramount to select a CRM solution that specifically addresses the needs of manufacturers by providing a flexible solution to effectively manage business interactions.

Managing supply chain: access to current availability of materials and pricing information enables manufacturers to run profitable operations. Supply chain management relies on accurate manufacturing and inventory data from suppliers in order to do business in a cost-effective manner.

Equipment and asset maintenance: asset management features allow manufacturers to track and manage customer equipment, inventories and software licenses and subscriptions.

Equipment and asset maintenance scheduling: service technicians can obtain all the information and automated prompts they need on current assets and maintenance schedules.

Essential sales and marketing support: CRM supports manufacturing sales, marketing and customer service teams to manage complex relationships with both customers and suppliers.

CRM for manufacturing Maximising every relationship

CRM for manufacturing gives easy-to-view access to all customer and supplier information and interactions. It also integrates with other vital systems within the business. CRM helps manufacturers to respond quickly to customer demand while at the same time supporting them in lowering their operational costs.

The potential of each relationship is enhanced by insights into what is going on with every customer and each supplier. Manufacturers can then target their communications and promotions towards individual requirements.

This personalised service forms part of a cohesive and coordinated customer service programme. Access to information by all teams increases productivity and sales performance.

Crucially, it enables a fast-moving industry to deliver a personal experience with every interaction.

Source: Benchmark Studies

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About HSO

HSO is a Microsoft Gold Partner with over 25 years of experience in implementing Dynamics solutions. HSO specialises in implementing, integrating, optimising and maintaining CRM solutions that help organisations deliver higher levels of service, satisfaction and profit.

About Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a customer relationship management (CRM) business solution that drives sales productivity and marketing effectiveness through social insights, business intelligence, and campaign management in the cloud, on-premises, or with a hybrid combination.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM can help reduce costs and increase profitability by organising and automating business processes that nurture customer satisfaction and loyalty in the sales, marketing, and customer service fields.

In a world where customer service is the driving force to increasing revenue, customer relationship management (CRM) systems give businesses the tools to generate loyalty and retain clients.

Enabling salesforce and marketing automation, together with enhanced customer service, means investing in the right CRM software has become a top priority for businesses in every sector, and Microsoft Dynamics AX provides the necessary tools to achieve this.

But successful implementation is as much about choosing the right partner as it is about the solution itself. CRM specialists such as Microsoft Gold partner HSO, have developed an implementation methodology that is designed to do 3 key things:

• Make the implementation and transition process seamless• Support a smoother adoption curve • Ensure a rapid return on investment

Summary

Helping manufacturers create a difference

For manufacturers, it’s now difficult to find an approach that will offer any real differentiation. Price-cutting doesn’t provide a sustainable advantage, and even a high-quality product doesn’t always ensure customer loyalty.

Manufacturers now have to utilise every sales channel available and offer clients and suppliers a highly personalised service, if they are to gain any kind of competitive edge. In a fast-moving industry, CRM can help manufacturers to deliver an individual experience with every business interaction they make.

The overall solution

Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers businesses an adaptable solution that drives sales and productivity whatever the industry sector. Providing social insights, business intelligence and campaign management in the cloud, on-premise or with a hybrid combination, it delivers a flexible system upon which to build a company-wide customer relationship programme.

In order to remain competitive in today’s marketplace, businesses need to turn their customers’ transactions into personal interactions with their company.

“It has enabled us to be more productive, as well as better allocate our time and resources” David Peterson, Enterprise Collaboration Manager,Trek Bicylce Corporation