Why Cloud CRM Software Benefits Small Companies
When did you last attend a Chamber of Commerce meeting? Or an educational meeting for business owner? I bet someone talked about CRM and the benefits businesses derive from the use of these software packages. Customer relationship management (CRM) seems to be the rave wherever business people congregate. And with good reason.
CRM software propels companies, their management and employees from the 20th into the twenty first century. Out with running a business by intuition or with paper based management tools. In with modern times, computers and databases. The advent of the Internet gave us not only websites, email, instant messaging, search engines and social media. Modern consumers use search engines as a powerful tool to inform themselves when they consider a purchase. Informed people created new shopping trends among consumers.
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76 million Millennials live in the United States
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63% of Millennials stay updated on product brands through social networks
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51% state that social opinion affects their purchase decisions
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46% rely on social media when buying online
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and 70% of all consumers prefer to learn about a company’s products or services from articles.
Not from advertisements or from pushy salespeople. And that is why companies of all sizes benefit from newer and more modernized, cloud-hosted ecommerce CRM software.
CRM Software Knows It All.
CRM software comprises many databases that hold information about a business and its customers. But CRM can do more.
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Collect information on existing customers
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Track their interaction with the company and customer service
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Analyze marketing and sales trends and their results
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Track customer satisfaction with the company and its produces
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Improve customer loyalty
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Develop marketing strategies and track their success.
Despite these obvious advantages of CRM software many owners and managers of small companies consider CRM too expensive and complicated for their enterprise. And that is why inquiring minds developed software in the cloud.
Cloud CRM software is nothing less than a standard CRM software application that resides on a remote computer rather than on the company owned server. It performs the same and it offers identical services to standard company installed CRM software. The cloud software eliminates the need for a company IT professional for installation, maintenance and trouble shooting. Cloud based CRM is available any time on a digital device in the hands of a salesperson anywhere. Setting up a satellite office? Don’t worry, no need to schlep around bulky equipment and string cable everywhere. Just hook up a laptop and you can reap the benefits of cloud CRM software.
Many owners of small businesses are concerned that CRM software is too difficult to learn and to manage. That’s where helpful review sites can really assist you during your initial search. This is not a concern with cloud based CRM. Professional IT specialists that are employed by the CRM software company perform all maintenance and handle trouble shooting should the need arise. They even local hold start up training session for employees.
The cost of cloud CRM software is in keeping with the price of CRM software installed on company computers. The cost of cloud based CRM software is reasonable considering that it includes free storage space in the cloud and the professional services mentioned above.
Because consumers are getting smarter in using the vast information on the Internet to their advantage, modern businesses and their managers must have CRM software to give them the tools to keep the business profitable. Cloud based CRM software lets managers of very small businesses compete with large companies on an even level. A competitive company with great customer service is hard to beat. Even when the basis of its success resides in the clouds.