What is enterprise CRM software?

Enterprise CRM software is a type of customer relationship management software typically used by large companies with complex customer relationships. This type of software usually has the following features.

Contact management

Contact management is the process of entering customer data and storing it for future use. Once you capture a customer’s details, you can use your CRM enterprise system to view and edit them as needed. For example, if a customer moves, you can edit their address.

Dashboards

Dashboards give you access to visual data displays, making it easier to understand what’s happening in your sales, marketing and customer service departments. For example, if you have a quarterly sales goal, you can create a dashboard to display your progress. Every time sales agents log in, they’ll see how close they are to reaching the goal, which may motivate them to make more sales.

Custom reports

Custom reports make it easier to identify business trends or spot minor problems before they turn into major ones. Enterprise CRM software typically allows you to customize reports according to your company’s needs, ensuring you have the data you need to make informed decisions.

Mobile CRM tools

Many enterprise CRM systems come with mobile applications, making it possible to manage sales, marketing and customer service data on the go. For example, if you manage a team of HVAC technicians, you can use a mobile CRM app to capture customer data, create invoices and manage other functions.

Related: Selecting a CRM for Your Small Business: Key Criteria

Advantages of an enterprise CRM

Enterprise CRM software has many benefits for large organizations:

• Increased efficiency: When you implement a CRM system, you store all customer-related data in a single location. This eliminates the need to track down missing data. Using a digital system also reduces waste.

• Better customer relationships: Once you create a customer record, you can update it with product preferences, past purchases and other important information. You can use this data to build better relationships with your customers. For example, if you know that a customer recently purchased a computer from your electronics store, you can reach out and ask if they have any questions or offer a discount on a related product.

• Automated forecasting: Forecasting allows you to make predictions about what will happen in the future. For example, you can use this year’s sales data to predict how many units you need to manufacture for the next year. If you use a CRM enterprise system, you can automate your forecasting activities, saving time and increasing accuracy.

• Increased sales: Using a CRM makes it easier to follow up with previous customers. As a result, you may be able to make additional sales without increasing your customer acquisition costs.

• Improved lead management: Once someone expresses an interest in your company’s products or services, you may want to follow up regularly. CRM systems make it easier to manage leads, which may prevent leads from falling through the cracks.

• Enhanced communication: When you enter all sales, marketing and customer service data into the same system, team members can easily share their thoughts. This enhances communication, which may make it easier to achieve company goals.

Related: What Is Customer Relations?

Disadvantages of CRM enterprise software

Despite the many benefits of CRM software, there are some drawbacks you need to know about.

• High level of complexity: At the enterprise level, CRM software is extremely complex. You need to have the right people and processes in place before you implement it. Otherwise, the cost of maintenance and troubleshooting may outweigh the benefits of having the system.

• Learning curve: When you implement complex software, you need to train employees how to use it. Training takes team members away from their regular job duties, which may have an impact on your company’s operations. You also have to pay for the training and any corresponding training materials.

• Change management: Change isn’t easy, even if you believe the change will benefit your employees. Throughout the entire implementation lifecycle, you may wish to invest in change management best practices to boost employee engagement and buy-in for the new tool.

• Security concerns: One of the few advantages of maintaining paper files is that it’s difficult for people outside yout organization to access them. When you adopt a CRM system, you have to add customer data to a centralized database. If someone breaches the system, they may get access to hundreds or even thousands of records.

Tips for successful CRM implementation

If you think an enterprise CRM system is what your company needs to reach the next level, consider these tips to help ensure the implementation is as successful as possible:

• Make sure the system you choose has all the features you need. For example, if you manage a team of mobile service techs, a CRM system won’t do you much good if it doesn’t have mobile features.

• Plan ahead. Enterprise CRM systems are often complex, so you may need to plan the implementation months in advance. Make sure your plan includes a list of needed resources and a tentative implementation schedule.

• Secure the resources you need to get the system up and running. You may need to hire an IT consultant, bring in a software trainer or hire an additional helpdesk employee . It may take time to find the right people, so consider looking as soon as you have your implementation plan in place.

• Establish a budget. If you have a limited budget, you may have to focus on must-have features and forgo nice-to-have features. That’s why it can be helpful to set a budget ahead of time rather than waiting until you’ve wasted time looking at systems your company can’t afford.

• Identify your most important success metrics. It’s tough to determine if the implementation is a success if you don’t have some key metrics in mind. For example, if you want to use a CRM to increase sales, you might want to focus on your sales conversion rate.

Related: How to Buy HR Software Tools

Frequently asked questions

What is ERP vs. CRM?

CRM and ERP systems both store business data, but there’s a big difference in how companies use them. A CRM focuses specifically on sales, marketing and customer service data. ERP, or enterprise resource planning, focuses on multiple aspects of operations. For example, you can purchase an ERP that includes CRM, HR and accounting capabilities.

What are the three types of CRM?

CRM systems are usually classified as analytical, operational or collaborative. Here’s how each one works:

• Analytical: The main purpose of an analytical CRM is to help you turn raw data into useful reports. These reports help team members make better decisions.

• Operational: Operational CRMs help companies streamline their sales, marketing and customer service processes.

• Collaborative: Collaborative CRM systems break down the barriers that make it difficult for team members to share information.