Things to Consider when Selecting the Right CRM Software for eCommerce
Whether yours is a small business or a large enterprise, it’s a must to use a CRM system. This is because it can provide a host of benefits to your business that vary from customer retention to increased efficiency.
As per the latest report by Fortune Business Insights, the CRM market size is expected to cross the $113 billion mark by 2027.
With the market flooded with CRM software systems, each having a specific set of features, choosing the right one can be tricky many times.
Following are the considerations you should take into account when selecting a CRM application:
1. Allows Customization
Business needs differ from one enterprise to another. A sales cycle is not the same for all industry types. Keeping this in mind, it doesn’t make sense to buy a one-size fits all CRM system. The best CRM tool will have plenty of customization options that will allow you to add new features and meet the unique needs of your eCommerce business.
Customization features like the ability to generate custom reports, add custom fields and filters, etc., can play a very important role to accomplish your business goals.
2. Ability to Access CRM on the Go
Your mobile teams should be able to access the CRM tool. Right? This is possible only if you use Cloud-based CRM software that has been designed for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. One of the biggest advantages of mobile CRM for eCommerce is that your sales reps can access CRM data wherever and whenever they want.
According to a report by Innoppl Technologies, 65% of sales reps who incorporated a mobile CRM into their day-to-day activities could easily accomplish their sales targets. These statistics convey how beneficial mobile CRM can be for your business.
3. What’s the Learning Curve?
Can your staff ever adopt a CRM tool that’s difficult to use? The answer is ‘No’.
So ‘ease of use’ is one of the key factors to consider when choosing a CRM software for eCommerce.
If the CRM system is not intuitive, it can make your sales team less efficient and productive. CRM tools with a steep learning curve can cause a huge embarrassment to your business.
4. Future Proof
Is your CRM software for eCommerce future-proof for your evolving business needs?
For instance, say you expand your business operations and make changes in your organizational structure. Can your CRM tool handle more users and a large amount of data as your business grows? Can it support a complex and long sales cycle?
It’s necessary that the CRM can scale easily with the increasing demand of your organization. Selecting a highly scalable and flexible CRM application will help to meet your future needs.
If you plan to grow your business quickly, you need to choose a scalable CRM that can easily accommodate hundreds of users.
5. Seamless Connectivity with Popular Software Applications
To drive collaboration between different departments and boost sales performance, it’s important that the CRM software integrates easily with a wide range of software applications.
For instance, eCommerce CRM integration will provide a 360-degree view of your customers. Similarly, it should integrate with ERP systems which will enable your staff to provide better customer service.
6. Go for All-in-One CRM
An all-in-one CRM application comes with a range of software modules, thereby eliminating the need to buy third-party applications separately. For instance, you don’t have to purchase marketing automation software as this feature is available in an all-in-one CRM.
7. Does it Support Social CRM Capabilities?
Does the CRM tool integrate with social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, etc.?
This is a very important feature that will enable you to foster communication and nurture leads through social media platforms. It will help you to track interactions, engage customers and build relationships via social media.
8. 24/7 Customer Support
Will it make sense to choose a CRM vendor that does not provide customer support? Not at all!
After onboarding and implementation, there’s a high chance that you will face technical issues while operating the CRM application.
How do you expect to resolve these technical challenges if customer support is not available?
So, the CRM provider must have customer support 24/7 via Live chat, email, and phone.
Final Thoughts
CRM software provides the perfect way to deal with prospects and customers, which can benefit your business no matter the size of your company. Initially, you might not require all the features available in your CRM system but as your business grows, advanced functionality will be needed.
