These days, Customer Related Management Software is everywhere. Gathering customer information has been automated and it is a lot easier to get access to “large crowds” now, thanks to the digitalization of the entire process. The amount of data that you can gather in a small window of time if you do things right is astonishing. The problems start to rear their ugly heads when that date is supposed to be analyzed and the right type of conclusions need to be drawn. This is the point where most CRM software can’t really help you if you don’t know what to look for. This is the human element of CRM that requires certain knowledge and foresight on the part of the person or the team of people that are analyzing the data you have acquired.

It is not only important to implement CRM software, it is crucial to know what kind of date it provides us with and how to use separate types of data for the right purposes. This has a lot to do with knowing the tools you use and the market you are in. Creating a valid representation of the big picture from small pieces of the puzzle is not a two-dimensional effort; it needs to have depth and an obvious usage.

1.   Making the right contacts

It is all about the right connections, right? CRM software can give you a lot if insight into how you are interconnected with your potential new customers over your old business partners. This can open a lot of options for you and that’s why it is important to follow for example, some social networks like Twitter and LinkedIn.

2.   Customer background

Social networks can be used to find out about your potential client’s background and through this have a bit firmer ground when negotiating new business deals. There is even CRM software that can gather news and information highlights about your new client and this will help you function with more ease.

3.   Statistical Visualization

Numbers can confuse. We all know this and we all had to sit down and decipher pages and pages of tables and statistical charts. Numbers that go one for ages need to be analyzed correctly in order to draw the right conclusions. CRM software can visualize data (for example LockedOn is such crm software)  and cross-reference two or more different tables and create a much clearer picture of the data.

4.   The room to improve

Handling complains can be complicated but if done right it can actually be used to improve your efforts. The customer feedback is actually telling you where exactly the problems are occurring and it is up to you to find a way to fix them.

5.   The focus on the right people

Not all customers are the same. You can’t dedicate the same amount of time to all of them. Some deals that are more serious should take time and hold your attention more than the ones that are a bit more mundane. By having all the necessary statistical data, you will be able to decide is your new client worth the time you’re putting in.

6.   Are you missing something?

No matter if you are selling something or providing some type of services, you can always add something more. Having the right data is crucial to answer the question of what your customers want from you. If you are selling clothes for example, you would have to have information about what type of clothing item is in this year and add it to your collection in more quantity and variety than others.

7.   Updating your tools

A lot of people don’t use the right tools for the job and they do not keep track of the newest CRM software. This branch of software is constantly evolving and you need to use it in order to have access to the same information as everybody else.

8.   Remembering the right people

If you have done business with a certain high profile customer and you haven’t done business with him/her for a while, you want to remember to check up on them just to see how they are doing and politely remind them that you are still interested in doing business with them. Sometimes you get overcrowded with work and forget to do that but there are CRM software solutions that can do this for you and notify you that they have done so. You can even prioritize some clients over others.

9.   Prioritizing the right goods

If you are doing business in more than one place you want to create an optimal localization in order to maximize your revenue. For this, you need to have the right data in order to achieve this and this is also a thing you can get through CRM.