What does constitute the actual gateway to a company or industry? Without a doubt, one can say it is Customer Relationship Management (CRM). It is at this point where the customers make their actual entry to the company and maintain the cordial relationship. So, the foremost priority of any company even before considering Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software will be a CRM.
The game-changer
Even while we consider CRM as the gateway to a house, the actual player in the game is an ERP, which actually takes real advantage of the data collected by the CRM for better functioning.
Whatever goes through the CRM can be effectively integrated with the ERP for achieving very quick gains at the most affordable cost. The actual gateway and the industry or business enterprise get the proper connectivity with such integration for futuristic growth.
As everyone knows, the CRM deals with the helpdesk information and mostly deals with customer communications. It will be dealing with works such as effective customer communications, management activities, marketing campaign coordination.
At the same time, the ERP deals with the backend activities such as purchase, billing, and delivery details, accounting activities, financial calculations, supply management, and similar curial company activities. Now, let’s have a quick look at the benefits of integrating this CM with ERP for better performance
Improved marketing opportunities
One of the notable advantages of the ERP-CRM integration is the possibility of improved marketing opportunities. The salespersons can easily get connected with the CRM to track the details of frequent inquiries or calls and follow it up for possible sales increase.
The details of such calls often remain to ignore in the case of proper ERP integration. From this point, the management wing can also track the details of products which draws criticism for poor quality. Such products can be called back or improved further based on customer feedback. Only the effective implementation of CRM with ERP will make a change in the traditional operation.
Accurate communication
With CRM-ERP integration, the attraction is that you can deliver the best and accurate data to the associated players in the team. One can easily contact different vertical heads and source accurate information to address the customers’ requirements. The different wings managing the ERP can easily source the front desk data with the integration.
The details of product availability, the requirement of additional stocks, price fluctuations, and any other crucial data related to any product can be made clear during inter-department or customer communications. It will also result in preparing accurate proposals.
In time approval for requests
Many a time, the isolated functioning of the CRM wing creates trouble in speeding up the remaining process in the industry. What is communicated with the CRM reaches the internal wing or those who play at the back end at a slow pace and it creates a lot of turmoil and delay in service delivery.
With the CRM-ERP integration, such trouble will never occur. What is communicated with the CRM will be easily available for the ERP to work together and achieve the required results.
Informed decision making
The CRM will have the most accurate data about the customers and the details of all incoming messages. With the integration of CRM with ERP, it comes to the help of the whole business team to make the right choice by truly understanding the complete details of the customers.
Such a well in advanced information will also help to weave a better relationship with the customers and win their trust at the beginning itself. The company team can even get authentic data on the customers’ financial capacities, purchasing capacity, interests of purchase, and earlier interactions on various services.
Fast-track billing procedures
The effective integration of CRM with ERP will directly facilitate the quick billing of various orders. It thus reduces a lot of manual interventions on the part of the company management. Whatever communicated with the front desk or CRM wing will be easily accessible for those who control the ERP.
Such a networked job will make the billing and delivery process smooth without the manual intervention of any third party. The biggest advantage is that the customers will get their service on time and the companies can save their valuable working hours for other important duties. Any changes in either department can be easily rectified and auto-updated in the system.
Quick product supply
The basic purpose of integrating CRM with ERP is to speed up the company affairs and service. So, the end result is the same. The usual time taken to deliver a particular product or service gets shortened with the CRM-ERP integration. The ultimate beneficiary in this game is the customers who will be happy to continue their association with the service provider with the quick service experience.
The delay is mostly addressed by attending to the communication gap between the CRM and various other verticals in an industry or business. Once the CRM-ERP implementation is completed, no communication barrier takes place. Whatever available data related to customers and products will be available for both the wings and they will be able to work hand-in-hand for the profitable business.
Avoid data duplication
It is a reality that the CRM and ERP handle multiple data connected to a single person or business. Though there may be some variations in the method of entry, many a time the data crux will be the same. With the integration of CRM with ERP, one can easily find out the data duplication and get it easily avoided. It will ease the internal works and reduce the chances of confusion.
Once the integration process is completed, all such data duplication can be addressed very easily. It will also result in the safe clearing of all duplicated data from the files to give more clarity on the available data. For those who check the data for reference, the consolidated figures subsequent to the integration will be a great relief.
Single point control
With the integration of CRM with ERP, a company or business venture can easily ensure a single point control other than working in two different island-like systems. The moment the integration is completed, the data available with the CRM and ERP comes through a single channel to the receiver. The ease of accessing two units and their data through a single channel will be a quite different experience for those who are still waiting to see its actual magic in the industry. The work is very cost-effective. Odoo ERP is now the most popular free software version to realize such integration for ambitious entrepreneurs.