6 reasons to use a robust CRM solution during a pandemic

By Sheshgiri Kamath

The widespread outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way in which businesses around the globe operate and interact with their customers. A set of advanced tools are helping businesses switch to a remote working model and manage operations in the same way as before. One of these main tools includes a SaaS customer relationship management (CRM) platform.

What is a CRM solution and how does it help businesses?

A CRM platform is used by enterprises of all sizes to manage their customer relationships. This largely includes sales and customer service processes. The goal of using a CRM is quite simple: to improve business relationships and deliver seamless customer experiences. Enterprises that have implemented a CRM have witnessed increased customer satisfaction rates, better engagement, and improved profitability.

A CRM solution can help you gain a clear overview of your prospects and customers. You can see all the necessary data in one place – a simple, customisable dashboard that contains, for instance, a customer’s previous interaction history with your enterprise, the status of their orders, outstanding customer service tickets, past payment information, and so on.

The recent Covid-19 pandemic caused businesses around the world to switch to a remote working model almost overnight. How do you think this was made possible? The answer is CRM. Cloud-based support automation platforms such as Kapture CRM has helped businesses optimise their databases, strengthen customer relationships, and automate customer communications involved in sales and support.

6 ways in which a CRM can systemize remote sales and customer service processes

1. Remote lead management – You can easily collate, organise, and assign new leads to relevant teams or agents based on pre-set rules or instructions. A CRM can help you gather and streamline inquiries from multiple channels (emails, calls, web-forms, marketing campaigns) onto a unified cloud-based dashboard. You can also track the status of the lead in the pipeline from any part of the world using a lead tracking application. Furthermore, you can segregate and prioritise leads easily to help you close deals faster.

2. Efficient ticket management – Efficient ticket management is the key to an elevated customer support process. A SaaS CRM solution can streamline and automate the entire ticketing process. Incoming tickets from various platforms can be unified, segregated and routed to the right customer support representative, who could be working from anywhere, in a matter of seconds. This routing can be done based on varying criteria such as skills, location, availability, etc. Tickets can also be prioritised and escalated to higher management when not attended to after a certain set period of time. Upon resolving an issue, a ticket can be closed and disposed of. A closed ticket can also be reopened at any given time later.

3. Remote task assignment and management – A mobile CRM application enables a supervisor or a team manager to assign daily tasks and track performance on the app itself, eliminating the need for regular meetings or calls. Agents can efficiently handle customer issues with an instantly accessible help desk CRM right from the palm of their hands. Thanks to mobile CRM, support tickets can be allocated and resolved within the app in a hassle-free manner.

4. Omnichannel online support – With the advent of technology, customers have multiple channels of communication to reach out to brands or customer support teams. Therefore, remote work or not, it’s important for enterprises to be present everywhere and proactively respond to customer requests and queries. Using Kapture CRM, an agent working from the safety of their home can respond to interactions from all platforms (chat, email, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, etc) without the need for switching between applications. A unified dashboard lets agents deliver contextual responses.

5. Intelligent chatbot – An intelligent chatbot that deploys machine learning can respond to customer queries and requests with instant, contextual responses. Enterprises around the world are increasingly implementing chatbots into their support workflow to reduce agent dependency and facilitate seamless interactions. From helping a customer choose the right product to booking appointments, from processing refunds to completing payments, a chatbot can be trained to understand your business flow and function accordingly.

6. Self-service portals – A self-service portal, powered by CRM, can help customers find answers to common questions and perform simple tasks by themselves without involving an agent’s interference. For instance, a customer of a grocery store can find out the available payment methods and even alter the date or time of delivery of their order using a self-serve portal. These portals could include FAQs, DIY videos, brochures, etc.

CRM solutions are revolutionising the way customer-centric businesses communicate and serve their customers even amidst a global pandemic. The next-generation technology that powers a CRM has paved the way for enhanced remote sales and customer service.