Who should use a CRM? Do you need a CRM?

CRM solutions are meant to assist your small business in overcoming issues related to sales and marketing objectives.CRM users ranked the ways a CRM has aided their business in a recent poll we conducted. 67 percent indicated that using a CRM system helped them follow up on opportunities and leads, and 56 percent indicated that having all of their interactions in one place helped their customer connections.

Who makes use of CRM? The quick answer is that a CRM system can benefit any firm that wants to retain a contact with its customers. To be more explicit, there are two types of businesses that typically gain the most:

• B2B businesses, which must track leads and clients through lengthy sales cycles and upgrade pathways (e.g., a software company, a recruiting firm)
• B2C companies that are being considered for a purchase (e.g., a jeweler, a landscaping service, or a realtor)

However, many businesses that don't fit either of the above profiles but still see the value in using a CRM system exist. If you answer yes to any of the questions below, the CRM system will undoubtedly benefit your company.

• Do you need to keep a central database of information about your leads and customers? Is this information spread across multiple locations?
• Do your customers interact with multiple members of your team on a regular basis? How does everyone remember where a particular customer's conversation ended?
• Do you want a better understanding of your sales team's productivity? Is there a structured process that your sales team follows?