We’ve left behind the Information Age, and hurled head-first into the Integration Age – and it’s because, frankly, the Information Age was just too darn informative. We’re drowning in data, and it’s not playing well and working together. In fact, it’s typically unleashing chaos instead of clarity. And that brings us to CRM integration.
What is CRM Integration?
We will soon discuss why CRM integration could end up being the most valuable concept your business discovers this year – or maybe this decade. First though, let’s answer the basic question: what is CRM integration?
Essentially, CRM integration is when a business automatically and in real-time routes customer data from its website into its CRM (customer relationship management) system -- and ultimately transforms raw information into valuable, actionable insight.
Benefits of Integrated CRM
There are several different CRMs out there from various vendors. Each has relative strengths and weaknesses, ranging from feature sets to pricing. Generally however, provided that the system is professional-grade and properly configured – in our experience, HubSpot’s CRM is the best system out there – it will deliver a suite of practical and profitable benefits, including:
- Tracking customer behavior and engagement, including visits, clicks, content interests, time, and so on.
- Capturing a wealth of information required to take targeted action, including customer details, company profile, and deal status
- Automatically logging activity and map it to a customer timeline – which is especially helpful for following-up with customers who have “gone dark” and need to be re-engaged
- Viewing the full pipeline to measure overall success and detect trends, such as whether enough appointments are being scheduled, bid-to-win ratios, revenue forecasts, etc.
- Configuring deal stages to specific sales processes, since “one size fits all” doesn’t work for different buyer personas or for different product/service lines.
- Launching new deals and watching them evolve, but without having to input new information at each stage (i.e. it automatically updates as the customer journey moves forward)
- Viewing each customer’s individual communication history (notes, meetings, calls, emails, etc.). The value of this can’t be underestimated when trying to hunt for old emails, or if the required communication information is with an ex-employee and there’s no way to get it back.
- Making calls, send emails, schedule meetings and assign tasks – without switching systems or changing workflows.
- Automatically handing-off sales qualified leads (SQLs) to the sales team, so they can do what they do best: close the deal.
Learn More
In today’s information-overloaded environment, CRM integration is mandatory – not optional. However, as noted above, not all CRM integration systems are created equal. A few of them are excellent, many are below average, and the vast majority of them are part of the problem instead of the solution.
To learn more about CRM integration and how to turn raw customer data into actionable and profitable intelligence, contact the Leap Clixx team today. Your consultation with us is free.
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