A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is a must have for so many businesses.
Perhaps the greatest improvement a CRM system can provide is a massive increase in the quality and quantity of data that can be captured. Even better? All data is easily and quickly accessible.
But… are you using YOUR CRM to its full potential?
Alongside the default functionality of the CRM system, many platforms support third-party integrations, add-ons and apps (like us!). These additions to the CRM can amplify the benefits the platform offers, provide more functionality, or simplify processes. So, a CRM system can be customized to suit a variety of business models, industries or functions within the organization. If this extra functionality and customization is important to you, choosing a platform that offers these integrations will help your business to stay competitive.
There are countless CRM integrations that do anything from automating marketing activity to managing documents. These clever bits of software can optimize your business workflows and help you make informed decisions based on your data.
Our tips for picking out the right integration
- Is it a native integration or is it provided through a middleware? Native integrations tend to have more functionality and depth in the way they interact with the CRM.
- Think about your user’s workflow and the way they interact with the CRM. Ask them what is time consuming or do they have to input data twice. Then once you know where the pain points are, transform the CRM with an integration that eliminates that problem.
- If you can’t find what you are looking for you can always ask your CRM for a new functionality. You can even try suggesting software for them to integrate with (this may take a while).
There are all sorts of integrations, each designed with the purpose of enhancing your CRM.
CloudCall, for example, provides a Computer Telephony Integration, or CTI. We sync all your communications data, including call and SMS, back into your CRM system.
So, what makes our platform so powerful? Well, we have native integrations with many CRMs. These integrations capture the data from your calls and automatically store it against CRM records – without the user having to do anything. Pretty neat right?
But don’t just take our word for it, our customers think we’re pretty great, too.
Here are some of the benefits to more efficiently collecting your data
Work smarter and faster
Create fast, efficient workflows. Make calls directly from your CRM contact records and use call controls to hold, mute, transfer and conference the call. Features such as Inbound Screen Pops and Call Notes let you record conversation data directly into your CRM system. All without even having to search through your contacts. This increases the speed in which you can access and record information. Plus, it reduces the amount of admin users have to do. Win-win!
Better customer satisfaction
A CRM system is the best way to keep track of customer details, account history, and is perfect for managing interactions with existing and potential customers. Tracking these interactions can help you understand your customers through their buying habits, queries, requests and even their complaints.
Boost productivity
CTI has a wide range of useful features which provide users ways of increasing their productivity.
Improve training
With call recordings automatically made and stored, it is easy to access the resources to help train your staff. A Monitor feature will let supervisors silently join calls, allowing managers and trainees to listen in on real-time calls. Clever, right?
Whereas a Whisper function lets supervisors talk to your new team members while they are on a live call. This allows you to offer guidance and support without the contact knowing.
Drive growth
All these things drive growth by turning conversations with customers into valuable business insights that can be tracked with real time reports. What more could you ask for?
What functionality can CRM integrations provide?
Upgrading your CRM with an integration comes with endless benefits and amplifies what your CRM system already offers you. With an integration, a CRM system can be customized to suit a variety of businesses, industries and functions.
A CRM integration, such as CloudCall, offers a range of functionality, including:
- Faster workflows – Increase the speed in which you can access information and reduce the amount of admin.
- Harness the power of your data – Empower your CRM reporting tools with a higher volume of accurate data, allowing you to make better business decisions.
- Advanced analytics – If your CRM’s analytics aren’t as powerful as you need, an integration will provide a more detailed approach for a data driven business.
- Marketing automation – Integrating marketing automation with your CRM helps improve productivity, prioritise leads and cut costs.
What are the benefits of integrating telephony with a CRM?
A Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) enables interactions on a telephone and a computer to be integrated. In a nutshell, it’s what we do and it’s everything you’ll ever want, trust us!
There are many benefits waiting for you when you integrate your phone system with your CRM. Here’s a few to get you started. You’re welcome!
- Better customer experience: Store all customer data, including call records and notes in one place and keep your customers happy knowing they won’t have to repeat themselves.
- Smarter conversations: On screen notifications bring up the CRM record of the contact who is calling, helping you have better conversations.
- Boost employee performance: Set KPI’s for call activity such as total number of calls or average call duration, tracking all this using your CRM. (Pretty cool, right?)
- Improve training: Call recordings saved in the CRM can be used for training sessions to identify best practices or find out areas that need improvement.
- Integrated calls and SMS – Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) brings together all your calls and texts and connects them to the CRM.
- Billing and invoicing – Simplify billing, invoicing and other accounting processes by connecting them to your CRM.
- Surveys and data collection – Integrate a survey platform with your CRM and all the results will be automatically saved in the right place.
- Email and calendar – Some integrations will synchronize your email and calendar with your CRM to help make the most out of the platforms.
Transform remote working with a CRM integrations
For most workers, the CRM is the centre of their working day. It’s the first tab open on their browser, the hub of business and the bank of collective knowledge of your company.
It makes sense, then, that the place you spend the most time is where you keep the tools you use more often. The best way to achieve that is through a CRM integration.
Need to transfer a call to a colleague even if they aren’t in the same building or connected to the office phone system? No problem. Want to call your hottest prospects quickly? Just click. Sending out SMS’ to all the leads who you haven’t spoken to in six months? We have got you covered.
CloudCall does it all
CloudCall’s technology provides a powerful communications platform that simplifies your life. Our features have been built with you in mind, helping you to be more productive and offer a great customer experience. They include:
- Click to Call: Enhance productivity with single click-to-call from your CRM or business software.
- Power Dialer: Boost calling activities by uploading prepared contact lists and automatically dial through the Power Dialer.
- Local Presence: Dynamic Local Presence allows you to display a number that is local to the area that you are dialing, boosting pickup rate.
- Voicemail Drop: Leave a pre-recorded voicemail with a single click. With up to 5 pre-recorded messages, you’ll be able to leave carefully composed messages, increasing the likelihood that your contacts will call back.
- Call Recording: Record, store, and playback calls directly in your database. You can pause the call recording whilst taking sensitive information, which helps in managing compliance with PCI DSS regulations.
And loads more!
Discover the power of a CRM integration by requesting a call back or booking a demo.