What are CRMs & MISs?

MIS is the acronym given to Management Information Systems: systems which are designed to help both businesses & individuals alike to manage the information necessary for them to make decisions about their day-to-day operations.

For managers, MISs are central to the process of decision making, and key drivers in navigating the road of corporate spending and resource allocation.

In a fast-paced business environment, successful MISs are categorised by their ability to give their stakeholders access to accurate and timely information; and transform this data into visible performance indicators and trends.

However, a good MIS not only gives you a competitive edge over your competitors by providing you with timely & accurate information, but also uses data to improve your operational efficiency and productivity.

CRMs are one of the children to MISs, and is the acronym given to the single or set of strategic tools companies use to bridge and improve upon their relationships with customers and partners: Client Relationships Management systems.

What makes a good CRM?

Understanding that a CRM is more than just a digitised client log.

What are the core components of a well-crafted CRM:

Lead Management

  • The foundation to every CRM is the ability to record and manage information about prospective customers and / or partnership opportunities. A good CRM will help you to visualise and organise this data seamlessly, and in good time.

Client Segregation & Differentiation:

  • You’ve got all your clients recorded in one place, but it’s important to have the ability to quickly identify and segregate them into more manageable sub-groups so that your sales strategies are directed at the right customers and markets.

Sales Management:

  • So we have your clients, and your sub-groups. Now you need a set of effective tools to push your selling strategies to the right people, and clearly monitor the performance of this process.

Customer Service Management:

  • There are always unknowns and the occasional ‘hiccup’ when it comes to selling your products or services. So in comes the ability to receive client feedback and provide on-demand support to those who need it.

Automation Tools:

  • Often overlooked is the ability to automate certain actions in the sales pipeline. Whether you need the ability to automatically send status updates to clients who have purchased goods, or simply integrate with common email providers so that you never have to leave the comfort of your email window to record your conversations with prospective leads in your CRM – the automation tools should be there for you.

Being user friendly.

Because when it comes to data systems, it really matters.

With so many components to the recipe for a perfect CRM, many providers forget that in trying to provide you with an all encompassing solution, systems can quickly become overwhelming and unworkable.

CRMs should help you & your business to understand your clients and partners better, so that you can better service their needs.

It shouldn’t take you an inordinate amount of time to get to grips with or use your CRM system. And you shouldn’t have to pay for tools you simply don’t need, or use.

That’s why custom systems are rapidly becoming the “go-to” for growing businesses across the globe.

user-easy

Is your current system right for you?

Why not ask us to take a look at your current system, and help you make the decision.