CRM automation: Definition, Benefits
CRM (customer relationship management) automation is a method of automating necessary, but repetitive, manual tasks related to customer relationship management to streamline processes and improve productivity.
CRM automation
CRM automation is the process of streamlining essential but repetitive manual tasks in marketing, sales, and customer service operations. Tasks that are ripe for automated workflows include creating contacts, scheduling meetings, creating appointment reminders, sending emails, creating sales quotes, and arranging service calls.
Here are the top ways CRM automation can improve your business.
Who uses CRM automation?
Customer relationship management systems used to be the secret weapon of successful marketing and sales teams in large enterprises. And we’ve put a lot of emphasis on that. But thanks to technologies like the cloud, artificial intelligence, and robotic process automation , CRMs can adapt to almost any situation, industry, and company size.
Health care
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (or PPACA) made digitization mandatory. Now, medical facilities of all sizes, from private practices to urgent care clinics to hospitals, can integrate digital patient management and record keeping into their processes. Today, the healthcare industry uses automated CRM to schedule appointments, send patient reminders, and manage health insurance pre-authorizations. Some hospitals are even using AI-powered automation solutions to identify common health issues from blood test results. Reducing the time it takes to digitize patient information (including scheduling) can reduce the cost per labor hour alone. However, automation technologies have also revolutionized patient care.
Fitness
Globally, the fitness industry is worth nearly $100 billion a year and is expected to continue to grow as more people become aware of the impact of their lifestyles. But it’s not just gyms that are experiencing the boom. Post-pandemic life has brought a number of online and virtual fitness activities to the forefront in addition to traditional fitness activities. Personal fitness apps now come pre-installed on phones, and individuals can purchase fitness mirrors that rely on automation. Fitness businesses typically operate with a lean staff, so automated CRM software is an asset. For example, CRM software allows businesses to increase customer retention efforts by freeing up staff from backend administrative tasks. One-on-one support is a big factor in reducing membership cancellations.
E-commerce
CRM automation software has clear benefits for e-commerce. This may not seem as obvious as it does in the healthcare industry, but it’s mainly because e-commerce is already digitized. Rather than implementing digital systems, the e-commerce industry would benefit from choosing the best way to manage and use data. With a large number of automation and third-party integration options, a business owner can run a sizable e-commerce business on their own with relatively low operating costs. A single CRM automation platform can pull data from a large number of touchpoints and run complex customer segmentation models on that data. It can make it easier to research leads, update contact information for old and new customers, and manage customer re-engagement flows. It’s no surprise, then, that CRM automation software is set to become one of the most widely used operating models in the marketing industry.
Retail
CRM automation software has clear benefits for e-commerce. This may not seem as obvious as it does in the healthcare industry, but it’s mainly because e-commerce is already digitized. Rather than implementing digital systems, the e-commerce industry would benefit from choosing the best way to manage and use data. With a large number of automation and third-party integration options, a business owner can run a sizable e-commerce business on their own with relatively low operating costs. A single CRM automation platform can pull data from a large number of touchpoints and run complex customer segmentation models on that data. It can make it easier to research leads, update contact information for old and new customers, and manage customer re-engagement flows. It’s no surprise, then, that CRM automation software is set to become one of the most widely used operating models in the marketing industry.
Legal
When the American Bar Association looked at why lawyers bill less than a third of their hours, they found that half of that missing time is spent on administrative tasks. Another third is spent generating new business. Since lawyers bill by the hour, time spent on administrative tasks can be costly. Automation can help reduce that time by handling time tracking and appointment scheduling, among other administrative tasks. Chatbots and CRM automation have helped many lawyers save time. They allow firms to focus on more profitable activities by helping them 1) prioritize new prospects and 2) provide a responsive client experience to current clients. Automated CRM systems also help law firms respond to prospects more quickly, which greatly increases the likelihood of doing business with them.
Sales
When the American Bar Association looked at why lawyers bill less than a third of their hours, they found that half of that missing time is spent on administrative tasks. Another third is spent generating new business. Since lawyers bill by the hour, time spent on administrative tasks can be costly. Automation can help reduce that time by handling time tracking and appointment scheduling, among other administrative tasks. Chatbots and CRM automation have helped many lawyers save time. They allow firms to focus on more profitable activities by helping them 1) prioritize new prospects and 2) provide a responsive client experience to current clients. Automated CRM systems also help law firms respond to prospects more quickly, which greatly increases the likelihood of doing business with them.
How do I get started with CRM automation?
Your automation solution should depend on your business model. Although there’s a “some sizes fit most”, there’s no “one size fits all” option. Look at your business operations now and where you want to be within the foreseeable future. Your chosen CRM automation should be a good fit for both.
For many businesses, automated CRM tools should include the following:
Contact management: This functionality should provide a clean, organized user interface that allows you to quickly access customer information.
Lead management: You need to keep track of your lead activities. Lead identification, pipeline and workflow management, as well as lead scoring should all be included in this functionality.
Documentation management: Your automated CRM solution should include easy workflows to handle the numerous documents in your sales processes. Whether those documents are paper files that need to be digitized or they’re already digital, they need to be easily accessible within the organization.
Integration: It’s almost unheard of to have a marketing or sales team that doesn’t use third-party applications. Email integration, calendar integrations, social media integrations – they all have a purpose in the business ecosystem. Your CRM integration needs to integrate seamlessly with all of your systems.