Business software trends in CRM & ERP for 2016

Business software trends in CRM & ERP show that those which provide customer-centric convenience will reign supreme in 2016.

Business software trends show that those CRM and ERP applications that provides customer-centric convenience should reign supreme in 2016. As 2015 comes to a close, business experts and industry reports weigh-in to make predictions about the coming year. A few consistent projections indicate organizations need software solutions that are ready to capture data and provide flexible service. Here are a few ways companies need to adapt their operations to satisfy customers in 2016:

Embrace millennial customers

Old strategies fall away as time progresses because businesses have to appease a brand new group of consumers. Currently millennials are the major buying group for almost every industry. People born between 1980 and 2000 have their own way of buying goods and communicating with brands, and companies need to plan marketing, payment procedures and customer service routines around their demands.

While millennials make up a very broad range of possible customers, industry experts have noticed some consistent trends. Customer Think, a business advice blog, suggested buyers will want more companies to commit to social causes in 2016. Business transparency grows increasingly important as consumers seek out manufacturers and retailers that are environmentally conscious and give back to their communities.

Most businesses recognize consumers' growing preference for technology. Specifically, millennials use tools for convenience, information and personal control. This is true both in the marketplace and workplace. At the office, Millennials want to work with CRM and ERP applications that are mobile, tablet and internet ready.

Get online and collect data

The Internet has been around for decades, but some companies still don't take complete advantage of eCommerce. It's not just a matter of offering products and services online - businesses need solutions to capture customer and prospect data.

As more consumers turn to online shopping as a primary means of buying products, they grow more used to submitting information to online stores. Customers regularly become members of their favorite brands' websites and save their information to eCommerce retailers for the sake of convenient return visits.

Businesses of any size need to collect this data from online interactions and leverage the information for customer service and personalized marketing. CRM solutions like Microsoft Dynamics CRM that offer social listening features for new media supervision allows you to listen everywhere, analyze sentiment and drive engagement.  Business counselor McKinsey & Company reported organizations that know how to properly leverage consumer data can increase margins by more than 50 percent.

Explore every mobile tool

Most people keep their favorite computing tool in their pocket. Customers use mobile devices to socialize, shop online, compare offers in stores and communicate with ther favorite brands.
Businesses can encourage brand loyalty through mobile convenience. In 2016, organizations should expect more of their competitors to create apps customers can download on their phones to speed up practices and save preferences. A business can stand out in its industry by offering an online tool that makes a consumer's life easier.

ERP solutions can also help the success of new business practices as organizations implement innovation and diversify sales and marketing across new channels. CRM and ERP applications that support omnichannel business operations like NetSuite will help companies be successful as they embrace additional sales channels, from emails and social media to mobile websites and even dedicated mobile apps.

Prioritize social media

Avalara, a tax software company, shared results from an Epsilon Marketing report that found a company's social media page is more important to some consumers than a business website. An organization's CRM solution has to monitor social channels to collect and respond to customer activity.

Customers in 2016 will use social media for more than just posing questions on a brand's public page. Consumers use social sites to compare prices, share product reviews and download shopping apps. The Social Savior blog said sites like Twitter and Facebook may soon offer users the ability to buy products directly through their platforms.
Provide new payment options

As people make purchases through websites, mobile devices or even their watches, businesses need to have the infrastructure in place to accept orders and payments or they'll miss out on sales - not to mention, as of Oct. 2015, businesses have to allow EMV payments or be held liable for fraud. Any time an organization launches new sales channels, it needs accounting and finance solutions in place to support the changing operations.

As a company deploys new ordering and payment tools, it may want to investigate new service or billing options. The Mintel Research company predicated more consumers will want subscription options from industries not regularly associated with that form of payment in 2016.

The TM Group, Inc.

To learn more about our solutions and services, please visit www.tmgroupinc.com or contact us at 888-482-2864.  Now is a great time to contact The TM Group to accomplish your CRM and ERP goals. We have been providing superior business technology solutions since 1984. Our TM Group consultants vast expertise can architect the ideal system within your budget and timeline.

By The TM Group, a Michigan-based ERP system partner with NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics GP, Dynamics SL, Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner

Business software trends in CRM & ERP show that those which provide customer-centric convenience will reign supreme in 2016.

Business software
Business Trends, CRM, ERP