What Does ERP Stand For? 9 Ways CRM Integration is Key to Adoption

There are many references to the importance of ERP and CRM integration in our 8 previous blogs written about "What Does ERP Stand For?"  Today we are going to focus on the importance of integration with CRM (Customer Relationship Management) working in an automated way with your ERP system, your accounting or other related business management systems that are used to run your business.  Primarily, a CRM system is used for collecting all sorts of important information about your customers.  It is important for your business to excel with customer satisfaction goals and growth for this data to also connect with your other systems used to run the business interactions of your customers.  If the employees who are supposed to use the CRM system don't because it's time consuming and not integrated with workflow processes, software adoption will be low and you will be wasting your investment.  In part 1 of this blog series, let’s take a look at what CRM integration points are important for most small and medium-sized businesses.  In our next blog, we will explore several ways CRM integration helps businesses grow.  Read more about what is CRM here on our CRM software page and learn about 11 important questions to ask if you are ready for CRM software.

9 Integration Areas to Consider for Successful CRM Adoption

What CRM integration points are important to most businesses that are looking for better and more efficient ways to run the business, service customers and grow?  CRM integration is usually most important at these levels in order for CRM implementation to be successfully adopted.  Without adoption, you won’t realize the benefits of CRM functionality for your business.

1. Outlook or Other Email System Integration:  No one likes to waste their time on administrative tasks or manual duplication of data.  In Sales it is most important to find ways to eliminate menial tasks.  When emails are integrated into the CRM system, everyone can benefit from increased visibility of conversations with customers between departments.
2. Sales and Accounting Departments:  When data automatically flows between your sales team to the data in your accounting system like Accounts Receivable credit status, departments have more time to communication with customers and not have to waste time getting information between the departments.  When sales knows a customers is at risk of a credit hold, a missed sale or sales goal can be avoided because a sales person is no longer trying to sell to a customer on credit hold.
3. Sales History and Transactions:  When Sales and Customer Support staff have access to real-time information like; customer sales history and order status it eliminates, the call time with each customer, allows staff to have deeper conversations with customers about other things to sell them and the benefits and services of your company.
4. Marketing Department and Sales:  These departments have long been at odds with each other about one not doing enough for the other to support sales growth.  Marketing often thinks sales doesn’t work hard enough to follow up with their valuable leads.  Sales commonly thinks that Marketing doesn’t produce enough quality leads and waste their time.  When marketing campaigns can be automatically tied to Sales activities and actual sales, the success and repeatability of each campaign can be measured with solid ROI.
5. Support or Customer Service:  There are often other teams involved with servicesing customers in addition to the sales team that makes the sales.  CRM integration with these departments helps everyone understand what takes place to keep a happy cusotmer - this is the best way to make new sales. 
6. Management and Executives:  When sales managers have access to sales performance dashboards, call volume, details about customer activity and other key performance indicators (KPIs) they can adjust priorities, accordingly.
7. Mobile Devices:  If anyone travels in your organization, mobile CRM integration to your ERP system with increase their visibility to real-time data and allow them to continue selling and servicing customers anywhere, anytime.
8. Online Shopping Carts:   Do you have a web-store?  If your orders are not automatically from your online shopping cart to your CRM and or ERP system, this creates a number of backlogs.  You know what they are!  Integration is the key to eliminating time wasted and boosting productivity.
9. The Big Other:  Usually, individual businesses have a whole list of other areas where CRM integration will not only help with CRM adoption.  What’s on your list?

Successful CRM adoption is not just about tracking sales activity and is not confined to the sales department.  There are many ways to accomplish CRM and ERP system integration.  In order for CRM adoption to be successful, these integration points should be considered.  There are many CRM and ERP options out there and not every option has key integration.  For this reason, it is often a good idea to consult your trusted ERP consultant or ERP VAR who works with you to support your ERP or accounting system.  If you work with an experienced ERP specialist who knows about CRM options, this often goes a long way to finding the right tools that are a best fit for your business.  Many ERP consultants specialize in CRM and system integration!  ERPVAR.com is a site where businesses who seek expert advice from certified ERP and CRM consultants can get an unbiased and objective view on the next best steps to take for their business.  Let the team at ERP VAR help you with a free needs assessment and an introduction to a qualified and experienced ERP and CRM professional today!  

by Kathy Graham

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