ERP and CRM Integration: They’re Better Together.

10 justifications for ERP and CRM integration.

Our world is full of delicious combinations; peanut butter and jelly, wine and cheese, cookies and milk, chocolate and peanut butter…the list goes on. ERP and CRM integration is just another combination of two great things that are even better when put together. CRM and ERP have both become essential tools for companies across industries and for businesses of all sizes. While each one of these systems is powerful on their own, bringing them together has yields some very impressive and crave-worthy results.

Here’s what you have to gain from an ERP and CRM integration:

1. A single version of the truth: A disconnected system means that your customer information is living in two separate places and what is changed in one is not guaranteed to be changed in the other which can lead to some serious data integrity issues. With an integrated ERP and CRM system you have a full view of each and every customer interaction and the confidence that the information you’re working off of is correct and up to date. When can this be helpful?
2. Less time learning, more time selling: If your employees are required to access and use both an ERP and CRM system separately, that means additional training time and less time selling, marketing, and serving customers.
3. Lower total cost of ownership: If employees are using two separate systems, that means buying two separate licenses. And if you try to cut corners and only buy a few licenses for each your employees will need to call each other to ask for access to the system or to look up information, significantly reducing productivity of both employees. ERP and CRM integration allows users to access information from both systems without increasing the number of licenses you’ll need.
4. Fast and accurate forecasting and sales reporting: When CRM and ERP information is in one place, employees don’t have to waste time manually looking for information in different systems, reconciling the data, and correcting errors. With the integration there is only one version of the truth and reports can be quickly pulled together with information from across the organization.
5. No More re-keying data: Working in separate systems means manually entering and re-entering data; a time consuming job that will inevitably lead to entry errors. With ERP and CRM integration you can eliminate such mistakes and give employees more time to work on value-added activities.
6. Streamlined processes with automated workflow: Integration allows organizations to automate time consuming business steps and processes for sales, service, marketing, and back-office functions to significantly improving employee productivity and consistency.
7. More meaningful interactions: Approaching the right people with the right offer at the right time is the formula for sales and marketing success, but it’s not easy. Together, ERP and CRM organizes information and tells your sales and marketing team everything from past purchases, amount they have spent, potential opportunities, purchasing patterns, and much more. With this information your sales team can approach customers with meaningful information that can help the customer optimize their ordering and bring in more sales. Marketing can use this information to put together smart campaigns geared toward current and prospective customers to those customers who are most likely to buy now and in the future.
8. Stronger customer relationships: With information from both your ERP and CRM systems in one place, you have a 360 degree view of your customers, their needs, their buying habits, and their preferences. With ERP and CRM information at your fingertips, you can determine areas where your relationship can grow and anticipate your customer’s needs- even before they do! What more do you need to deliver outstanding customer service and build lasting relationships?
9. Improved quoting: With the integration your sales team will be able to see the latest pricing on all of your products and services from within CRM including promotional pricing. This can help them better target customers, streamline the quoting process, and ensure accurate quotes and happy customers.
10. Maximized ROI for both systems: Recognizing the ROI of your systems is possible only when people are actually using them, right? Adoption rates of both ERP and CRM are much higher when they are integrated because it makes life easier, not more complicated.

There is a lot more to know about ERP and CRM integration, click below to access our CRM and ERP white papers, learn best practices, watch videos, and much more.

by Jeanne Lee

e2b teknologies is a Microsoft Managed Partner providing cloud-based business software applications and business services to progressive businesses worldwide including ERP/CRM consulting and development, accounts receivable management software, SCM software, B2B e-commerce software, and other business software applications

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