In an increasingly automated and highly-connected world, it is not easy being a small or medium sized enterprise – you need more than just a simple CRM application to remain competitive.

Yes, you need to look for a fully integrated CRM and ERP system which helps you streamline your business from pre-sales all the way to after-sales service.

Your customers hold more power than they ever have

Nowadays your customers exercise significant control over the buying decision with more information, more knowledge, and more choice than ever before. They can go online and find the best deals at the click of a button. Social media alone offers a wide variety of in-depth information about products and services, as well as ratings and reviews of businesses like yours that provide these products and services.

So how do you differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack? By knowing your customers and their needs better, and before your competition does.

A CRM solution which is integrated with cloud ERP will set you apart from your competition. You will have critical customer information including past purchases and service history at your fingertips. Add to this mobile CRM and ERP functionality, and your ability to customise products to specific customer needs increases immensely.

You don’t have to build a solution of your own

With a wide range of choices available for ERP solutions, you don’t have to invest time, resources, and money to write code to satisfy your business needs. Configuration options allow you to pick and choose the services or features that fit your business, and shed those that don’t. Such configuration helps you acquire a lean ERP solution without the bloatware, while addressing the key challenges for your business. Solution providers now offer cloud-based solutions that allow you to add on more access and functionality as and when necessary. Scalability becomes implicit and effortless.

Enterprise-wide collaboration becomes a breeze

An integrated CRM and cloud based ERP system enables the seamless flow of customer data and product information throughout the sales and service process. Your employees can collaborate with each other effectively. Pre-sales, acquisition, servicing, and operational teams will have access to the most up-to-date information at any given point in time. Achieving the best outcome for your business, your employees, and your customers becomes a far easier task.

Customer retention is easier with effective post-sales servicing that can tap into the customer’s history. This allows for customised service offerings tailored to specific customer situations. Mobile ERP enhances this experience with on-the-go capabilities, putting business critical information in the hands of your field staff.

Dashboards provide clarity

Complete integration comes with a clear advantage – you can generate integrated dashboards that provide streamlined access to information. Furthermore, your staff has role-based access to dashboards which provide them with the information they need to deliver effectively. Ultimately, the sales team can manage forecasts, collaborate on quotes, and track results in real-time.

By creating dashboards that cover key deliverables for each discipline from pre-sales to servicing to returns and refunds, you can monitor your business performance online. Empowered with real-time information, you will be able to direct your business operations better, making iterative adjustments to your operating model and streamlining workflows daily.

Hear it from the experts

In a recent study commissioned by Acumatica, the research team identified the top three challenges for SMEs as follows:

• Growing revenue
• Attracting new customers
• Maintaining profitability

Being an SME in a world that sees more and more consolidation every day is challenging enough. Add to this that growing revenue, increasing your customer base, and turning profit are now more challenging than ever while you also try to keep costs down and your existing customers in-house.

Their recommendations are clear – optimise processes that connect your business end-to-end with your customers. Mobile, cloud based ERP systems integrated with a complete CRM solution will provide your business the best chance to compete effectively.

Take your CRM related ERP requirements seriously. Consider solutions that are modular and allow you to use the features most relevant to your business. Give your team the best tools to succeed. Arming your business with a vertically integrated ERP solution will help you raise your competitiveness to a whole new level.