There is a saying when it comes to CRM. It take $ 5 to acquire new customer; and if you do not take care of them you may lose them for a $1. Think about that. The rules of engagement with customers are being disrupted at a pace never seen before. Consumers empowered with smart devices is the battle ground to retain and grow market share.
They “buyers” have instant access to your competitor’s offer at the time and location of purchase. Likewise you the “seller” have powerful means of reaching your customers with value add information. Panera has one of the most powerful customer loyalty programs and is now considered the gold standard.
What can a CRM provide to Multi-unit franchise owners?
A franchise is like any other business inasmuch that it relies on customers to be successful.
There are 3 basic functions that a good CRM provides for the owners. They are:
- Find (Profile target customers; promote brand and engage; and build traffic at each location)
- Close Sale (Increase Conversion ratio with compelling offer; deliver promised value; and positive customer experience)
- Retain Customers (Continuous maintenance of quality; introduce new products; communicate regularly with existing customers).
Who are the stakeholders that contribute to your success?
Let’s look at the stakeholders who impact your customer relationship management. Most important are of course the paying customers. Both the franchisee and franchisor have a stake in building the franchise brand at the national and with you at the local level. There is the infrastructure: the look and feel of the physical location combined with technology to increase efficiency and effectiveness. Then come the employees/operators who are customer facing and the buck stops here. And finally all the vendors and suppliers contribute a lot to the make or break of the franchise.
What are the available choices when selecting a CRM?
There are all the legacy, dedicated software programs including spreadsheets; that have been developed over the years. But there have been significant changes rendering these solutions obsolete. Next generation CRM systems have distinct advantages. They have 3 things driving excellence. First is “agile” software that allows continuous improvements particularly as complexity grows. Second these systems are “mobile ready”. Users have access to all the relevant and meaningful information at any time and from anywhere. Third these systems have built in “security” features that keep rogue hackers away.
Another compelling feature of these next generation CRM solutions is that they are fully integrated all the business functions. Data is updated in near real time; information is available as “alerts” on a need to know basis. One such solution is provided by Cloud Based Acumatica ERP.
Highlights of why choose Acumatica Customer Management.
For starters watch this short video:
3 important CRM related differentiators:
- As described earlier this CRM (Customer Relationship Management) works together with the ERP. From marketing to sales and then to customer service you have all the bases and the lifecycle of customer engagement covered.
- Next you have every member of your team with a complete 360-degree view of all customer activities and records. All the content is stored in a single database and is available instantly to your team members.
- Third has to do with visibility. Compelling dashboards and reports are created to allow team members to maximize their productivity. Real-time data helps your sales team manage forecasts, quotas, and results. Acumatica Customer portal feature allows you to offer Panera look alike customer loyalty programs.
Why ASC?
And please contact ASC today for a brief discovery conversation to confirm how Acumatica CRM/ERP can make a difference. You can reach Jim Carroll at jcarroll@solutionsco.com or at 310 508 9700. ASC has tremendous experience in the franchise industry and is ready to assist you. Recently ASC received the Acumatica’s 2017 MVP award.