A CRM system is essential ,If you run a business, you know how quickly customer information can get scattered. Sales has one set of details. Accounts has another. Someone else may have spoken to the customer on the phone.
When a customer calls back, your staff need to know what happened before. Otherwise, they may have to ask the same questions again or spend time tracking down the person who dealt with the enquiry.
A CRM system helps solve this problem by keeping customer details, enquiries and activities together. At VirtualNumber, we focus on how Ecirrus CRM can work alongside your business telephone system and compatible accounting software.
The result is a more connected way of managing customer relationships and everyday business tasks.
Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, is the process of managing your interactions with customers and potential clients. CRM software gives your team a central place to record and access customer information.
For example, a customer might phone your sales department to request a quotation. A few days later, they call again to ask about the price or delivery.
If the original conversation was recorded, another employee can check the available details and continue from there. The customer does not have to explain everything again.
This becomes particularly useful when several employees deal with the same customers. It also helps when your business grows and one person can no longer manage every enquiry.
Connect Your CRM to Your Business Telephone System
Your telephone system is an important part of customer service. Clients call to ask questions, place orders, check progress and discuss quotations. However, telephone calls and customer records often sit in separate systems.
Ecirrus CRM can integrate with compatible telephone systems. Depending on the configuration, this can help staff access relevant customer information and associate calls with customer records. All departments have all the same info regarding every client , the system is only as good as the data input from everyone in the team.
Imagine a customer calls about a quotation discussed with a colleague earlier in the week. That colleague may be busy or out of the office. The last thing is to ask if you can call the client back , you would want to assist the client immediately.
With the appropriate integration and up-to-date records, another team member can check the available information and assist the customer. This reduces the need to pass messages around the office or wait for one particular employee. That emplyee may only be available the next day , you lose momentum with the client and a possible sale .
Sales and accounts often need the same customer information, but they use it for different reasons.
Your sales team may need to check an order or quotation. Accounts may need to confirm whether an invoice has been issued or a payment received. If these details are kept in separate systems, employees can lose time asking one another for updates.
Ecirrus includes customer management, sales and finance functions. It also supports connections with external systems, including compatible accounting software.
Depending on the integration, information may be shared between systems to reduce duplicate data entry and make handovers easier. Ecirrus is also easily integrated with your accounting system which also makes any financial documents easily available .
Before choosing an accounting connection, confirm which packages are supported and what information can be synchronised. The available functions depend on the systems involved.
A CRM system is not just a database of customer names and telephone numbers. It helps your team keep track of enquiries, conversations and ongoing work.
Sales can follow up on quotations. Customer service can refer to available customer records. Accounts can manage its responsibilities while working with the information it needs.
Ecirrus also offers wider business management functions, including project management and other operational tools. This can help businesses that want to bring more of their daily activities into one environment.
Of course, the software still needs to be used properly. Staff must update records and follow consistent processes. However, having one place to find information is much easier than relying on spreadsheets, emails and memory. The habit is to update all info from everyone diligently , which in turns makes everybody’s lives a little easier.
It is especially useful when employees work from different locations or several people handle the same customer. Remote employees or just different branches can easily be on the same page.
You may already have a system for recording customer details. The question is whether it gives your team the information they need.
If employees regularly chase updates, repeat questions or struggle to find customer records, it may be time to review your setup.
You do not necessarily need to change every system at once. Start by identifying the tasks that cause the most frustration and the information your staff need to access.
For some businesses, the priority will be customer records. For others, it will be connecting the telephone system to CRM or reducing the gap between sales and accounts.
Ecirrus CRM offers a way to bring customer management together with other business functions. With suitable integrations, it can help your team work with a clearer picture of each customer and the work associated with them.
At VirtualNumber, we provide business telephone solutions and can help you explore how Ecirrus CRM could fit into your business. Both Systems work in sync , as well your emails which is included in our package
We can discuss your telephone requirements, the accounting systems you use and the available integration options. The right setup will depend on your existing systems and the way your team works.
Our multi-user business enterprise option also combines multi-user VoIP and CRM with a .co.za domain and hosting. This provides an option for businesses looking to bring their communication and customer management needs together.
If you want your team to spend less time searching for information and more time helping customers, contact VirtualNumber to discuss your CRM requirements or order the multi-user business enterprise package online.