CRM software is designed to manage interactions with customers, but its application extends far beyond sales automation. Customer relationship management should cover areas such as marketing, customer service, sales and sales partner coordination. The idea is to support all activities that help increase sales, improve customer service (CX) and maintain customer loyalty.
CRM software is flexible and diverse. Why? Because companies' needs are varied and diverse. What a company needs from a CRM system can vary greatly depending on individual requirements and business goals, even if two companies are in the same industry or geographic area. Let's examine the different types of CRM systems.
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CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, is a key tool for significant businesses, enabling them to operate effectively in the marketplace. It's software designed to track, manage and analyze interactions with customers and potential customers.
The types of CRM systems can vary depending on a company's needs and preferences. Here are some popular types of CRM systems:
Choosing the best CRM solution for a company depends on its business needs, the type of interaction with customers and expectations from data analysis. Before choosing, it is worthwhile to carefully analyze the company's needs and the available capabilities of CRM systems to choose the most suitable tool.
CRM systems can be divided into two main types: those dedicated to specific industries (industry-specific) and more general ones that are not strictly tailored to one sector (universal). Industry CRM is tailored to a company's specific needs, for example, banks using this system need to access special functions such as customer balances. In such cases, the software is designed with the specific requirements of the industry in mind.
Universal CRM, on the other hand, is not dedicated to a specific branch of business. It offers basic customer relationship management functions that are commonly used by companies that do not have specific software requirements.
In terms of location, we distinguish between On-premise and SaaS systems. The former is related to software installed on a local or hosted server, while the use of SaaS (Software as a Service) is possible by accessing the application via the Internet. While not long ago, using software remotely was something new, today it is common and standard.
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Operational CRM is based on the belief that a company's success depends on solid relationships with customers and business partners. Therefore, it focuses on streamlining the customer service process and improving the services provided through automation. This type of CRM records and analyzes in detail all interactions with customers, including transactional data and product information. It then makes this information available to various departments, such as human resources, sales, marketing or customer service, in order to improve service and offer better deals to customers.
It will also help improve the company's sales process. Find out what the sales process is and what its stages are
Operational CRM systems have a key role in the company, covering:
The main functions of the operational CRM system include collecting and managing the contact database, automating work and increasing productivity, analyzing and reporting data, coordinating employee activities, and managing company projects and campaigns.
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Analytical CRM systems are a key tool that collects, processes and accurately analyzes data collected by various servers in a company. Their main purpose is to better understand the needs and behavior of customers, enabling them to offer real solutions.
Using analytical CRM, information can be used in a variety of ways to optimize sales efforts. The system filters key information on customer preferences, purchase history and sales performance, allowing you to precisely target offers to the right audience. In addition, it identifies trends in customer behavior over different time periods.
Analytical CRM systems can measure customer satisfaction and spot patterns in customer behavior. This knowledge is then used to communicate with customers, linking to operational CRM. Unlike operational systems, analytical systems focus on the accurate analysis of large data sets.
Analytical CRM systems are particularly helpful in sectors where customer contact is crucial, such as B2C sales and trading, the financial sector and the media.
The main tasks of the analytical CRM include analytical support for the development of new products and services, analysis of the effectiveness of marketing activities, segmentation and creation of customer profiles, sales forecasting, and analysis of the effectiveness and positioning of websites.
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Interactive CRM is a collaboration system that connects a company with customers, suppliers and business partners through various communication solutions. These are tools that help companies nurture relationships with customers, using such means of contact as telephone, fax and e-mail.
This type of CRM supports a variety of customer service processes, typically involving sales, marketing and service activities. It focuses on communication both internally, between different departments of the company, and externally, connecting the company with its customers and business partners. It provides customers with tools through which they can easily get in touch with the company.
Often individual departments within a company operate in isolation, rarely sharing customer information with other teams. This can lead to losses. Interactive CRM enables the transfer of information between departments, saving time for both the company and customers.
New areas of interactive CRM include social media, which strongly influences customer engagement and brand awareness. Solving customer problems on social media platforms strengthens trust in the company.
It supports direct contact with customers, improves communication between departments and increases work efficiency. However, it is only integrated CRM systems, combining these three types of CRM, that become a comprehensive tool, supporting customer relations and the overall operations of the company. Such systems include functionalities that allow the company to effectively achieve its goals.