Web based CRM systems are great for small to medium companies that just want to get their customer information organized. With a lower barrier to entry compared to the traditional variants of CRM platforms, web based CRM services are rising in popularity. Let’s explore in this article why web based CRM might be a great solution for your business.
What are the 3 Key Types of CRM Systems?
A variety of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions exist in today’s market. Businesses can install a complete system at their site and maintain and control it themselves. If the business prefers not to make such an investment, a hosted CRM solution from a third party is a viable alternative. A third option also exists. Web based CRM to successfully manage and organize a customer base.
For those who are not familiar with the topic, a brief look at CRM is beneficial. CRM is a means for managing a company’s dealings with customers, clients, and sales prospects. Through the use of technology, web based CRM solutions help a company acquire new business, retain the clients it has, bring former clients back into the fold, and enhance the customer service it offers. This is all done with an eye toward reducing costs. The business processes targeted by this web based CRM strategy are CRM for sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support.
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What is a Web Based CRM System?
At first glance, Web based CRM might seem very similar to a hosted CRM solution. While a web based CRM is indeed a hosted solution, all hosted CRM solutions are not web based. Many hosted CRM solutions work in the client-server architecture. A client with a piece of CRM software installed accesses a dedicated server that has been configured on the backend with another piece of the CRM software. The web based CRM client software is needed to access the backend server.
Web based CRM offers a different model. While a backend server still exists, there is no client to install onto a workstation. Users access the client software via a web browser. This significantly reduces the costs involved with the traditional client-server configuration. The customer doesn’t have to purchase any software; it is provided with the Web.
IT doesn’t have to go from workstation to workstation installing a client; if a user needs the software, they simply have to point to the correct URL to begin working. The system as a whole is easy to maintain, as any changes made to the software will be seen throughout the entire system. The entire Web based CRM process is simple to maintain and very cost-effective.
Why does web based CRM matter? If you’re in business, you’re in business to generate a profit. You probably like what you do very much, but the bottom line is still to increase the company’s revenue. Web based CRM provides a very efficient means to do this. Your company still enjoys the benefits of a hosted solution but at a significantly cheaper cost.
What Kind of Companies Use Web Based CRM?
Web based CRM is important for small to medium-sized businesses. Why? Web based CRM allows them to enjoy enterprise features without the cost associated with a full-blown enterprise solution. They enjoy all of the benefits of CRM at a fraction of the cost of an in-house solution or a traditional hosted solution that requires a client installed onto each workstation accessing the software.
In effect, they experience a “double whammy” of savings. Web based CRM itself helps these companies save money by what it does. Add in the additional savings through the use of a web based CRM solution, and you’re looking at a very wise business decision.
A business-savvy customer will take a good hard look at web based CRM to see if it will benefit their company. With the benefits provided by CRM as a whole, as well as the reduced cost of a web based solution combined with a rich feature set, Web based CRM is a solution people should be looking at to save money and raise profits for their businesses.
What Types of Companies Benefit the Most from Web Based CRM?
Web based CRM solutions is quite popular in manufacturing industries, professional services companies, as well as companies that conduct B2B marketing. However, any business with a sales team uses any form of marketing, and businesses that need to generate quotations and invoices can benefit from web based CRM systems.
The main focus of web based CRM compared to hybrid CRM in these settings is to identify various customer behavior trends and assist the business with its marketing efforts by streamlining sales, up-selling, or cross-selling using comprehensive data about the customers. All of this is possible using the reports and analytics generated by web based CRM solutions. Targeted marketing is far more profitable by constantly shooting in the dark with your marketing efforts. Web based CRM platforms are able to save companies great effort and marketing dollars by efficiently helping to target segmented audiences.
Businesses with customer service at the forefront of their branding can greatly benefit from a web based CRM system. web based CRM platforms integrated with your contact center software can ensure that the customers’ inquiries get redirected the correct way to avoid any miscommunication between your staff and the customer. The improved customer experience gained by personalizing customer interactions with pre-recorded customer profiles using a web based CRM can help businesses stand out in a sea of competition.
The overall benefit of using a web based CRM system in these companies is improved efficiency. web based CRM allows businesses to be decentralized and provide the necessary tools to cater to a mobile workforce while ensuring that the standard of quality of your business is not compromised. Integrated marketing automation, project management, and lead-scoring features of web based CRM systems also allow businesses to streamline their processes. Thus, the cost savings incurred from using web based CRM systems can be easily justified by businesses looking to invest in a web based CRM solution.
