Why Your Company Needs a CRM Project Management Solution
Today’s business landscape is becoming increasingly complex and customer behaviour is evolving rapidly. Customers want more custom-tailored experiences than ever before, and as such, projects are now more multifaceted, involving multiple teams. A robust CRM strategy has never been more important. And the most agile companies that can innovate, consolidate, and adapt will be the ones that gain the advantage.
As businesses grow and the work environment of today’s business world continues to evolve, it’s critical that companies implement solutions that consolidate business processes. Elevating the customer experience is paramount. Tightening up and simplifying business processes means everyone wins. The customer’s needs get met more quickly, and teams are more productive and happier. Providing positive customer relationships and maintaining productive project management practices should go hand in hand. As such, considering the merits of a CRM project management solution is something any enterprise would be wise to do.
Do CRM and project management work well together?
What are the benefits of a CRM project management solution?
Some companies keep their CRM and project management solutions separate. They often use a number of different tools. In fact, 78% of growing SMBs use more than one app to run their business. That said, combining CRM and project management onto one platform can have a multitude of benefits. Here are some of the benefits of implementing a CRM project management solution:
- Cohesive and enriching customer experiences
- Consolidation of processes
- Easier post-sale task management
- Cross-department alignment
Cohesive and enriching customer experiences
Being customer-centric is key to retention and the scaling of your business. Focusing on customers means ensuring they are satisfied. When customers are satisfied, loyalty follows. It’s apparent that maintaining a satisfying customer relationship starts with a sophisticated CRM platform.
Businesses are aware of this, as 42% of SMBs list customer relationship management as a top priority. Above all, managing customer expectations and swiftly addressing their concerns comes down to getting the right people involved. And doing this seamlessly means having a project management solution built on your CRM platform. With an integrated project management and CRM solution, you’ll be able to better serve customers and give those working to resolve their problems an in-depth look into their journey and specific concerns. Managing a relationship starts by understanding it, and that’s what a CRM provides.
Consolidation of processes
Consolidating processes translates to less clutter and more productivity. When employees can perform multiple tasks all in one place, less time is wasted switching programs. Additionally, having both CRM and project management on the same platform means less time and energy spent on getting employees acquainted with multiple systems. That’s not to mention the money it costs to have a license to several different tools. Consolidation can enhance productivity and employee and customer experience.
Easier post-sale task management
Once a sale is closed, a client no longer interfaces with the sales team, but rather with other relevant teams and departments within your organisation. A combined CRM and project management solution makes the transition from prospect to paying client seamless. A project management system built on a CRM platform allows teams to easily understand tasks and projects that relate to cultivating the customer relationship. Workflows can be established and the client can be nurtured and given the service they deserve. It’s all possible with a CRM project management solution.
Cross-department alignment
It’s much easier to align multiple departments around a customer’s needs if they have a clear picture of what those needs are. That’s what you get with a CRM project management solution. In the past, marketing might hear one message and sales another. However, when a clear view of the customer is readily available, there’s little room for misinterpretation of what needs to be done. The result is greater clarity and focus on the customer needs. Any investment you make to better serve your customers is a no-brainer. So it should be with CRM project management.
What makes a good CRM project management solution?
There are many aspects that make up a good project management solution. Ultimately, finding the right one for your situation comes down to understanding the needs of your business. In general, you’ll want a solution that is customisable, flexible, and easy to use. You’ll also want to make sure it easily enables collaboration and document management, and notifies specific individuals when their attention is required on a task. Here’s a more in-depth look at what you should consider.
Your business has unique needs. As such, finding a CRM project management solution that’s customisable is key. At times, a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work for your particular organisation. You want a solution that can be customised around your unique organisational structure.
A good CRM project management solution is flexible. It can accommodate your varying needs. The right system is agile, yet robust. Look for flexibility when you search for the right CRM project management platform for your business.
The project management features should be easy to use. Not only that, they should also fit well with any existing processes you have in place. A solution that you can customise should help you maintain ease of use.
It’s hard to manage projects without collaborating. A good project management solution will include features that make collaboration simple and seamless. Collaborating on solutions with the customer at the center is made easier with a CRM project management solution.
A powerful project management solution will have the ability to create and share documents. Turning to another source for documents might sound more convenient, but having it all in one place can save time.
A CRM project management solution isn’t very useful if teams and employees aren’t notified when a relevant task requires their attention. Find a solution that clearly notifies all concerned parties when they have outstanding tasks. Keeping everyone in the loop is important so that nothing falls through the cracks.
How can Salesforce help with CRM project management?
Salesforce does much more than just customer relationship management. The Salesforce Platform is one that can be tailored to your business. Whether it’s building apps, incorporating AI, checking analytics, or managing projects, Salesforce supports it. How does Salesforce do it when it comes to project management?
Salesforce CRM customisability
The first way to build a robust project management solution on Salesforce is to take advantage of the customisation options on the platform. To fully unlock all the amazing features of the platform, getting a Salesforce consultant on your side is beneficial. They are partners that take time to understand your unique needs and guide you through the process of building a project management solution that fits.
Use an AppExchange solution
AppExchange is a quick and easy way to extend the capabilities of your Salesforce Platform. It offers third-party solutions that have already been built to fill specific use cases. There are a number of options when it comes to project management. TaskRay, Taskfeed, and Mission Control are three great offerings. There are several other affordable and easy-to-use options available if you simply take some time to browse AppExchange.
