We are starting a new feature each week on  aspect of technology related to an industry, this week it is CRM’s.

A CRM is a tool for companies, especially their sales people to keep track of activity with customers. When I first started in outside sales in 1993, it was a card box and 3 by 5 cards. Over the years it developed into software and technology. I find that using a CRM is valuable, especially as I have aged. A CRM helps a person to keep track of who they talked with which company, and what was talked about. The CRM also can remind you when to call them back, and what to talk about as well

Small businesses are adopting CRM strategies for much the same reason as are larger businesses: In an effort to make their sales efforts more efficient and ultimately more productive. In its essence, CRM technology broadens the act of selling, connecting the individual salesperson into a broad information-gathering mechanism within the company. That data then is used to build customer loyalty and increase customer value over time.

The CRM Solution can keep a sales person productive, and also helps a company keep track of what the sales people did with their day and it also keeps track of all the customers and potential customers that the sales person obtained for the company. It also allows marketing, other sales people and management have a database of potential customers to draw from and market too. There are a variety of solutions available for crm’s or customer relationship managers this one example.