Out of the box CRM software works for some companies, but others require customization in order to conduct business as usual. Which category do you fall under? Well there are a few questions you should ask yourself to find the answer to that main question.

1. First of all, exactly what do you need your CRM software to do? Will it be the one and only system in place at your company? If so, then simple may be better for you. Out of the box CRM can help you manage your customer base, projects, sales and even help with marketing efforts. But if you already have a few systems in place, such as for your financials or inventory management, you may need to look at customizing your CRM software so it seamlessly integrates with what you already have in place. If you have disparate systems, this can cause confusion and a lot of headaches down the road. The more data you place in each system, the harder it is to maintain a real-time and accurate view of your company information.
2. Secondly, how will you use your CRM software? Are your employees remote and then require remote access? Or are you a stationary company that simply accesses CRM in house and nothing more. Deployment options of CRM Software have really skyrocketed the past few years, such as CRM Online, CRM On-premise, Partner hosted and so on.

These two simple questions should get you started to find out whether simple is better for your company. If you need assistance in figuring out the right path for you, contact us at PANGEA Business Solutions. We utilize Warehouse Management System and Microsoft Dynamics® GP & CRM to control inventory, manage accounting functions and customer relations.

By Alexandra Gonzalez with PANGEA Business Solutions, Microsoft Dynamics Partner out of Florida

CRM software helps companies understand, anticipate and respond more efficiently and effectively to their customers’ needs. This is done by tracking every detail about the customer and every interaction your business has had with that customer in a central hub.

This centralized tracking and reporting of your customers allows for more focused follow up and helpful customer service. Having deep insight into what your customer needs at any given moment will make your life easier. With this insight, you can also identify buying trends, detect neglected customers and gauge customer’s preferences. The recent boom of social media has made it essential to stay connected online.

Microsoft Dynamics® CRM meets these requirements of a CRM solution. It also makes engaging the social customer possible through the Social Networking Accelerator for Microsoft Dynamics CRM. With the Social Networking Accelerator, marketing professionals can identify their most influential promoters and better manage the brand. Your sales professionals can discover new leads and zero in on key data points, and customer service agents can proactively identify and address issues.

Centralizing customer info and engaging with them online helps you see your customers more clearly. Contact us here at PANGEA if you are interested in learning more about how Microsoft Dynamics CRM can help you do just that.

By Alexandra Gonzalez with PANGEA Business Solutions, Microsoft Dynamics Partner out of Florida

If you’re a manufacturer, you know that sales, marketing, and service effectiveness will make or break you in today’s global economy. That’s why many of you are turning to customer relationship management (CRM) solutions to create the competitive advantage you seek. Microsoft Dynamics® CRM can create the following possibilities within your manufacturing company:

• Efficiently manage your complex relationships—including partners, direct and indirect sales channels, distributors, retailers, and service providers. By centralizing complete customer information, you can help customer service representatives respond to and resolve issues faster.
• Gain cross-organizational insights and automate processes to drive a consistent customer service experience and boost productivity. Microsoft Dynamics CRM also helps eliminate manual data entry, significantly reducing errors. In addition, Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides sales and service employees with the mobile capabilities they need when working in the field.
• Quickly develop and deploy enterprise applications that streamline and optimize the manufacturing process using the xRM framework. Microsoft Dynamics CRM works as a natural extension of the Microsoft Office Outlook® messaging and collaboration client, helping to drive user adoption.

As manufacturing companies continue to fight increasing customer turnover and higher costs for acquiring and serving customers, they look toward solutions that can support the sales cycle and customer service functions without adding complexity. Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides a cost-effective way to meet these challenges.

By Alexandra Gonzalez, PANGEA Business Solutions