CRMs Aren’t Just For Managing Contacts
There’s a theme showing up in our Operations Audits this year. Everyone we’ve worked with so far has needed to consolidate their tech stack while also needing to reduce errors, create a consistent team and client experience, and improve operational efficiency.
Ironically, we’re in the same boat here at For the Love of Systems. It’s a familiar place that a lot of small businesses find themselves in at some point in their journey.
When this comes up for our clients, one of the first places we often look to is their Client Relationship Management (CRM) software. And if there isn’t one in place already, then it’s almost guaranteed to be a recommendation that we make.
Why is this? Because many of the CRMs on the market today can do so much more than manage contacts.
This is the nature of the “Software as a Service” business model–they’re always striving to make the software better by adding more features. And, sometimes, those feature additions can open up a whole new world of possibilities for how you manage clients.
Today, I’m going to share three common CRM features that can change your approach to client management and enhance your client experience:
Intake Forms & Questionnaires - Utilize your CRM to build intake forms for your leads to fill out before your first conversation with them. These forms can be embedded on your website or sent directly to your leads. When a lead becomes a client, you can use additional forms to collect additional details to ensure a smooth engagement.
Appointment Scheduling - Along with intake forms, leverage Appointment Schedulers to streamline meeting scheduling with leads and clients alike. Enhance your client experience by integrating a scheduler with your lead intake form for a seamless workflow.
Proposals/Contract/Invoices - Streamline your proposal → contract → invoice delivery (including payment processing) by leveraging your CRM. Many CRM will allow you to combine the delivery of these three assets into one, automated workflow, creating an experience for your clients that doesn't involve jumping between different files or using secondary platforms to sign a contract or pay.
If you’re not sure where to start with optimizing your CRM, start by defining your client experience processes. You won’t know where the hidden opportunities lie in your CRM until you have those defined.
And if all that feels like too much, you’re in the right place. Defining processes is our JAM, and something we work with clients on regularly in our Operations Audit.