Social media provides a gateway for both B2B and B2C companies to connect with their customers. Tracking both connections and communications used to be separate from CRM systems, but newly developed integration allows users to take information from both sources and generate useful analytics.
Why Integrate Your CRM and Social Media Channels?
The Pew Research Center reports that 71 percent of all adults use some form of social media. Lithium Technologies also conducted research in conjunction with Harris Polls, and found that today’s customers have high expectations from companies. One of those expectations is lightning-fast responses to online comments and questions.
In addition to organizations building their profile, they are also creating a way to share and distribute knowledge and information. Followers on these social media outlets may choose to inquire, share or ask for follow up on a specific topic or task. The need for an immediate response in a short time span poses a disadvantage for many organizations if there is no one available to monitor these channels.
Marketing departments now have dedicated social media experts who watches for questions, comments, or complaints, and responds quickly to customers who need help through any social media channel.
When your CRM system is integrated with social media, two things occur. First, you can more easily monitor social media channels from your own dashboard without resorting to individual social media sites. This allows information to flow from the various sites directly into your CRM system.
Secondly, you can market consistently across multiple channels. Customers will read the same messages in their direct mail, in the current newsletter, and in social media messages. You can track, measure and monitor your success rate too, providing useful data for to help with future marketing endeavors.
The Future Is Integration
Integration remains the buzzword for CRM systems, as well as for many business systems. The more companies can find solutions that integrate existing systems or provide comprehensive solutions, the better their business intelligence, problem-solving and forecasting abilities.
Staying connected, getting to know your people better and having them learn more about you are some of the biggest advantages to linking your organization to social media outlets. Utilize their benefits when connected to CRM solutions providers such as Sage and Salesforce
To learn more, contact BAASS Business Solutions. We help match solutions to your business requirements. Call us at 1-866-260-5302.
