Shopping for Business Software at the Intersection of Research and Guesswork
CRM is huge. It casts a big shadow. Its scope is enormous; the problems it sets out to solve are legion. So expansive is the real estate occupied by CRM that its precise boundaries have become difficult to survey. For many businesses, incorporating technology into their business practices is a process that involves working with a lot of unknowns. That usually means some combination of research and guesswork.
There is an endless amount of information on the internet about CRM and other business software solutions. The glut of information available on the subject of CRM has an effect on consumers that isn’t always easy to see coming. Because at a certain point it becomes necessary to decide that you know enough and you are ready to make your decision. The point of ‘enough information’ too often ends with the conclusion that “CRM does so much, that I’m sure it will do what I need it to.”
In fact, CRM may not be the best fit for many types of businesses. CRM is great if you have existing customers who require ongoing service. CRM is a great tool for customer retention. But if you are focused on growth, and bringing in new customers, CRM is not the best fit. When choosing a solution, it is important to make a distinction between customers and prospects and decide who you are willing to reach. CRM is a solution that is designed to maintain and nurture existing customer relationships that has been adapted to work also with prospects.
Lead management software is designed to manage relationships with prospects. Lead management helps turn prospects into customers. Lead management helps you be the first on the phone with a prospect. Lead management prioritizes your leads and automates follow up so every prospect gets the attention it deserves. Lead Management has easy to use reports that help you identify lead sources and which team members perform best, and which are under performing.
