In the last years, mobile technology has gained a prominent role in the success of business sales efforts. Having a team of effective salespeople is not just a matter of finding the talented people; nowadays businesses also need to provide their employees with the right tools for attaining sales objectives. More than ever, knowledge is power, and sales personnel can have access to more useful and structured information about customers by using cloud-based CRM software.
In 2017, we saw increased use of CRM software on mobile devices, a trend which was aided by businesses increasingly adopting cloud-based CRM solutions. This has allowed employees to access the software and crucial sales data anywhere they go on the smart device of their choice. Those who have embraced these technologies have seen a huge improvement in both the adoption of CRM software by their employees and the meeting of sales quotas.
How cloud-based CRM benefits businesses – statistics
91% of companies with more than 11 employees now use CRM software. Offering mobile solutions increases the productivity of the workforce; statistics have shown a rise in productivity of around 15%. Another reason for investing more in CRM is the fact that such measures allow businesses to become GDPR compliant. Aligning with the new European Union Regulation about privacy and data protection is necessary for those Australian businesses which have agreements with customers or suppliers from the EU.
Other statistics about CRM software and its benefits include:
65% of sales reps who have adopted mobile CRM have achieved their sales quotas; just 22% of companies which have not adopted mobile CRM have managed to attain their sales objectives.
The rising use from mobiles and tablets means that 81% of users are now accessing their CRM software from multiple mobile devices.
All these led to the rise of cloud-based software – 87% of businesses use cloud-based CRM software, compared to 12% in 2008.
CRM is the fastest growing software market, with revenues expected to reach over $40 billion in 2018. Furthermore, revenues are expected to reach $80 billion by 2025.
How businesses plan to invest in CRM-related technology
47% of businesses are planning to increase spend on help desk and customer service software. Personalised marketing and social media marketing are also included in companies’ development plans and many businesses have decided to allocate supplementary funds to these areas: 60% of surveyed respondents plan to increase their email marketing budget and 48% are willing to spend more on social media marketing.
The CRM technology-related areas that companies are planning to focus on include customer service, marketing automation, sales force automation, knowledge management, channel management, and call centre. Moreover, 47% of businesses are planning to increase spending on help desk and customer service software.
2018 is the year of the customer
This year the customer is at the centre of digital marketing, more than ever, and it will continue to play a crucial role in the years to come. This means that businesses need to provide a customer-centred experience by using the latest technologies and to understand how prospects research products and services online.
We live in a world where 80% of consumers will research your product online before making a purchase, 87% will use their mobile device to shop, and most prospects will use several channels to interact with your brand, such as social networks, website, and email.
Knowing all of the above, many businesses are trying to reach their audiences on multiple channels, but with poor results. Why does this happen?
Online marketing guides make things look very simple and suggest effective strategies and tactics, and yet the return on investment is most times low.
Data – the answer to most of your sales-related questions
The secret to effective digital marketing is data. Not only do you need to engage potential customers across multiple devices in multiple channels, but you need to take these actions based on the realities of the market and on your prospects’ behaviour. Knowing your customers and their habits is vital. And with cloud-based CRM software, you are able to create a 360-degree overview of each person you connect with. Now this is a good starting point to begin implementing all those effective digital marketing strategies you have learned about – instead of taking disparate actions hoping they will have an influence on your audience, you go directly to your target and never spend a dollar without obtaining the best results.
Zoho One now provided by VMA
One of the most popular and effective cloud-based CRM solutions is Zoho CRM, now also provided by Visual Marketing Australia. We are a Zoho CRM authorised partner and can give you easy access to this app which is ranked number 2 behind Salesforce but at the fraction of the price.
At VMA we offer a One Stop Shop approach and take care of all your digital marketing needs; the implementation of Zoho One allows us to assist with automate business processes across your organisation. Thus, the services we provide help you run your entire business, and you only have to deal with one company for most of your business processes.
By using Zoho One, we have taken the next step towards providing complete services to our clients, as this service consists of 40+ integrated applications. With Zoho One, you can manage, connect, and automate business processes across your organisation. Here are the main benefits of using Zoho One:
Maximise your sales and automate your business processes with the Zoho One CRM that offers all the essential tools a sales team needs to qualify leads, make sales, and retain customers. Zoho One enhances your sales through the following tools:
CRM for a multi-channel approach to modern sales processes
Easy report generation for obtaining useful insights about your business
A dedicated business app for managing your contacts – perfect for those who are not ready for a CRM yet
The SalesInbox mail client designed for sales people
Marketing tools
Create awareness, build your presence to attract an audience, nurture their interest and convert them into happy customers with Zoho One Marketing integrations:
SalesIQ – it enables users to engage website visitors and convert them into customers
Applications for creating, sending, and tracking effective email campaigns
Social features for posting content, interacting with followers, and monitoring social interactions, all in one application
Obtaining customer feedback through surveys
Form builder to increase customer engagement and generate leads
Customer support
The team at Zoho One provides effective assistance to troubleshoot customer issues remotely; support requests are being prioritised and handled by a multi-channel help desk.
Productivity and collaboration
Zoho One offers a range of tools for enabling better communication, collaboration, and content creation for individuals or a team. All this is possible due to the following features:
Projects – for planning and collaborating on projects across teams
Connect – team discussions and resource sharing made easier with a private social network
A browser-based conferencing tool, perfect for demos and presentations
Productivity tools such as a word processor, a cloud spreadsheet, a slide deck creator open to multiple collaborators, file storage, a digital signature app, a note-taking app, and software for securing and managing team passwords.
Finance
Intuitive online accounting software to track the health of your business which includes management software for bills, invoices, subscriptions, inventory and a checkout option for easy collection of online payments. One of the advantages of using finance software from Zoho One is that you can turn receipts into expense reports for quick approvals.
Human resources
Zoho One offers a central place to manage your employees, including managerial approvals, performance management, and recruitment. With Zoho One you will be able to find new talent to grow your company more easily, but you will also be able to handle employee data more effectively.
Business process
Turn unique business processes into custom applications with the multi-platform app builder and a business intelligence tool that delivers in-depth analysis and easy reporting.
Would you like your business to benefit from the huge advantages of cloud-based CRM?
We can help! Visual Marketing Australia has the professionals who can assist your company in implementing cloud-based CRM and all the features presented above or any custom combination based on your unique business needs.
We have recently become an Authorised Consulting Partner for Zoho and we are qualified to assist with the entire Zoho One package for running your business with all the things involved. Contact us now to get the latest sales tools for excellent results.
With over 39 years’ experience in Print Media, Sales and Marketing, Online Services & Marketing plus Financial Service industries. John brings a wealth of knowledge to Visual Marketing Australia. As a Certified Google Partner, his Digital Marketing knowledge includes: Web Design & Development, SEO, Mobile App. Development, Online Marketing, Online Video Marketing and Email Marketing Solutions. With 12 years experience in using Zoho CRM it is a natural progression to become and Authorised Consulting Partner so we can now add Sales and Marketing Automation to the list.
