subject: Strengthening Customer Relationships Crucial For Smes [print this page] Success of any business - small, medium or large - greatly depends on customer satisfaction and the manner in which an enterprise makes attempts to cater to client requirements and boost customer relationships. It is herein that the concept of customer relationship management (CRM) becomes vital for SMEs to win customers and sustain their growth.
Why CRM is crucial?
CRM is an effective tool for SMEs to take the business forward as it enables them to evaluate their customer base and manage their customer data efficiently and effectively. Given that SMEs need proper planning and a strategic device to expand their footprint as well as retain their old customers, while also winning new clients, CRM becomes imperative in the contemporary set up.
CRM can help an SME evaluate its performance by receiving regular feedback from customers, which enables it to adapt to the changing business scenario and remodel the organisation accordingly, said H Ajmera, proprietor of Marble Kingdom, a small-sized marble exporting unit in Chennai.
The main objective of CRM is to enable SMEs to have a better understanding of the customer requirements and manage customer relationship through the use of software, Web-based integration of business processes and methodologies. Besides, CRM programme provides a swift mechanism to monitor all contact points between a client and the company, thereby reducing the hassles of handling customer complaints.
CRM provides quick means for SMEs to rectify service inadequacies and solve potential problems, said A Sarkar, an executive trainer at Supertech, a Kolkata-based small-sized firm providing training in advanced software programmes.
Besides helping SMEs to gain an insight into customer behaviour and meet their requirements, CRM also helps businesses to simplify sales and marketing processes, while also reducing costs.
