A Step-By-Step Guide to CRM Integration

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Guide to CRM

Congratulations on choosing the ideal CRM system for your business! You’re not alone, about 91% of companies use CRM. Now that you’ve decided on your journey with CRM, the next step is to integrate the CRM system to blend in with your workflows. 

So, how do you do that?

While Google is the one-stop shop for all solutions, a million guides could overwhelm you. Lucky for you, this step-by-step guide understands what you need to do with your CRM system. Read on to the end for deeper insights.

What Is CRM Integration?

Choosing the perfect CRM software is not as complex. The real challenge lies in making your employees use it. And, this forms part of the integration stage of a CRM system!

The integration entails merging your CRM system with your business platforms.To improve your daily business operations and ensure that every data point stays connected, initiating the CRM integration process is crucial.

Additionally, the success of the CRM integration process relies on the available CRM software with manageable implementations. For instance, your business needs to use a unique and reliabl call center CRM to provide the best-personalized customer experience. CRM for call centers allows the agents to make contact with the customers through several platforms like chat, video calls, SMS, bots, email, apps, and voice recording. What’s good is that; the call center CRM software is effortless to learn during the integration process.

Nonetheless, it’s your choice to benefit your business through CRM integrations that are crucial for your venture.

Let’s get to the detailed guide to implementing CRM in your company.

CRM Integration Process (CRM Call Center Software Integration)

Follow these step-by-step guidelines for a smoother CRM integration.

1. Consult Relevant Decision Makers

Buying and integrating a CRM system is a significant step affecting your business. Therefore, getting everyone on board with the integration process is crucial. If a particular decision maker or department isn’t on the same page as everyone else, the integration process will likely fall flat.

Preferably, appoint an integration coordinator who will oversee the entire process. Also, ensure there’s prompt communication among the entire team. In most cases, relevant decision-makers in a business include:

  • Executives
  • IT supervisors
  • Financial planners
  • Sales managers
  • Marketing managers
  • Customer service supervisors

Also, it would be best to involve your suppliers as decision-makers. Only include the relevant ones that will feel the impact of the CRM integration in the regular operations.

Most importantly, ensure everyone understands the benefits of CRM in call center integration in different departments and the entire business. The accounts manager should also receive a cost-benefit analysis that accurately shows the expected ROI of adopting a CRM call center.

2. Decide How the CRM Will Fit In

To reap the most from your call center CRM software, ensure your CRM data fits and blends well with the existing data and workflow. Therefore, plan how data will reach your call center CRM solution from various departments like sales, marketing, and IT, and flow back to them.

Still, you should know that any other software these other departments might use will have to sync with your call center CRM software. This will help achieve one voice across all relevant departments. 

You can ask your IT team to assist with the mapping out of data flow and fitting in the CRM for the call center. The whole process should happen under the observation of your integration coordinator and relevant heads of departments.

3. Data Collection

After mapping your workflow, you’ll have an overview of all the data sources you need to import into your call center CRM. Note down all these data sources and start the collection process.

Include all data sources, as this will leave out crucial details and lag the integration process. If some data is not in digital format, you may need to digitize them.

4. Configure Settings

Before you import data into your call center CRM software, there are specific settings you’ll need to configure. These settings have your historical information. Hence, configuring them during CRM integration will save you time later on. Still, you can adjust specific settings after importing data, but it’s best to push the time ahead.

Some settings you can configure include:

  • Designs for control panels and reports
  • Integrations with other apps
  • Permits for administrators and authorized users
  • Personalized segments and activities like customer files
  • Security settings
  • User credentials

5. Data Transfer

This is the critical stage of transferring all the data into your CRM call center solution. It would help if you ensured the data format is compatible with your CRM before you proceed.

Transfer data from the correct file type with imported data. Ensure that both the fields in your call center CRM and your file are consistent. Verify that the fields have proper punctuation and length to avoid cutting off data.

You can ask your CRM call center software to guide the data importation process. For those who can’t get assistance, you can check online.

6. Test Your Call Center CRM

Before using your CRM in a call center to serve customers, you should test it to ensure everything works flawlessly. Preferably, test it internally or with a small group before you go into live use. This will help you identify and solve any issues as soon as possible.

To be sure that your business CRM for call center is working correctly, you should;

  • Check a data sample to ensure you completed the data importation process
  • Confirm that all security features are configured correctly
  • Ensure the user interface is straightforward
  • Make sure users can access their accounts
  • Review sample customer reports to verify that analytics tools are working correctly
  • Test the functionality of your CRM solution by performing primary roles like contact searches
  • Test if the integration is working correctly and showing all relevant data

7. Train Your Team

Sufficient training can ensure your call center CRM integration is successful and functional. Before going live with customers, supervisors and customer agents should know how to use the CRM call center. Reliable CRM providers offer staff training and necessary resources.

Good training has to begin with proper documentation. Appoint a team leader to create a list of top tips expected to get out of the CRM call center software.Use the list with tips to train top supervisors and agents. 

8. Monitor Integration Results

Once you deploy your CRM for a call center, you need to monitor the results to ensure your investment is in your favor. Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will track the performance of your call center CRM.

The KPI will identify problem areas that need instant review. You can also make several adjustments to the operating procedures to improve the overall performance. Split tests are a better approach to finding ways to improve the KPIs.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What Is CRM Procedure?

CRM procedure is a customer-focused business strategy that integrates sales, marketing, and customer care operations to create and improve value for the business and its target audience.

  1. What Is The CRM Process Cycle?

A CRM process cycle features four stages; Marketing, Sales, Product, and Support. All the stages work together after the integration process to ensure flawless business operations.

Wrapping Up

A smooth CRM integration process begins with your choice of a CRM system. Also, your CRM software provider plays a significant role in ensuring smooth integration. 

Integration can take a short or long period, depending on your approach. It is always advisable to run a pre-integration and then go for the final call.  Fortunately, CRM software is affordable, depending on the requirements you want to integrate into your business.

Most importantly, remember this: Before you roll out the call center CRM to all the relevant departments, please test it within your customer care department.

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