Why You Should Integrate a Phone System with Your CRM

 

If you’ve invested in a customer relationship management (CRM) tool, it makes sense to get the most value for your money, right? What many people don’t know is that a CRM is far more than a piece of software to manage customer interactions. CRMs can integrate with a range of third-party software and systems, from accounting packages and websites to phone systems. Bringing your phone system and CRM together is exactly what we’re going to be talking about in this article.

Why link your CRM with a phone system? Well, there are heaps of reasons, namely improving your business processes to ensure greater efficiency and productivity.

But enough of the buzzwords. Let’s find out exactly why you should integrate your phone system with your CRM.

 

Improve customer communication and reduce response times

How long do you like waiting on the phone when you call a business?

The Office gif. Leslie David Baker as Stanley Hudson looks pointedly across the room, his arms folded over his chest in a way that says, "I'm over this." Text: Still waiting.

If you’re like most of us (and importantly, your customers), chances are you don’t want to listen to hold music for very long. Basically, if you want to improve customer satisfaction levels, a good place to start is by reducing your response times.

Another way to give your customer service levels a boost is by ensuring customers always get consistent information. There’s nothing worse than calling a company and being told different information each time.

When integrated with phone systems, CRMs store records of all customer contact in one place. This means your team members all have access to the same information on one platform. The reality is, that slow response times and a lack of consistent information lead to lost sales and decreased satisfaction – two things you’d ideally want to stay away from.

 

Streamlined functions for operators

When you’ve got your CRM linked with your phone system, life gets so much easier for your staff members.

Remember that all of your customer information, including phone numbers, is sitting right there in your CRM. So, if an operator needs to make an outbound call, it’s simply a matter of clicking the number. No more manually entering phone numbers, or even copying and pasting! Yep, it’s even easier than a copy and paste.

For inbound calls, it’s even better. If a customer calls and their number matches a record in your CRM, their details will automatically populate on the screen. No searching, no delays, and with any luck, no annoyed customers.

 

Better accuracy and efficiency with automation

Manually logging phone calls is so outdated in the modern business landscape, so if your teams are still doing that, we need to have a talk.

CRMs offer automated call logging when integrated with your phone system. For your team members, this means no more manually logging the details of each phone call. Every incoming and outgoing communication is logged behind the scenes, which saves time and also reduces the risk of human error.

If that’s not enough of an efficiency boost, how about this:

Automation isn’t limited to logging phone calls. You can also automate call scheduling, reminders, follow-up alerts and much more. So, no more leads falling through the cracks because of missed follow-ups, and your staff can also plan their day more effectively.

Katy Perry Reaction GIF by American Idol

 

More personalised customer interactions

Just like all of us, your customers just want to feel loved.

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You don’t show customers that they’re valued and appreciated by treating them like a number or only providing them with generic information. Rather, modern businesses must offer more personalised customer service, and it all starts with your CRM.

When you integrate a phone system with your CRM properly, your teams have instant access to all relevant customer information. They can see the history of past phone calls, emails they’ve sent, their order history and so much more.

Not only is it more pleasant for customers when they feel valued on the phone, but your improved service also saves them time. Customer service reps don’t need to search through poorly organised notes and records, because all the information is right there in front of them.

For most customers, no matter how lovely your team members are, less time on the phone is always best.

 

Improved lead management and sales tracking

How many people are familiar with this scenario:

You spend plenty of money on marketing, trying to drive customers to your website and phone lines. It’s working well, and you’re getting more calls than ever.

But your sales figures still aren’t rising.

Video gif. A bearded man sits at the head of a table throws a pen and pops his hands to his face in clear frustration.

This usually occurs because your business processes are flawed and your leads are slipping through the cracks. But integrating your phone system and CRM can change all that.

With automated follow-up scheduling and reminders, no customer is left behind.

In addition, management can easily access customised reports to track sales. Information is updated in real-time, so decisions can be made using the most recent information. Whether it’s tracking an individual’s sales performance or looking much bigger picture, your CRM’s tracking features are invaluable.

 

Remote work and onboarding

In the modern business world, remote work is becoming more and more common. But to manage remote teams well, you need to give people the tools to do their job.

An integrated phone system and CRM makes it easier for staff to log in and work from anywhere, and also helps managers to track and monitor activities throughout the day.

Plus, when you’ve got new staff joining the team, the fewer separate systems there are to learn, the faster you’ll get people up to speed.

 

Record and track calls for compliance and quality assurance

Quality control is an essential part of all business operations. Whether you work in food processing or sales, you need to ensure your customers get the very best of what you offer. For many businesses, this comes down to continuously developing staff to become high-performers.

No employee starts off knowing everything, so performance management is vital. CRMs with integrated phone systems make this a breeze.

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Managers can access call recordings to assist with learning and development. In fact, you can check everything, from call times, the number of calls and more. It’s not about catching people out doing the wrong thing (although from time to time, a CRM may offer this benefit, too), but rather teaching people the most effective techniques to provide great service.

Finally, call tracking is crucial for companies where compliance is essential. If issues arise, your integrated CRM and phone system provides call recordings and other data that can be important when auditing performance.

 

Need help to integrate a phone system with your CRM?

There are countless phone systems available today, and the best ones can be easily integrated into your CRM. With our expert help, of course! Otto Digital specialises in business process optimisation, automation, custom CRMs and much more. If it’s going to improve your daily operations, it’s likely we do it.

Contact our team today for the right advice and tailored software solutions that truly meet your business goals. We’d love to have a chat and understand your needs.