Our 6 Top Predictions for 2021 CRM Marketing Trends
Business profitability has certainly been tested in 2020, but one area will only grow in importance as companies enter the new year: quality customer relationships.
A key in managing customer interactions successfully and efficiently is Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, technology. Innovations in the area only continue to grow as tools become smarter and easier to access.
We’ve come up with six of our top predictions for 2021 CRM marketing trends that any business owner should be aware of.
CRM as a Widespread Tool
As CRM software becomes easier to access and operate, and integrations grow across digital applications and existing frameworks, businesses that use CRM will no longer be cutting edge. CRM systems will be essential to the customer experience.
Automation and AI
A CRM system is more than a way to track and manage customer interactions. The best systems will automate formerly time-consuming manual processes and tasks to benefit the consumer and the company’s bottom line.
Artificial intelligence is one of the future CRM trends that will become an essential improvement in systems already operating in the business space, only increasing efficiency as systems start using real-time data. Think sales segments tailored to targeted customer groups, customer service available at the touch of a button rather than interactions with a sales representative, and automated processes following purchases that are fast and responsive.
Making it easier for customers to have their needs met, even if it means interacting with a CRM system rather than a customer service representative, is a welcome trend. Ensuring those processes are seamless, do the work expected, and make the customer feel a sense of authentic engagement with a company, will be the challenge moving forward.
Customized Customer Experiences
There is a growing expectation that companies know a thing or two about their returning customers. CRM marketing trends will then always include communication catered to the customer experience, which helps businesses build long-term customer relationships.
Customization also lends itself to more consistency, as customers will know what to expect in interactions with a company that appears to value previous interactions, and is a better way to measure customer intent. Purchase histories will be made easily available, in addition to additional information that may offer added insight into what a customer needs not only in the moment but in the future.
Trinity develops custom CRM’s using the Quickbase platform, ensuring seamless integration and custom solutions that fit a company’s needs and their customers’ preferences.
Social Media Integration
Digital integration as one of the future trends in CRM includes social media as part of that landscape and using social networking to reach both regular and potential customers in a more meaningful way.
As social media has become an integral part of business strategies overall, additional focus in that area could allow for businesses to address customer concerns, reactions to products, and market to potential consumers in real-time. It’s also a smart return on a company’s investment, so the focus on social media is here to stay.
Advanced Analytics
CRM systems continue to evolve in the kind of data made available to address, even predict, customer needs. Analytics will then become even easier to include in company-wide decisions about products, where employees’ should focus their energies to boost not only the customer experience, but sales, and how to personalize the customer experience better.
Customer preference data can then be used in targeted sales and a way to ensure that companies are remaining cognizant of how customers have engaged with the company in the past.
Mobile Optimization
Trends toward remote work appear here to stay, which has made it even more important to ensure systems in place are accessible, no matter where an employee is working from. One trend we will see is CRM systems focusing on mobile optimization. This allows for easy access to data and increased productivity.
How systems address potential risks of remote environments, namely security and tech challenges, could be the challenges innovative CRM systems look to address.
Trinity Can Meet Your CRM Software Needs
Trinity is focused on creating customized solutions to meet client needs, particularly as they relate to the customer experience. Explore what we’ve done in the custom CRM application space, improving data tracking for our clients and creating a program that has led to company-wide improvements. Improve your efficiency and customer communication with support from a provider of flexible, customized solutions.