A good ERP software is oriented to the integral management of the customer's sales cycle. From the moment he gets to know our brand and, hopefully, places his order, to the management of delivery and payment. A good management of all these processes is vital for the survival and growth of an SME, but undoubtedly, what keeps a company alive is the care of the relationship with our customers.
A management software is necessary to improve the customer experience and, for this, it must have different modules oriented to the management of all the phases of the commercial relationship. Whether we are talking about modules in the strict sense of the word or a unified system that integrates all functionalities, what is really important is that the sales cycle is managed as smoothly as possible.
The reality is that a good customer relationship is not created spontaneously. It is the result of strategic actions at strategic moments. All these processes should be managed through management software. It may be interesting to reflect to determine what are the weak points of your business and thus identify the processes in which a management program can help you to improve the customer experience.
5 ways in which a management software will help you improve customer experience
Customer management
Customer relationship management is an essential component of the order-to-cash process. The best decision an SME can make to improve the customer experience is to opt for a management solution that incorporates CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software tools.
When we talk about customer management, we must analyze two aspects. On the one hand, the management of all the information we have about the customer, which is essential for the correct management of the relationship. We are talking about data such as order history, payment data, company locations, main contacts, etc. Our management system must facilitate the storage of this information in a clear and easy to consult massively. Many companies are faced with the challenge of compiling all this information because, when they decide to incorporate a new, more advanced management system, they realize that this data is in different formats and places. In such cases, it is necessary to make the effort to identify and integrate all these data into the system. This effort makes this information available to all members of the company, especially those who deal with customers on a daily basis and need to consult data regarding the status of orders, shipments, deliveries, etc..
In short, good customer service is largely based on being able to consult information accurately and quickly in order to respond to customer requests and questions.
On the other hand, when we talk about management software with CRM, it is also necessary to have tools that allow us to keep track of potential customers and all the interactions we have made with them in order to identify opportunities. For companies that work with more than a few customers, keeping a manual record or, even worse, from memory, is an impossible task. Only CRM tools will help you detect opportunities, preferences and financial data. All this information allows for better budget planning and revenue forecasting.
Satisfying demand
In order to stand out from the competition in a time-sensitive society, you need to be able to deliver what the customer wants when they want it. If you don't have a product available or are not able to deliver it on time, the chances increase that the customer will choose the competition next time. With ERP, inventory management and resource planning is greatly simplified. With real-time inventory information, you can plan your purchases and orders from suppliers and anticipate demand to meet customer needs.
Having this information also allows you to better manage the resources available to meet that demand, such as the employees available to prepare that order and ship it. This greatly reduces the chances of angering a customer with late delivery or unavailable products.
Order management and processing
Efficient order management allows companies to properly track the status of each order at every stage. If you understand when those orders are placed and how and when they are processed, you have valuable information to improve the customer experience. A good order management system should also help you manage different shipping options, the movements generated in the warehouse or the use of different currencies if applicable.
When selecting a management software it is interesting that you make sure of the following points:
That it improves the customer experience by enabling a more efficient order management process, faster delivery and a more accurate and simpler billing process. The more you take care of all these processes, the more confident your customers will feel about ordering from you in the future. What's more, if any mistakes are made along the way, ERP software should help you fix them faster and more efficiently, which will also have an impact on customer satisfaction. A mistake well solved in time is an opportunity to revalue ourselves in the customer's mind.
It maximizes capital and optimizes collection times. By reducing the number of errors, order processing speed is increased and, therefore, more accurate and on-time invoicing is achieved. The result is a company with better working capital and optimized cash movements.
That improves supply chain efficiency. If you take advantage of your ERP, you can use the information it provides to evaluate inventory, workflow, pricing and market trends. Making good use of this information will help you achieve greater efficiency and a more proactive approach to decision making. In relation to the supply chain, a good system will help you reduce costs thanks to a "cleaner" inventory (eliminating wasted materials, effort and time) and the detection of alternative suppliers to call on, if needed, for the rapid procurement of products and materials.
Improved team management. If your ERP system allows connection to an online platform for customer ordering, the company can greatly improve team management. It is a good way to automate orders and focus them quickly where the resources are available to meet the demand and carry out the operation satisfactorily. This order management model allows the company to meet customer needs and expectations efficiently.
Invoice management
When sending invoices to our customers the use of technology and some form of automation is preferable to manual sending. Automation allows for better tracking and helps cut collection times.
A consistent ERP solution will incorporate some form of billing automation. Ideally, the ERP should also incorporate some method of delivering and sending invoices, such as automatic e-mail delivery. In this way, we avoid errors and delays in payments.
In addition, by allowing you to track the status of each invoice, from the time it is sent to the time it is collected, the management systems will help you identify and eliminate possible billing errors before they reach the customer.
Payment and customer account management
Proper management of customer payments is one of the most important processes, as it is the key to a healthy business. To do this, the key is to find a management software that facilitates the customer payment process and allows you to easily associate each payment to each customer.
It may seem to many that the payment process is no mystery, but the truth is that, for many companies, it can be quite a challenge. Even when we have implemented a new system, it can be difficult to keep those processes streamlined. The reason is that many workers are reluctant to adapt to new processes and maintain their previous way of working, which is usually obsolete and inefficient. In this sense, good change management by management is essential.
ERP software helps you manage multiple operations within a company, but undoubtedly, the area that has the greatest impact throughout all departments is customer loyalty. What will really determine whether a customer repeats with your company is the experience they have throughout the entire purchasing process. As you have seen, the most effective way to improve the customer experience is through a management software that integrates all areas and the entire sales cycle from beginning to end.
A management software is necessary to improve the customer experience and, for this, it must have different modules oriented to the management of all the phases of the commercial relationship. Whether we are talking about modules in the strict sense of the word or a unified system that integrates all functionalities, what is really important is that the sales cycle is managed as smoothly as possible.
The reality is that a good customer relationship is not created spontaneously. It is the result of strategic actions at strategic moments. All these processes should be managed through management software. It may be interesting to reflect to determine what are the weak points of your business and thus identify the processes in which a management program can help you to improve the customer experience.
5 ways in which a management software will help you improve customer experience
Customer management
Customer relationship management is an essential component of the order-to-cash process. The best decision an SME can make to improve the customer experience is to opt for a management solution that incorporates CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software tools.
When we talk about customer management, we must analyze two aspects. On the one hand, the management of all the information we have about the customer, which is essential for the correct management of the relationship. We are talking about data such as order history, payment data, company locations, main contacts, etc. Our management system must facilitate the storage of this information in a clear and easy to consult massively. Many companies are faced with the challenge of compiling all this information because, when they decide to incorporate a new, more advanced management system, they realize that this data is in different formats and places. In such cases, it is necessary to make the effort to identify and integrate all these data into the system. This effort makes this information available to all members of the company, especially those who deal with customers on a daily basis and need to consult data regarding the status of orders, shipments, deliveries, etc..
In short, good customer service is largely based on being able to consult information accurately and quickly in order to respond to customer requests and questions.
On the other hand, when we talk about management software with CRM, it is also necessary to have tools that allow us to keep track of potential customers and all the interactions we have made with them in order to identify opportunities. For companies that work with more than a few customers, keeping a manual record or, even worse, from memory, is an impossible task. Only CRM tools will help you detect opportunities, preferences and financial data. All this information allows for better budget planning and revenue forecasting.
Satisfying demand
In order to stand out from the competition in a time-sensitive society, you need to be able to deliver what the customer wants when they want it. If you don't have a product available or are not able to deliver it on time, the chances increase that the customer will choose the competition next time. With ERP, inventory management and resource planning is greatly simplified. With real-time inventory information, you can plan your purchases and orders from suppliers and anticipate demand to meet customer needs.
Having this information also allows you to better manage the resources available to meet that demand, such as the employees available to prepare that order and ship it. This greatly reduces the chances of angering a customer with late delivery or unavailable products.
Order management and processing
Efficient order management allows companies to properly track the status of each order at every stage. If you understand when those orders are placed and how and when they are processed, you have valuable information to improve the customer experience. A good order management system should also help you manage different shipping options, the movements generated in the warehouse or the use of different currencies if applicable.
When selecting a management software it is interesting that you make sure of the following points:
That it improves the customer experience by enabling a more efficient order management process, faster delivery and a more accurate and simpler billing process. The more you take care of all these processes, the more confident your customers will feel about ordering from you in the future. What's more, if any mistakes are made along the way, ERP software should help you fix them faster and more efficiently, which will also have an impact on customer satisfaction. A mistake well solved in time is an opportunity to revalue ourselves in the customer's mind.
It maximizes capital and optimizes collection times. By reducing the number of errors, order processing speed is increased and, therefore, more accurate and on-time invoicing is achieved. The result is a company with better working capital and optimized cash movements.
That improves supply chain efficiency. If you take advantage of your ERP, you can use the information it provides to evaluate inventory, workflow, pricing and market trends. Making good use of this information will help you achieve greater efficiency and a more proactive approach to decision making. In relation to the supply chain, a good system will help you reduce costs thanks to a "cleaner" inventory (eliminating wasted materials, effort and time) and the detection of alternative suppliers to call on, if needed, for the rapid procurement of products and materials.
Improved team management. If your ERP system allows connection to an online platform for customer ordering, the company can greatly improve team management. It is a good way to automate orders and focus them quickly where the resources are available to meet the demand and carry out the operation satisfactorily. This order management model allows the company to meet customer needs and expectations efficiently.
Invoice management
When sending invoices to our customers the use of technology and some form of automation is preferable to manual sending. Automation allows for better tracking and helps cut collection times.
A consistent ERP solution will incorporate some form of billing automation. Ideally, the ERP should also incorporate some method of delivering and sending invoices, such as automatic e-mail delivery. In this way, we avoid errors and delays in payments.
In addition, by allowing you to track the status of each invoice, from the time it is sent to the time it is collected, the management systems will help you identify and eliminate possible billing errors before they reach the customer.
Payment and customer account management
Proper management of customer payments is one of the most important processes, as it is the key to a healthy business. To do this, the key is to find a management software that facilitates the customer payment process and allows you to easily associate each payment to each customer.
It may seem to many that the payment process is no mystery, but the truth is that, for many companies, it can be quite a challenge. Even when we have implemented a new system, it can be difficult to keep those processes streamlined. The reason is that many workers are reluctant to adapt to new processes and maintain their previous way of working, which is usually obsolete and inefficient. In this sense, good change management by management is essential.
ERP software helps you manage multiple operations within a company, but undoubtedly, the area that has the greatest impact throughout all departments is customer loyalty. What will really determine whether a customer repeats with your company is the experience they have throughout the entire purchasing process. As you have seen, the most effective way to improve the customer experience is through a management software that integrates all areas and the entire sales cycle from beginning to end.