Why ERP Software for Exports Should Have Integrated CRM Software Solution

If you think carefully enough you will come to realize that ERPs or Enterprise Resource Management solutions were always meant to be accompanied by CRM software. Having said that ,we must concede erp software for exports has proved to be invaluable allies of businesses on their own. But the magic works best when both are part of one software suite and their true potential unleashed.

These days, data is being generated in huge amounts as we speak and write. This has translated into an environment for businesses that far more complex for their owners than ever before. They have to meet the challenge of being able to take correct action and they have to do it fast. Otherwise, their business prospects take a turn for the worse both in terms of short and long term. Customers are faced with an exploding array of choices and are more demanding. Businesses have to respond to their demands or face obliteration. Competition takes the center-stage as hundreds of companies vie for the same money of individual consumers. But that is a natural consequence of the consumer is king model.

So, in order to prevent your business out of gears when that happens, it is far better to opt for a modern and flexible solution that not only has modules that may be customized and scaled easily but has a built-in CRM as well. That is truly the best software for export import business.

All this has resulted in more and more companies realizing that an ERP with a built-in CRM solution is the best option open to them. Today even small and medium-sized businesses are turning to such a breed of ERPs in order to better their business processes. The magic of automation and enhanced management is in full bloom when ERP and CRM are inherently integrated. 

ERPs perform the function of management and automation of back-office tasks while at the same time streamlining their business operations, CRM's look after the front-office machinery that is responsible for interactions with customers, management of the whole pipeline of sales, provide support, conduct up-sell activities, track information regarding customers and come up with dashboards and reports on the whole data collected through their system. CRM's are of great use in simplifying and standardizing all such activities.

But personally, obviously, for valid reasons, the concept of mashing up two different products from two distinct vendors does not seem to me to be that great of an idea. The different products make use of different architectures and the absence of any pre-set standard when it comes to exchange and interaction of data makes them unwieldy and unreliable. Not only does such a solution prove to be prohibitively costly but makes the whole process unnecessarily complex. 

It is a risky decision and I as a business owner am highly unlikely to make such an unwise move. Sometimes companies claim that their solutions have integration compatibility but future updates may break such “integration's” and make the whole system inoperable.

Is Free CRM Software Your Trusted Ally In Running Your Business ?

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The importance of customers in the context of the healthy functioning of a business need not be overstated. But the sad fact is that customer retention is a field where most companies leave a lot to be desired. So, why do exactly customers abandon their previous suppliers?  

Free CRM software for small businesses facilitates the process of keeping and the upward slant of the profit graph. They build strong relationships with prospects and customers alike and even manage them. This reduces the marketing expenditure as there is less pressure to find out new customers. The importance of CRMs thus assumes prime importance for reasons that are all too obvious. CRM's lets the company know what is it exactly that a customer wants and deliver accordingly and in time. 

The Reason Behind Poor Customer Retention

There are many reasons that prevent customers being customers anymore. It is found that about 34% of the time they change localities or the company or client goes out of business. Customers may also flock to other companies which is another main reason in this 34%. But what about the rest. Why do they leave? Unfortunately, it has been found they feel just ignored, plain and simple. There is little or no customer interaction. However, with affordable CRM software solutions that reason may easily be overcome. CRMs help in various ways:

Increase profits

As per Forbes acquiring a new customer is 6 or 7 times costlier than retaining an existing customer. So, companies should try to retain customers for as long as they can.

Productivity Boost

When you want to increase productivity, you can just not let automation keep out of the equation. If you don’t have a CRM system in place, then your sales team is still likely to record data manually and search out different files as and when needed. CRM's automate the whole process giving you all the data you need at the click of the mouse. There is simply no need to waste time by using manuals procedures of doing tasks related to customer relations. This will increase the efficiency of your team and ultimately make it more productive. They can use the saved time to follow up and warm up to leads, thereby acquiring more customers and generating more revenue.

Quality of Customer Service Increases by Leaps and bounds

According to studies only a small fraction, 7%, to be precise follow up on their leads gathered from the internet within the hour. It is a little secret that the sooner you follow up on a lead the more chances you have of converting them to customers. This leads to the undesirable scenario of the availability of plenty of wasted leads. You need to get to them fast and put on a good show about your product. As you well know rival companies are breathing down your neck. CRM's help companies to follow up leads in real time. They send out reminders for following with leads and customers. This gives you a chance to start the relationship with the prospective customer on a solid footing. These are just some of the benefits that make CRM's your trusted allies in running your business.

Picking the Right ERP Software for Export-Import Business

When it comes to taking a pick for the software for export import business which is right for your business you may feel a bit overwhelmed. But when your ERP software for exports needs to have a specific functionality the task can quickly become a headache. Accounting, Inventory, Basic CRM functions are handled by almost all ERPs. But at the same time if still stick to manual procedures in other processes it won’t help your business much. You need to consider not only the ERPs that provide a comprehensive functionality but also which ones can be tailored to suit your needs.

The Factors that need to be considered

If you consider the functions, there are a number of components which are important in an import- export management tool. Tasks like tracking costs, the ability to account for various currencies and customs processing done the automated way fall under their preview. Besides, the functionality you should also consider support, costs and the satisfaction of previous clients with the software tool.

In order to have your inventory costs accurate the software has to take into account landing costs. Such costs are inclusive of taxes, brokerage, freight and duty. Once you have detailed reports about the products cost you can then set an appropriate selling cost for individual products.

If you are operating on a global scale then you just have to deal with multiple currencies. This makes it easier to change your selling price according to cost fluctuations. The scope of human error in calculation is also removed. You just must have software for export import business that keeps a track of what your customers owe you and in which currency and what do you owe them.

Automation of customs procedures saves loads of time which would otherwise have been spent in the manual organization, entry and updating all the relevant information.

Customer satisfaction too should figure prominently in your ERP checklist. Don’t be afraid to ask people using the ERP in order to know its advantages and drawbacks. Let the ERP vendor get acquainted with your business and make a customized pitch. A vendor who understands the needs of your business, as well as the particular industry you operate in, will be in a better position to be of help to you.

Lastly, keep in mind the support factor. If you may need round the clock support does the ERP vendor offer that? Remember that large software companies outsource their support services while a startup will be able to provide a more customized support experience in-house.

To Sign Off

Before you hand over the check for your ERP make sure that the system is best suited for your business processes and industry relevant practices. Some vendors customize their products while others offer specialized modules out of the box. The latter is usually less expensive and chances are that the vendor too is experienced with the needs of your industry.