The 3 Types of CRM

Operational CRM (Salesforce)

The idea of an operational CRM is to simplify the processes that form part of the commercial department of an organisation. The right platform will help generate leads and then convert them into customers or contacts. It will also provide the necessary tools to ensure that customers remain loyal to the company over time.

To make this possible it has to have several fundamental features based on automation, focusing on 3 key areas: Marketing, Sales and Services. What operational CRMs do is make it easier for employees to do their jobs, so they can spend their time on more valuable tasks. This way, marketers, for example, will be able to get the help they need in organising their email campaigns, communicating en masse quickly and effectively.

This type of business CRM must also be able to streamline all the steps involved in the sales process. In this way, the staff in charge will be able to interact with the leads in a more professional way, significantly increasing their customer base.

Their automation typically includes customised email scheduling, tools to coordinate meetings with sales reps, and software to manage sales calls. Operational CRMs also make it possible to create sales records and provide greater visibility to make things simpler and easier.

The automation of services creates great customer experiences, such as the ability to coordinate live chats, maintain leads, and help promote the company's brand.

While SMEs can can benefit greatly from an operational CRM, even larger companies can use them to automate their work and stop administrative tasks becoming tedious and monotonous.

Salesforce is an example of an operational CRM. If you want to know what types of licences are available, click on the link above.

Analytical CRM (HubSpot)

This type of CRM is about collecting and analysing information so that companies can better serve their customers. They usually collect important data related to each customer, such as their contact details or preferences.

This platform allows companies to make the most of the data collected for effective marketing campaigns and to provide a quality customer service system.

Data warehousing is an efficient system that analysts use to collect customer data for further analysis. This system keeps current and historical information on each customer and facilitates data extraction, making it easier to handle than conventional databases.

Analytical CRMs also use data mining to obtain relevant information for the benefit of the customer. In this way, the company will be able to get an idea of the life cycle of each user and know how to attract, identify or retain potential customers.

These types of CRM usually offer other effective tools to analyse the data stored, which is assessed in a multidimensional way from different perspectives. This will allow the company to know how customers interact with its website and what their locations are, and to have a rough idea of how and when to obtain leads.

Analytical CRMs are quite technical, but they are perfect for companies that need to know about customer movements.

Examples of analytical CRMs include HubSpot and Pipedrive.

Collaborative CRMs (Zoho)

A collaborative CRM allows information from marketing, sales and service departments to be shared with each other. The purpose of this system is for each department to gain a greater understanding of the wishes, needs and interests of customers.

• Managing interaction is a key component of this platform. What it does is track interactions between business and customers generated through social media, calls or email, among other communication channels.
• Channel management, on the other hand, is a process that uses the information collected and analysed to find the communication systems that best suit the interests of customers.

Companies that tend to use a collaborative CRM are those that need communication between departments to flow in order to ensure success. If a large company does not want to share customer information with the entire organisation, however, this type of system is not for them.

Zoho is an example of a collaborative CRM.

Examples of companies for which each type is best suited?

CRM is the fastest growing type of business software. As there is no standard CRM and each type has its own advantages, it is important to analyse which one is right for your business.

For example, Salesforce, of which NTS is a partner for Spain, as an operational CRM, seeks to simplify the processes that are usually carried out in sales departments. It is a great option for both SMEs and larger companies.

HubSpot and Pipedrive are analytical CRMs that collect and analyse information in an attempt to make your business more responsive to your customers. A company that needs to know the movements of its customers is an example of a company that needs an analytical CRM.

Zoho is a collaborative CRM that helps the different departments of your company share information.

If you are thinking of automating your company's operations, take your time and review the resources of each of these systems before implementing them.