You’re in the market for a new retail CRM system. How do you find the right one?

To find or to search a new CRM system is a 1 Million Dollar question nowadays! System update, deployment and data analysis at the source of our retail network is key and the first step. The big thank you goes to our sales forces, who meet the final client on shop floor and understand their needs and the way to approach them to entertain the ideation of collecting basic data, client sales Behaviour to then build a core program. Budget on retail and marketing becomes heavy on launching a consistent clienteling campaigns throughout the year. Yet once you have the right system. Do you have an alignment from Top to Bottom (from HQ to subsidiaries). Then the strategy to kick off a #uniquecustomerjourney to perform a better listening culture.

I would go a step back and ask. 1) What retail brand are you -> Only Offline (stores); Only Online; or a combination of Stores + e-commerce 2) Data collection on an online store is easy but what about the stores? How diligent is the brand in collecting customer data - by this I mean demographic data 3) If yes, then have the staff at the stores been trained and sensitised to gather customer info (at least name, mobile number or any other parameter required to engage) 4) Will the brand be willing to integrate inventory data. Once this is in place then get into defining what is needed to be achieved (goals).

In my experience, Having a clear view of your firm or company needs in terms of your retail needs, customer management, inventory management, logistics and other functions should inform the decision in selecting a new CRM system to improve productivity, handling of data and other system related processes of your company. Understanding the bulkiness of your current system in relation to integration and migration of your current data into the new system is also important in order to create continued seamless running of the firms operations with minimal disruptions. It is vital to query if the chosen CRM can handle these transitions without stopping of services? Will the developer offer continued technical support? Finally your budget matters,

In selecting a retail CRM, my focus is on: Business Objectives: Boosting sales, improving customer retention, and enhancing operational efficiency. CRM Requirements: Deciding on marketing tools, customer service features, and analytics capabilities. Integration and Scalability: Ensuring compatibility with existing systems and future scalability. User Adoption: Emphasizing user-friendliness and training. Budget & ROI: Setting a budget and evaluating potential ROI. I’ll involve stakeholders and adopt a customer-centric approach to meet these goals.

In my experience, firstly, it is necessary to specify the objectives, to know what one is seeking for my businesss. This is the starting point to understand what and why.

Identify your goals and challenges. Before one can start looking for a retail CRM system, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with it, and what problems you want to solve. For example, do you want to increase customer loyalty, improve sales performance, automate marketing campaigns, or streamline inventory management? Having specific and measurable goals will help you evaluate the features and benefits of different CRM solutions

Having just gone through this process, I can say that assessing where you're at today is key. The grass always seems greener, but many times it's simply about learning more about the system you have. Give your existing platform sales team an opp to keep you. See what happens.

Assessing the current situation is a critical step. Take Starbucks as an example. They identified a need to enhance customer engagement and implemented a CRM system that integrated seamlessly with their existing POS and mobile app. This integration helped them gain deeper insights into customer preferences, leading to more targeted and effective marketing strategies. The Starbucks case illustrates the importance of understanding internal capabilities and customer needs. It also highlights the need for compatibility between a CRM system and existing infrastructures. Budget and implementation time are crucial factors as well, ensuring the chosen solution is both affordable and efficient to deploy.

Researching the right CRM system for any business is crucial and takes planning and time. I would speak with many experienced users for direct real world feedback. By combining insights from experienced users, online reviews, and a focus on customization and scalability, you can make an informed decision.

When comparing retail CRM systems, I began by outlining my goals and requirements. Online reviews, testimonials, and demos helped me understand the features and usability of various options. Seeking feedback from other retailers and contacting vendors for trials and quotes provided valuable insights. Ultimately, I weighed the pros and cons of each system to find the one that best suited my needs.

I would recommend going in for a CRM that offers a CDP as part of its solution. The CDP will help consolidate all relevant data points, provide data analytics, connect with the marketing automation engine, enable customer journeys and have enough intelligence to manage on its own. While self-service models help, it could mean increased team size. Choose a partner who can offer a combination of solutions with services. It can add a lot of value.

Comparing different CRM options is a strategic move, akin to how Nike evaluated various CRM systems before settling on one aligned with their dynamic marketing and customer engagement needs. Nike's approach included analyzing user feedback, functionality, and integration capabilities, ensuring their chosen system resonated with their brand ethos and customer engagement goals. This approach by Nike underscores the value of leveraging diverse sources like online reviews, case studies, and direct feedback from existing users. Also, engaging with vendors for trials or consultations offers firsthand experience of the system's compatibility with your business needs.

I always start by checking CRMs that are designed for my sector or needs. After I read the reviews playing close attention to hints or information about the customer service experience as often you will need to be in touch with them for modifications, improvements and so on. I apply the positive reinforcement rule, where 1 negative reinforcement equals 7 positive ones, therefore 1 negative review equals 7 positive ones and calculate a ratio. Of course you must always first check the system so always ask for a trial, as CRM systems are usually quite wide I request a one month trial and to have an introduction to the system and be shown its features.

Increasingly, with the proliferation of new Saas technologies, and new channels of selling and communicating with customers (e.g messengers), I believe that rather than look for a "CRM", one really needs to identify the functionality and use-cases that your business needs to address. Do you need a 'CRM' to run a loyalty program or for omnichannel customer support, or both? Do you really need a CRM or a CXP or a CDP to address your requirements? First having the clarity on specific functionality needed and how it will impact growth, efficiency or customer experience is essential.

Testing and evaluating a chosen CRM system is a crucial phase. Consider how Target implemented its CRM system. They conducted extensive real-world testing involving staff and customers to ensure the system's usability and effectiveness in meeting their retail needs. Target's methodical approach to testing and evaluation, focusing on user feedback and performance metrics, provided valuable insights into the CRM's impact on their business operations and customer satisfaction. This approach emphasizes the importance of technical assessment, practical application, and user experience.

Selecting a CRM system is crucial as it will be a great help or a nightmare enemy to your progress and work. When shortlisting a CRM I let me team make use of it as well to get a better idea of its strengths and weaknesses. Check availability to keep track of KPIs, metrics & statistical information. A CRMs ability to keep track of data that later you may analice in order to improve is a key factor.

Test and Evaluation stage is basically trial and restructure of CRM The key part of this stage is how much it is user friendly and understandable to our field force or customers with all relevant data for them. Otherwise it becomes more complex for end users and doesn’t serves full purpose. So there feedback should be much validated and restructuring it in much understandable way. Also the training of team and user guidance of same in CRM for customers would be great support in it.

Gestionar tus relaciones con los clientes, prospectos y proveedores desde una sola plataforma. Con un CRM se puede segmentar el cliente objetivo y comunicar con tu público, ofrecer un mejor servicio al cliente, aumentar la retención y optimizar tu inventario

Seek industry-specific expertise and integrations. Retail is a unique and dynamic industry, and you need a CRM system that understands and caters to your specific needs and challenges. Therefore, look for a CRM solution that has industry-specific expertise, features, and best practices, and that can integrate seamlessly with existing retail systems, such as POS, e-commerce, accounting, and inventory. Focus on usability and scalability. The retail CRM system should be easy to use and learn, both for you and the staff. The CRM solution should have a user-friendly interface, intuitive navigation, dashboards and clear instructions. The retail CRM system should be scalable and flexible - get future-ready with an AI-powered CRM.

An often-overlooked aspect in selecting a CRM system is the consideration of future tech advancements and market trends. A prime example is Costco's strategic foresight in their CRM choice. They not only focused on current needs but also anticipated future market shifts and technological integrations, such as AI and big data analytics. This forward-thinking approach ensures their CRM system remains relevant and adaptable. Costco's strategy highlights the importance of looking beyond immediate needs to consider how a CRM can evolve with emerging technologies and changing consumer behaviors. This perspective ensures long-term ROI and sustained competitive advantage.

In my experience many suppliers sell based on their roadmap and not actual functionality. This will often be a point of contention during the deployment. To counteract this I’ve had great success simply stating that unreleased components or features are not to be pitched or discussed during the RFI or RFP stages. A key point to remember when finding the right supplier or service is to remember that in day to day operations it’s rarely the fancy features that makes a difference, it’s the core product and workflows. Fancy features also tends to require more of the tech architecture and might not be feasible to implement in the early stages. Focus on core functionality and day to day operation rather than fancy PowerPoints.

Una cosa que supongo que no contarán los demás: cuando te casas con un sistema tipo CRM (Hubspot, Salesforce, etc..) es para mucho tiempo. Porque una vez lo implementes es muy difícil cambiar a otro sistema. Con esto quiero decir que hay que ver bien los precios y como escalan con el tiempo. En la negociación hay que ser duros con esto que luego vienen los problemas a los pocos a?os. Suerte!

Importante considerar que após todos os passos já citados se faz necessário o acompanhamento das metas definidas e engajamento do time comercial para que a sua base de clientes seja impactada com estratégias exclusivas pensando em revers?o de venda ou fideliza??o dos clientes.