Customer Relationship Management Automated Ordering
Automated Ordering
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) can make life easier for the customer by using a simple automated ordering system. For example, if your business has a catalogue, brochure, etc, your products may have individual ordering codes, say, for a stationery supplier – 200 sheets x A4 paper may have a code of ‘235475′.
When the customer rings up to place an order, after they have entered their id number (allowing the database to recognize their name, address, etc) on the first request, they will then enter the code for the product they wish to order. The next request may ask for quantity and so on.
Once the final order details have been confirmed by the automated service, the details are then passed onto your staff who will compile and ship the order.
Automated sales services are becoming increasingly popular and a further enhancement is the voice recognition.
The principle is the same as above but the only exception is that the customer ’says’ their order, details, etc instead of using the numbers on the phone handset. It is very clever but more prone to mistakes.
Loyalty Cards
Loyalty cards are excellent for keeping track of your customers. These cards are an attempt to create repeat sales from your customers by offering them, say, a free gift or voucher when they spend a certain amount, say, £500.
As you swipe their loyalty card each time they make a purchase, information about the customer is added to the database, which can then be used for marketing purposes.
There has been some debate about loyalty cards, as some businesses believe that they do not promote loyalty, as people like to shop around. This was the case of a major supermarket chain that terminated their loyalty card scheme to invest money into other areas such as price reducing.
And More…
There are many other benefits of using CRM that would turn this article into a novel. You should acknowledge that CRM requires time and money to implement and maintain, but the result of excellent customer relations that it boasts, easily compensates. To purchase or find out more about CRM, have a look at these websites:
Summary
CRM aims to manage customers effectively and efficiently by automating the process of managing customers. CRM offers a range of possibilities that not only helps the customer achieve a better service, but also allows your business to keep tighter control of your customers.
Relevant Articles
- Customer Care & Relations
- How to Make Telephone Sales & Appointments
- Compiling a Mail Shot or Mailshot
Article Index
- Customer Relationship Management CRM
- Automated Ordering
- Related Articles
- Popular Articles in Marketing
