5 key benefits of ERP & CRM integration

By Mukesh Variyani October 18, 2019 Business

Benefits of ERP and CRM integration

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) are booming software technologies that have great potential in their own ways. ERP focusses on accounts, purchases, supply chain, inventory, and other core backend operations. CRM, on the other hand, deals with customer-centric operations to build profitable relationships. Implementing an ERP to streamline your business processes and CRM software to enhance customer satisfaction is a great strategy. Having them implemented separately will not give enough benefits compared to what you will have with their powerful integration. ERP and CRM integration will foster overall transparency in your enterprise by bridging the gaps and prevent your departments from getting prey to information silos.

Benefits of erp and crm integration

1. Let go of the duplicate entries and errors!

While working in disparate systems by implementing ERP and CRM separately, users will have to enter the same data into two different databases. This is a monotonous task that will surely hamper the productivity of your employees. It will also increase the possibility of errors. ERP and CRM integration will eliminate the tedious task of entering duplicate entries. This is because your enterprise will now have a single database for all your departments. Hence, any changes made in one of the systems will automatically get reflected in the other one as well. Humans are prone to making errors. Integrating and having everyone on the same page not only reduces the risk of errors but also boosts the productivity of your employees.

2. Get a complete insight into customer records

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Every contact with a customer influences whether or not they will come back. We have to be great every time or else we will lose them.

- Kevin Stirtz

The intense competition among growing businesses makes the customer experience an important parameter that distinguishes them. ERP and CRM integration provides a 360-degree view of your customer so that you have all the necessary information at your disposal. You can get a complete insight into customer history, payments, buying patterns, and product preferences. How fast and effective the sales call will be if the customer wants to have any information, like the status of his order, and the caller has all the right information at his fingertips! A common database for ERP and CRM provides ways to help you to cater to your customer needs and enhance their relationship with your company. This retains your existing customers and builds your business reputation.

3. Have increased visibility and transparency

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Companies are looking for new ways to combine their various silos of information into a single view that can help them make better decisions, reduce costs and improve time-to-value.

- Mike Rhodin

Storing data in different systems is time-consuming and makes your departments work as separate entities. This creates a virtual boundary within your organization and creates information silos. It also affects the visibility of the processes and hinders your ability to make informed decisions. ERP and CRM integration gives you better interdepartmental collaboration and communication. All the detailed information related to your customers will be stored in a single database throughout your enterprise. This will ensure that your departments are using the same information and working towards the same goal. Access to real-time information gives clear visibility of business processes, provides accurate data and helps you make decisions without any hesitation.

4. Streamline your business processes

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All we are looking at is the timeline from the moment the customer gives an order to the point cash is collected and reducing the timeline by removing non-value-added wastes.

- Taichi Ohno

With ERP and CRM integration, there is a streamlined flow of information across your enterprise. For example, consider there is a proposal for an order created in the CRM. This will automatically be turned into an actual order which can be processed in the ERP software. Such integration saves a lot of time to process the order and helps to effectively manage inventory and quote. A seamless flow of data ensures quick and timely shipments, thereby also increasing customer satisfaction. Delivering products on time helps you gain a competitive advantage and uplifts your image. With a single database for ERP and CRM, you have to enter or edit the data only once. This provides accuracy and agility in your business processes and reduces the risk of time wasted on errors.

5. Spend your time, money and energy wisely

If you implement ERP and CRM software separately, consider the number of training sessions that will be required to adapt to two different software technologies and also the amount of cost involved. You will have to bear the expenses and ensure proper maintenance of both the systems. You might also face resistance from your staff due to excessive training and to use multiple software. If you integrate, you can significantly reduce your IT support costs. ERP and CRM integration will not only save costs but also save a lot of your time and help your employees spend their energy wisely. Having a single database for both software will help you in doing better analysis of the data and in making the right decisions that give maximum returns.

Conclusion

It is feasible to manage and get access to all the data when business is in its infancy. But as the business grows amid fierce competition, a lot of data has to be handled and complexities start to undermine your ability to manage everything at ease. At the same time, the rising customer demands call for effective ways to store their data and provide them high-quality services. There are several benefits of standalone ERP Software as well as standalone CRM software, but integrating them creates new growth opportunities for businesses and helps them put an end to all the perplexities.

mukesh

Mukesh Variyani

MD, Finbyz Tech Pvt Ltd

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