CRM integration with online store: how to increase sales and improve performance with customers

Do you want your online store to develop, the number of orders to grow, and your business to operate smoothly? Install CRM software that automates all processes related to customers. And it's not just about selling goods, but also about building a competent marketing campaign, creating reports, and analytics. In this article, we will talk about what makes a CRM system interesting for an online store and how to successfully implement it in your business.

What is CRM and why integrate it into an online store

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management, which translates as "customer relationship management". Software integration involves not only installing and configuring it on employees' PCs, but also connecting to various communication channels - phones, chat bots, social networks, etc.

Thus, after integration, the system collects data from all divisions of the company, which allows you to fully control all business processes, including:

• form a single database where all information about customers and their interactions with the company will be collected;
• create a card with personal data (lead) for each client. This allows any manager who has access to the database to quickly find out who he is talking to and to resolve all issues correctly;
• monitor the quality of employees' work by tracking objective statistics;
• analyze the needs and requests of clients and respond to them correctly;
• create individual offers for customers taking into account their requests, order history and search.

Is it possible to do without integrating a CRM system? Yes, if the range is limited or the sales volume is small. But if there are at least 3 managers on staff and the number of product units is steadily growing, you cannot do without integrating the system.

How does a CRM system improve the productivity of working with customers?

CRM system integration for online stores helps to establish all business processes related to the purchase of goods and competently build a marketing campaign. But these are not all the advantages.

Database

If a client has left their contact information at least once, this information is immediately entered into the database. The system opens a personal card, where not only the full name is indicated, but also the entire history of interactions with the company - purchases, returns, complaints, other information.

It works like this:

• When a buyer calls, the employee immediately sees whose phone number is displayed in the database and opens the customer card;
• The history of interaction helps the manager navigate and understand how to resolve the issue. For example, these may be problems with delivery, when the goods are lost in transit;
• All information about the call is also entered into the customer card for subsequent use.

Based on the data stored in the database, information about buyers can be sorted by category. For example:

• Potential buyer;
• A customer who made 1 purchase;
• Regular buyer.

You can also sort based on requests, interests, in order to subsequently create an individual offer.

Sales management

Synchronization with the online store helps to fully automate the sales system:

• centralize data and store information about the client in one place;
• send individual offers, remind about promotions, discounts;
• track sales stages, from the customer's interest in the product to delivery;
• improve customer service by quickly processing requests, providing the necessary information, and promptly resolving problems;
• use analysis tools to forecast demand, customer behavior, and evaluate the effectiveness of various advertising.

Synchronization with an online store makes it possible to competently form a sales funnel, which begins with the first acquaintance with the product and ends with the purchase, and guide the client through it. At each stage, the software prompts the manager what he should do - approve the order, check the payment, send the goods.

Improving the work of the sales department

Integration with the system allows you to objectively evaluate the manager's work thanks to the reports provided by the CRM. For example, if he has closed insufficient orders, the history of communication with clients will help to identify the problem and, if possible, eliminate it. This improves the efficiency of a specific employee and the sales department as a whole.

Assortment tracking

Situations when a client orders a product and it is not in stock are extremely unpleasant and negatively affect subsequent purchases. This way you can simply lose a client who will go to a competitor.

CRM integration for online stores is beneficial because it helps track orders and determine whether the required product is in stock. This works especially well in combination with a warehouse management system (WMS), which automatically determines the availability and location of each product unit. This helps avoid situations where the ordered product is not available.

Marketing automation

Integrating CRM into an online store allows you to achieve incredible results in promoting your business due to the following:

• the system allows you to divide customers into groups and set up an advertising campaign based on their needs, creating personalized offers;
• CRM automates e-mail distribution, sending letters to customers from the database. With its help, you can send both information about a purchase and reminders about promotions, product updates. You can also control advertising messages via SMS or messengers;
• CRM systems offer tools that track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns in real time, including conversions, whether letters are opened. This allows you to quickly make changes to the strategy to improve results;
• Based on data from the CRM, you can launch repeated advertising for customers if they showed interest in certain products or services, but did not buy. To return customers, you can effectively use targeted advertising on different platforms;
• integration with CRM automates loyalty program management, including accrual of points for purchases, inviting friends, participation in promotions.

Thus, the cost of developing an online store justifies itself here too. Automation of its work improves interaction with customers, and at the same time - increases income.

Automation of document flow

Integration of an online store with CRM significantly simplifies work with documents, which effectively affects business development:

• all documents are stored centrally, in one place, including contracts, invoices, agreements. Each employee has their own level of access, so you can not be afraid that confidential information will get to them;
• automation of the online store allows you to filter questionnaires, statements, reports by different parameters, which speeds up their search;
• creation of documents based on templates that are filled with data from the CRM, which reduces the likelihood of errors and saves time that the employee spends on filling them out manually;
• CRM can be integrated with systems that allow you to put an electronic signature so that customers can certify online without leaving the program. This speeds up the process of signing contracts and other documents;
• integration with CRM allows you to track changes in documents and save all versions of files. This provides control over the editing process, return to the previous version. And also makes it possible to find out who intentionally or by mistake entered incorrect data;
• CRM can be integrated with accounting systems, which simplifies accounting and reduces the number of errors in manual data entry.

The best CRM systems for an online store provide high security, so you can not be afraid of unauthorized access.

Types of CRM systems for online stores

Depending on where the server is located, there are 2 types of CRM systems:

• cloud CRM — all data is stored in the cloud, on the server of the system manufacturer. Therefore, you can log in to the program from anywhere in the world, if you have the Internet, a smartphone and a password. Such CRM usually have a license that must be updated regularly. This is an excellent option for integrating the system into the work of small and medium businesses;
• CRM in a box — the program is installed on the company's server, and access to it can only be obtained from work computers, which ensures high security. Such systems offer many features that are not available for cloud CRM, but are more expensive. There is no subscription fee after CRM integration. You only need to pay for such a package once, but you usually need to buy updates. Suitable for medium and large businesses.

A website can be developed based on any package. The price for creating an online store directly depends on the selected system.

To attract customers, manufacturers often offer the integration of a free package. Its capabilities are very limited, but it still gives a general idea of ​​​​the product. You can also order the implementation of a basic, standard or professional package, which will help to optimize the processes of the online store as much as possible. Each manufacturer calls them differently, but the essence remains the same - the more expensive the package, the more opportunities.

What problems can arise when integrating CRM into an online store

Integrating a system with a website is a complex and difficult process, since even with the correct settings, problems can arise. Among the reasons:

• lack of an administrator who will monitor the operation of the system, identify errors and fix them;
• refusal to train employees under the pretext that they will be able to master the software themselves;
• use of old programs that are poorly compatible with new software;
• use of applications that are not related to CRM, due to which information is not entered into the common database;
• too cheap a license, lack of necessary functions.

Therefore, it is very important to entrust the integration of CRM to professionals and fully follow their recommendations when the system is connected to the online store.

CRM integration with an online store with MEGASITE

To implement CRM in your online store, contact the IT company MEGASITE. Our experienced specialists perform turnkey work:

• before choosing a CRM for an online store, we determine the purpose of its installation, functions, what issues it should solve;
• select a CRM that best meets the needs of the business. The price for developing an online store directly depends on this;
• implement the system in the company's work - install software, configure functions, tools;
• transfer data from other programs to CRM;
• integrate applications compatible with the system;
• train staff to use the software;
• provide technical support after installation - eliminate failures, add new tools.

To order CRM integration into an online store, contact the MEGASITE manager. To do this, leave a request on our website or call +38 (050) 3986 274.