In the world of business, everyone follows a set of rules that take them towards success. While it is commonly quoted that “the customer is always right”, companies often lag behind in providing that quality customer service that is needed. In order to deal with this problem of managing customer queries and demands, businesses have come up with a program that addresses specifically to customer needs. 

The CRM (customer relationship management) program is a tool that aids corporations to organize, collect, and access customer information, with a goal to manage and provide better consumer support. CRM software connects various departments of a company and shares significant real-time data regarding consumers, and has the ability to generate data from marketing, sales, and customer service by keeping it organized. This information is then used for optimizing business programs and retaining consumers.

The task of optimizing business processes and retaining customers is a difficult one, particularly in China where competition is high and new entrants are willing to take over control. This is why CRM software has become a necessity in this highly competitive market. 

However, before a company undertakes the task of choosing a CRM software, it has to keep in mind certain variables, such as software costs, scalability, and business value. Additionally, it should ensure the CRM software that it is choosing is fully integrated into the market so that it can fulfill all customer requirements effectively and efficiently.

The Advantages of CRM Software

When a firm uses a CRM program, it reaps the benefits of a fruitful and productive business. The consumers are able to gain a personalized experience, along with the option to make a complaint if any arises. The CRM software lends the facility of automated data entry as well, which helps a company save its precious time and effort. 

Having the facility of real-time data is a needed one, as it allows a company to develop better relationships with consumers. The experiences acquired through CRM software will definitely make a firm understand the demands of its customers and address them effectively, paving the way for a better relationship with them. Additionally, by using a CRM program, a huge jump can be observed in sales, profits, and the number of customers. In short, CRM software is the best tool a company can employ, if it wants greater profits and sales. 

Western CRM Tools in China

In China, Western Customer Relationship Management tools are not blocked. But it is also true that not all of the CRM tools are considered to be the right choice.

Several CRM programs that are operating in the West might lack Chinese payment methods and connections with Chinese platforms. They might have the complete Chinese translated version missing altogether. In such cases, data collection may not be as systematic as it should be which will ultimately result in weakening the usability of CRM for the business.

CRM Solutions used in China

Some CRM solutions have been jotted out by the experts that are mostly used in China for business integration and are discussed below;

a) SAP

The first top CRM solution is SAP. SAP is known as CRM software that is devoted to supporting “intelligent enterprises” in China. This software can be used by B2C and B2B companies as well.  It is quite helpful in the fields of marketing management, commerce, service, sales, and consumer data, and renowned Chinese corporations such as Tencent, Alibaba, and Baidu are among SAP’s customers.

b) WeChat CRM

WeChat is known as the most essential social media in China today. In fact, it has quickly become one of the most appropriate marketing channels in China. WeChat CRM solution is a perfect way to integrate social media platforms with a CRM program. However, WeChat CRM tools have certain limitations, as it focuses on the WeChat platform only and addresses only those customers who are registered on WeChat.

c) HubSpot

HubSpot is a very good choice for the Chinese market as it enables international organizations to manage their work through one system. Although HubSpot doesn’t have a Chinese version, it is still popularly chosen by organizations to manage their customer relationship management. 

d) Microsoft

Microsoft has CRM software known as “Dynamics 365” consisting of an advanced data collection features. This CRM system is highly customizable and comes with countless features that can be efficiently used for enhancing sales, increase customer services, and improve overall operations.

e) Oracle

Oracle is considered as CRM software of the future. Oracle has introduced a tool that has the ability to deal with several challenges that modern businesses are likely to encounter. The Oracle CRM solution is very progressive and is perfect for large companies comprising a great consumer base and sophisticated work.

f) Salesforce

Salesforce CRM software is optimized for China. Salesforce focuses on updating the software continuously for providing trustworthy performances and scalability.

A Look at the emerging Chinese CRMs

Other than the western CRM software, there are several local Chinese solutions available which can prove to be a wise option for enhancing business operations. Here are a few CRM software which are likely to take over the business landscape of the future.

• Big Cat

Big Cat is a new platform comprising core features that are identical to HubSpot. Unlike western CRM tools though, Big Cat proposes very few core features, which makes it a less flexible solution.

• Xiaoman Keji

Xiaoman Keji focuses on Chinese companies and is designed according to the thinking of Chinese people. However, it is limited in operation as it does not support English.

• Kingdee

Kingdee is local software that features the program in both Chinese and English. It works best when is used with an international team. This solution is very easy to use and is well-integrated with native platforms.

CRM Solutions—what the future holds?

 As far as choosing the right CRM is concerned, the answer lies in a customized approach. Any CRM software that a company chooses will have some limitations of its own. This is the reason it is best to choose a customized CRM software that will address all business concerns effectively.

Customizing CRM software basically means making it more suitable for fulfilling the needs of the business. There are countless ways to customize CRM software. For example, a company might require some additional fields which are unsupported by the platforms but are mandatory for collecting information about the customers. A company can customize its CRM software to fit in the answers and customer queries, addressing those queries which are most commonly registered. 

In other cases, a company can integrate current sales and marketing automation tools for creating a specific situation which will be a significant step towards gaining more profits.

The Last Word

A CRM platform does the work of a whole business operation. Due to the nature of these software, their benefits in the integration of business operations are undeniable. Understandably, companies that have invested in CRM software experience a rise in sales, customer satisfaction, and greater business productivity. The Chinese market is no exception—a company has to choose the most suitable CRM in order to take advantage of the high population and technological advancement in China. This will pave the way for greater business productivity, growth, and excellence that companies aim for globally.