Technology-driven online brokerage and one of
BRW’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2015, Savvy, discusses why it is time for brokers to ditch Excel spreadsheets in favour of customer relationship management (CRM) software.
Whilst smaller brokers often use spreadsheets to keep track of leads, prospects and applicants, Savvy explains how adopting a CRM will future-proof your business and give you time to focus on nurturing leads and delivering value to your clients.
There are three main reasons why brokers turn to CRMs to handle their customer data, according to Savvy.
The first reason is visibility. It is too large a task to monitor all the emails, purchases and requests your brokerage receives at any given time.
The second reason is accuracy. Your team has correspondence and data of their own, making it difficult to get a complete picture of your customer database, and how it’s tracking.
The third reason is measurement. The data you can see and can track using spreadsheets is often hard to interpret. Being a good broker and operating a good business is all about measurement – if you run your business on assumptions, it can be very bad for business.
CRM software can improve efficiency; help with keeping track of leads and prospects; assist with email campaigns; improve collaboration; and help your company grow.
A CRM can also automate or streamline many manual tasks when it comes to capturing and nurturing leads. If you capture leads via your website, CRMs can integrate with your email or app – such as MailChimp or Campaign Monitor – to send your client a welcome email.
They can set up phone calls or meetings and schedule them into you or your team’s calendar.
Unlike spreadsheets, CRMs also grow as your company grows. Many CRMs offer structures that allow you to add team members and set permissions for different levels of employees. This allows for greater collaboration and an uninterrupted workflow.
The age of “back of the envelope” and “Excel is good enough” is long over. Customer relationship management is another task that doesn’t need to be handled manually.
CRM apps and integrations are a real time-saver in a brokerage that only has so many hours in the day.
