Disparate systems turn the CRM dream into nightmare

data_breach2The CRM dream of driving customer growth, business productivity and market differentiation appears to still be a long way off, with most firms failing to maximise the value of their systems, a new report from Salesforce claims.

The study, which quizzed 1,500 CRM users across 15 countries, reveals that usage over the past couple of years has remained largely flat.

Almost four in five respondents believe CRM systems should support the entire customer lifecycle, from discovery, to engagement and retention.

However, less than half can say that is currently the case, while almost three-quarters (73%) bemoan the fact that their CRM use is fragmented, with different departments using different systems, which makes sharing information across teams a challenge.

The report also found that most firms struggle to maintain good customer experience with most of their employees working remotely – a situation that could improve if CRM systems were better integrated and more accessible.

Of all the different challenges executives are facing, those surrounding productivity, information access, as well as communication and coordination, seem to be the most significant.

The report concludes: “When unified, accessible CRM systems are the central tool in an employee’s toolkit, they are better able to navigate a remote or flexible workplace while continuing to create great CX for customers.

“And executives can more easily adapt go-to-market strategies to pivot during times of change or uncertainty.”

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