Savvy business execs invest in both customer relationship management software (CRM) and enterprise resource planning applications (ERP); these programs are designed to streamline customer-facing and internal affairs, increasing employee productivity and effectiveness, as well as improving customer relationships.
However, it’s one thing to implement these programs, and another entirely to optimize the programs’ functionality, and ensure your investments are sustainable. For the investment to be fruitful, it’s vital that a business’s ERP and CRM solutions are fully integrated by technology such as RapidiOnline, an agile integration technology that lets you level up your data management solutions.
So Where Do I Start?
There are plenty of benefits to acquiring either an ERP or CRM on its own, though each one will likely be a significant investment, and will require a fundamental shift in operations as staff are brought up to speed on how to navigate and implement their new software. It’s a big step! While some companies opt for both at the same time, others choose one and then acquire the other as demand arises. The benefits of each system are undeniable and unique.
ERP systems are built to help organizations with the following:
- Streamlining the scaling process
- Minimizing operational costs and increase operational efficiency
- Manage accounting and billing
- Acquire 360-degree view of operational aspects and collect mission-critical data for optimized decision-making
Meanwhile, CRMs are geared towards the customer-facing aspects of a business’s operations, such as:
- Organizing and tracking customer data for a more holistic understanding of each customer’s wants and needs
- Boosting sales productivity and optimizing customer service
- Streamlining all customer-facing processes
Separately, these solutions are still quite powerful—but as an integrated force, they are a repository of priceless information for your business intelligence systems.
Are There Reasons Not to Integrate?
What makes some businesses more or less liable to take the jump from separate software to fully integrated systems? At the end of the day, many companies are used to expending the extra time and labor on non-integrated systems. It is a resource and money sink that they’ve built around, and so may have a hard time imagining a better process.
Another common concern is data security, since integration involves external systems interacting with internal ones. On top of this, sometimes the cost of integration is simply too much, especially for newer or smaller companies.
The simple truth is that non-integrated systems will never function as smoothly as integrated systems; data integration removes the threat of harmful data silos and minimizes human error and horizontal redundancy in the forms of repeat data entry. While the up-front cost of a data integration project may seem high, the return on investment is significant; successful data integration helps companies make exponential leaps in growth possible.
The Perks of Successful Data Integration
ERPs provide internal information which is valuable to an organization’s stakeholders, while CRMs supply the initial access point for said stakeholders. When you integrate a CRM such as Salesforce with powerful ERP software such those in Microsoft’s Dynamics suite, the biggest benefit is the ensuing 360-degree customer view. Prospectives, sales, finance, and accounting history all in one place, allowing you and your team to better understand your customers’ wants, purchasing habits, and histories. All of this means clear insight into your customer base, from which your organization can build towards future growth and lasting customer relationships.
Of course, data integration between your CRM and ERP means a tremendous boost in workplace efficiency. Your team will have access to all business-critical information right at their fingertips; armed with the latest and most relevant data, your team-members will be able to respond quickly and intuitively to customer needs and stakeholder requests. In an increasingly competitive market, flexibility and agility are the name of the game; it’s not just the quality and quantity of data that’s important, it’s how your team puts it to use.
Last but certainly not least is the marked reduction in manual routines. Manual data entry is time-consuming and prone to error. When your data can’t be trusted completely, then neither can any decisions that arise from that data. You can see why this is a problem! Improving data quality is a must for any business that wishes to get ahead and stay ahead of the competition. More streamlined processes means a heightened response time to both customer inquiries and problems that may arise, allowing you and your teams to spend more energy and man hours on proactive, revenue-creating projects.
Who Should I Trust to Lead my Data Integration Project?
With over thirty years of experience in the realm of data integration and replication, RapidiOnline is an excellent choice for anyone staring down the barrel of a data integration project. RapidiOnline, Rapidi’s proprietary data integration technology, is a Microsoft-certified integration solution, and Rapidi’s teams are experts in every Microsoft ERP, from GP to Dynamics 365.
If you’re looking to get the most out of your ERP and CRM, integrate them! If you’re looking for the integration experts, Rapidi is your best bet. Able to seamlessly integrate nearly every popular ERP and CRM in use today, Rapidi is even able to craft custom solutions for those who don’t feel like any of their solutions fit quite right out of the box. RapidiOnline is a secure, cost-effective, and robust integration solution that can be implemented in as few as three days.
Salman is a prolific environmental writer, and has authored more than 500 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management, sustainability and conservation all over the world.
Salman can be reached on salman@cleantechloops.com
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