CRM -connecting with customers through social networks

1. Social CRM connecting with customers through social networks
BY
MATHEW JOSE
ASHIK SALIM

2.  Social CRM or social customer relationship management
 Social CRM or social customer relationship management is the integration of social
channels into Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms. Increasingly, CRM
platforms support social media alongside traditional channels so customers can interact
with businesses via their preferred channels. This means better customer service and
marketing in sight gathered from customer social media data.
 Why do businesses need social CRM?
 Social CRM makes it possible for a business to communicate with customers using the
channel of their choice—whether by phone, text, chat, email or social media (e.g.
or Twitter). Off the back of these interactions, a social CRM system helps businesses
richer, actionable insight about customer sentiment on their company, their brand, and
specific products or services.
 The best CRM system are able to take this dynamic customer profile and put it to good
by disseminating that information across different teams, including customer service,
marketing and sales.

3.  Using social CRM for customer service
 Social CRM is used by businesses looking to optimise service levels and the multi-
customer experience. It can help businesses get the basics of customer service right,
responding seamlessly in the way that suits the customer best.
 Today’s consumer expects the same great service from a business regardless of channel.
Customer expectations are rising
 Consumers expect to be able to move easily between channels of communication and
the business to respond promptly and personally in any of them. If the business can
remember them so they don’t have to explain themselves again, even better.
 This is especially important as customers increasingly see social media as the easiest way
raise a service query—telecoms giant BT says that 40% of their feedback from customers
originates on Twitter, for example.
 With social CRM, when a customer chooses to contact a business via a social channel, that
interaction can be tracked and managed in as much detail as a traditional CRM system
track a telephone or email enquiry.

4. The business benefit
 Businesses are able to act more quickly, respond better, and even anticipate customers'
upcoming needs. By enabling businesses to track social interactions with customers using
same sophisticated tools as they use for other touchpoints, companies can deliver faster,
complete resolutions to customer service cases from across the whole business, resulting in
happier customers.
 Social interactions take place on a one-to-one-to-many basis, meaning the way in which the
interaction is resolved can impact directly on brand sentiment.
 A customer service agent dealing directly with a customer on Facebook is engaging in a
personal interaction with a public audience. It’s easy and logical for customers to want to
socially about their service experience afterward, too.

5. What are the benefits of social CRM?
 For the marketing, sales and customer service departments, social CRM can help generate
more leads that turn into happier, satisfied customers who go on to become brand
ambassadors for an organisation. It can change the understanding of brand reach and
perception while providing access to a raft of new information about customer behaviour
and opinions.
Key benefits of social CRM are that it enables a business to:
 Deliver customer support in the online platforms customers use
 Interact and engage with customers in real time
 Resolve issues speedily by monitoring social media for complaints
 Find and reward brand advocates and customers who help others
 Get greater exposure in the places where audiences spend their time
 Increase engagement and deepen relationships with customers

6. The business case for social CRM
 Social CRM has the potential to deliver returns across and between several core business
functions:
Customer service
 By tracking and managing customer contacts across channels and business functions, customer
service teams can deliver dramatically better service and markedly improve resolution times.
 Some 79% of Salesforce customers reported improved customer service, and 63% increased
customer retention – demonstrating that social CRM delivers real commercial benefits.
Sales
 Track each prospect’s progress and location within the sales funnel using a social CRM. Sales
teams can create a personalised experience for specialised users, rather than using the
CRM blanket approach.
 Beyond individualisation, sales teams can expect to see an improvement in retained and
business as customers become recommenders and advocates; and that leads to increased
revenue. In a survey of Salesforce customers, 55% reported increased customer loyalty and 54%
increased sales revenues.