What is Operational CRM and How Does it Impact Sales, Service, and Marketing?

Today, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has assumed a pivotal role in our digital economy. Of the various types of CRM, Operational CRM, which typically supports sales, marketing, and customer service functions within a company, has gained wider application. 

Operational CRM is a centralized system that stores customer, leads, and employee information using a shared interface. It is valuable in bringing together disparate business processes into one comprehensive plan.

It streamlines the customer journey, allowing businesses to measure, analyze, and tailor it in real time.

With CRM, businesses can store data on all their interactions with customers and prospects, which have the potential to improve routine business operations immensely.

For instance, integrating an operational CRM system with a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) system enables real-time measurement and analysis of customer interactions. 

The Role of Operational CRM in Sales, Service, and Marketing 

Operational CRM plays a crucial role across sales, service, and marketing domains. 

A. Sales: One of the challenging parts of using a legacy CRM system is the manual data entry (23%) and tracking the sales pipeline (13%). Operational CRM eases these processes by keeping track of every stage of the sales process. From the initial contact to setting up sales meetings, functional CRM takes the burden off sales representatives and enables the focus to be primarily on closing deals. Automated reporting, lead distribution prioritization, and scheduling meetings are examples of how the CRM system enhances the sales process.

B. Service: Operational CRM also plays an integral role in facilitating customer service functions. It enables automating customer interaction points, like scheduling customer follow-up meetings, tracking problems, and providing support for client self-service. A customer has the potential to be a repeat customer, no matter how long it's been since their last purchase. An operational CRM can track a customer's last purchase and interaction with the company, thereby better tailoring their experience.

C. Marketing: Operational CRM allows for increased efficiency of marketing processes. It provides critical customer data that analyses buying patterns and customer demographics, enabling marketers to tailor their campaigns to these insights. A key benefit here is that it helps facilitate an environment where customers feel ready to buy.

Case Studies: Successes and Lessons from Operational CRM Implementation 

1. Aberdeen Research Group's study gives insights into the powerful impact of operational CRM in sales automation. "Best-in-class" firms that utilize sales automation outperformed lagging firms by 217% in Return on Investment (ROI). Real-world positive business outcomes of CRM implementation include a 52% increase in proposals, quotes, or RFP responses delivered to prospects, a 32% higher overall team attainment of sales quota, and a 23% higher lead conversion rate. 

2. Another exciting revelation is that for every $1 invested in them, Operational CRMs have shown an output of more than $8 of value. That's an impressive 8:1 ROI, which certainly cannot be ignored. It indicates the potential the CRM system has to increase the company's revenue. Not only does it allow for the scaling up of sales teams, but it also gives them tools to close better, thereby increasing revenues. 

The cases above reinforce the crucial role of operational CRM in today's business environment. However, companies also need to remember that just selecting the right CRM software is not enough, but putting it into practice effectively is what counts. Best practices, such as surveying internal sales and support teams and understanding how they interact with leads and customers, are equally important.

Operational CRM undoubtedly offers many benefits like sales automation, support automation, and marketing automation, but companies need to take heed to avoid common CRM implementation pitfalls. With the right approach, operational CRM holds the promise of propelling businesses to a higher echelon of growth and productivity.

Conclusion

In an intensely competitive business environment, effective customer relationship management (CRM) is a game-changer. Particularly in sales, service, and marketing, operational CRM systems offer enhanced automation, better data insights, increased revenue generation, and customized marketing efforts. Numerous successful case studies demonstrate that the power of a well-implemented operational CRM is transformative.

However, it's essential to recognize that adopting an operational CRM system doesn't guarantee a boost in sales or improved customer interactions. 

What matters is the effective utilization and implementation of these systems, staying clear of common pitfalls, and using their vast capabilities to their full potential. An operational CRM system, when used appropriately, can greatly enhance the customer journey, streamline business processes, and ultimately, significantly boost a company's growth and productivity.