If you haven’t hopped on the mobile CRM bandwagon yet, you might just be lagging behind in the fast-paced business landscape of 2024. It’s time to kick things into gear and give serious thought to incorporating mobile CRM into your business strategy. But, hold your horses – a hasty approach might lead to frustration.

Aberdeen Group Benchmark Report released in October 2010 found an interesting fact. Before we delve into the details of Mobile CRM, here is some information.

“Sales mobility is not used by all companies, but those that do outperform those that don’t across a multitude of dimensions, including higher revenue, higher customer renewals, larger deals, and more thorough CRM adoption.”

What is mobile CRM?

Mobile CRM allows you to access and update customer data via a cellular, or “mobile”, device. In other words, you can connect to your CRM using a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet to access and update customer data.

You can use the same laptop or desktop computer you normally use to perform all of your tasks and perform additional functions via a mobile CRM application, such as using GPS data, taking photographs, and recording voices, and then transferring them directly to your CRM. BizzCRM, Karma CRM, and Zoho CRM, for example, each have native applications to download and install on a mobile device, while Insightly CRM, a mobile-friendly website for their CRM, is an example of a CRM that does not.

Noob mobile connectivity

Customers are well aware of the rapidity of modern communication systems and how simple they are to use. As a result, they desire answers in real time and are not always prepared to go online for them. You, being in real time, frequently have their questions and information. Mobile devices and wireless connectivity make it possible for salespeople to carry out more tasks while on the road. They may, for example, enter orders and contact details, as well as update them.

Why mobile connectivity is important to you

Mobile CRM is important because customer power shifted to mobile, and field staff want the CRM system to be accessible from wherever they are.

As a result, your clients expect improved and faster service from you. Additionally, your employees would like to be able to access the system from customer premises, or from a cafe or diner while on the road making deliveries. They would like to be able to do the following:.

In Forrester Wave 2010, a research firm, Forrester Research, Inc., stated:

Mobile CRM is a must-have capability. For more than a decade, CRM solutions have been invested in by companies. Mobile workers, however, still do not have the relevant information at hand to effectively sell and serve customers when they are away from the office, which drives the demand for mobile CRM solutions. Mobile CRM applications are typically extended by CRM vendors to allow users to get access to their data. Mobile CRM solutions are now quite sophisticated, but due to the complexity of the various mobile options and architectures, business and IT leaders will still be confused.

Challenges

There are two potential challenges with mobile CRM. In some buildings and rural areas, mobile CRM is a big draw. If staff are able to connect to the CRM system, it is effective. However, if they want to update data or changes on their mobile devices, they are unable to connect to the CRM system. In order to update it, they will eventually want to update the CRM system with the changes on their mobile devices. If the CRM system or email directory data has been modified in the interim, how is the system going to handle synchronization of fileserver data with mobile devices when data has been modified on both? The system will most likely encounter two possible issues when a synchronization conflict occurs.

Mobile CRM is a hot topic ten years after the idea was first introduced. CRM systems must be examined closely to see if they handle syncing properly.

The biggest advantages of Mobile CRM are :

• What factors should you consider when choosing a mobile CRM solution?

Choosing the ideal mobile CRM application isn’t simple, and most of them are far from being ideal CRM applications. In fact, most applications are far from being ideal, in terms of user experience, high security, and organisational management. Here is the simplest method to pick a good mobile CRM by Grant R. Jay, Director of Carrier Partnerships, as follows:

“It is essential to ensure the user experience and app work with your business scenario, whether it be a small one-user business or a large enterprise group.”

Before you choose a CRM for its mobile capabilities, make sure to keep the following factors in mind:

• What mobile devices are supported?

Mobile CRMs support a wide range of mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. Make sure the CRM you choose has been optimized for these processor and screen sizes. An ideal approach would be to extensively test all of the mobile devices your employees use during the trial period offered by the vendor.

• What can you do to get the most out of your mobile CRM?

Now that you’ve decided on your mobile CRM, use it to its fullest potential:

You must already be late if you haven’t considered mobile CRM for your business, so make sure you give it the appropriate planning and consideration – jump the gun and you might end up frustrated. With proper utilisation, however, it may increase your productivity and sales by far.

If you haven’t considered mobile CRM for your business, you are already late and you need to think about it, pronto. And when you do, make sure you give it the proper planning and deliberation it deserves – jump the gun and you might very well end up frustrated. Provided you use it sagaciously, at the end of the day it can boost your productivity and sales well beyond your imagination.