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Tools to Get More Insight from Your CRM System

Implementing a robust customer relationship management (CRM) platform is vital for accounting and advisory firms looking to elevate their performance, improve client relationships and plan for the future. Firms that overlook a CRM strategy could miss key opportunities to meet strategic goals.

Consider some of the following best practices and tools to help maximize the data captured within your CRM and leverage it to improve your firm in three ways:

• Get a 360-degree view of your customer.

Understanding customer behavior is table stakes to keeping your business competitive and your clients satisfied. Tools like A/B testing allow you to improve target outreach in marketing campaigns, giving you a better idea of who your ideal client is and what they are looking for. Microsoft Customer Insights can also give you a 360-degree view of your customer, helping you personalize customer experiences and navigate real-time customer journeys.

• Gain downstream benefits.

CRM data can offer valuable insight into your firm’s operations and workforce needs. By using CRM data to accurately forecast sales, you can get a better understanding of what your staffing levels need to be based on what you have in CRM and what you expect to sell.

• Stay ahead of the curve.

Analyzing your CRM data using artificial intelligence (AI) can help you gain the data-driven insights needed to stay afloat in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Enabling Salesforce’s Einstein Forecasting, for example, allows organizations to predict future sales revenue and improve strategic decision making. You can also use advanced analytics to analyze customer cohorts year over year or even help identify optimal target customer profiles. An interactive visualization software, such as Power BI, can also help draw meaningful business insights.

Stay competitive by extracting valuable insights from your CRM platform now and using those insights to position your firm for future success.

Noah Kluge, Armanino Derrick Magdefrau, Armanino