Ireland Flag Contact Icon +353 1 693 0000   UK Flag Contact Icon +44 203 411 6799

How to Combine CRM and Project Management

Combine Project Management and Customer Relationship

Today’s business landscape is becoming increasingly complex and customer behaviour is evolving rapidly. Customers want more custom-tailored experiences than ever before, and as such, projects are now more multifaceted, involving multiple teams. A robust CRM strategy has never been more important. And the most agile companies that can innovate, consolidate, and adapt will be the ones that gain the advantage.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platforms are designed to help businesses manage their customer interactions and customer information by enabling easier communication and behavioral tracking.

So what does a CRM have to do with project management?

The purpose of project management is to ensure that tasks and projects are completed in a timely manner. If your goals aren’t completed on time, you could damage the trust of the clients you’ve earned. Project management software makes it possible to plan projects, schedule tasks, track milestones, and create progress reports all from one, centralised program.

In short — a CRM has a lot to do with project management, especially when it comes to learning about and appeasing customers and creating internal strategic alignment.

Get the best of two worlds with a fully integrated CRM project management solution

Some companies keep their CRM and project management solutions separate, and often use a number of different tools.

However, when you learn how to combine CRM and project management onto one platform, the result is a multitude of benefits.

Here are some of the benefits of implementing a CRM project management solution:

  • Cohesive and enriching customer experiences
  • Consolidation of processes
  • Easier post-sale task management
  • Cross-department alignment

Cohesive and enriching customer experiences

Being customer-centric is key to retention and the scaling of your business. Focusing on customers means ensuring they are satisfied. When customers are satisfied, loyalty follows. It’s apparent that maintaining a satisfying customer relationship starts with a sophisticated CRM platform.

Managing customer expectations and swiftly addressing their concerns comes down to getting the right people involved. And doing this seamlessly means having a project management solution built on your CRM platform. With an integrated project management and CRM solution, you’ll be able to better serve customers and give those working to resolve their problems an in-depth look into their journey and specific concerns. Managing a relationship starts by understanding it, and that’s what a CRM provides.

Consolidation of processes

Consolidating processes translates to less clutter and more productivity. When employees can perform multiple tasks all in one place, less time is wasted switching programs. Additionally, having both CRM and project management on the same platform means less time and energy spent on getting employees acquainted with multiple systems. That’s not to mention the money it costs to have a license to several different tools. Consolidation can enhance productivity and employee and customer experience.

Easier post-sale task management

Once a sale is closed, a client no longer interfaces with the sales team, but rather with other relevant teams and departments within your organisation. A combined CRM and project management solution makes the transition from prospect to paying client seamless. A project management system built on a CRM platform allows teams to easily understand tasks and projects that relate to cultivating the customer relationship. Workflows can be established and the client can be nurtured and given the service they deserve. It’s all possible with a CRM project management solution.

Cross-department alignment

It’s much easier to align multiple departments around a customer’s needs if they have a clear picture of what those needs are. That’s what you get with a CRM project management solution. In the past, marketing might hear one message and sales another. However, when a clear view of the customer is readily available, there’s little room for misinterpretation of what needs to be done. The result is greater clarity and focus on the customer needs. Any investment you make to better serve your customers is a no-brainer. So it should be with CRM project management.

What makes a good CRM project management solution?

There are many aspects that make up a good project management solution. Ultimately, finding the right one for your situation comes down to understanding the needs of your business. In general, you’ll want a solution that is customisable, flexible, and easy to use. You’ll also want to make sure it easily enables collaboration and document management, and notifies specific individuals when their attention is required on a task. Here’s a more in-depth look at what you should consider.

Customisability

Your business has unique needs. As such, finding a CRM project management solution that’s customisable is key. At times, a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work for your particular organisation. You want a solution that can be customised around your unique organisational structure.

Flexibility

A good CRM project management solution is flexible. It can accommodate your varying needs. The right system is agile, yet robust. Look for flexibility when you search for the right CRM project management platform for your business.

Ease of use

The project management features should be easy to use. Not only that, they should also fit well with any existing processes you have in place. A solution that you can customise should help you maintain ease of use.

Collaboration features

It’s hard to manage projects without collaborating. A good project management solution will include features that make collaboration simple and seamless. Collaborating on solutions with the customer at the center is made easier with a CRM project management solution.

Document management abilities

A powerful project management solution will have the ability to create and share documents. Turning to another source for documents might sound more convenient, but having it all in one place can save time.

Notification capabilities

A CRM project management solution isn’t very useful if teams and employees aren’t notified when a relevant task requires their attention. Find a solution that clearly notifies all concerned parties when they have outstanding tasks. Keeping everyone in the loop is important so that nothing falls through the cracks.

How to choose the right CRM project management solution tailored to your needs

As just one Google search will tell you, there are an overwhelming number of options available when it comes to CRM and project management platforms.

The best solutions helps all users, including global organisations with teams spread across departments, business groups and countries, to be better connected, more up-to-date, and less stressed. Now that you have an idea of what to look for in a solution, start thinking about the specific needs and goals of your business.

Because many solutions can be fully customised to fit your business’s purposes, take advantage of free trials to get a feel for which features you love and which ones are unnecessary.

To help you accurately determine which features will give your business the best results, consider booking a free consultation with one of our experts. We take time to understand your unique needs and guide you through the process of building a solution that fits.

 

Posted on

Latest posts