CRM for Marketing

Everyone knows that data drives industry success in the Age of the Consumer. The problem is that few marketers are effectively utilizing data, with an IBM study finding that over half of marketers consider their ability to leverage customer data as “poor” or “very poor.” Complicating matters, Salesforce reports that 62% of consumers lack trust in how companies use their data, but 76% expect personalized customer journeys.

This puts marketers in a sticky situation: how can your marketing team make use of a wealth of customer data to improve experiences while respecting boundaries? A robust customer relationship management (CRM) instance equips marketers with the insight and tools to transform data into effective strategies. Below, we explain how CRM solutions—especially new features unveiled recently by both Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Salesforce—enable users to bridge the gap between marketing performance and consumer expectations.

Data-Driven Insight

Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), business intelligence (BI) and other innovations are generating more data than ever, but marketers struggle to transform big data into actionable insight. That’s why it’s crucial for businesses to seek out CRM vendors with tools that don’t just produce data but provide ways to use it for improved strategies. For companies striving to become customer-centric, insight into customer behavior should serve as the core of marketing decisions.

Salesforce has proven that AI technology powers personalized customer journeys with the launch of Salesforce Einstein, a suite of AI tools. Einstein Recommendations, for example, uses machine learning to recommend products and content for individual prospects and customers. Salesforce users have also found that AI tools improve their email marketing strategies, decreasing unsubscribes, driving engagement and providing targeted messaging.  

But Salesforce users aren’t the only ones transforming their marketing decisions with CRM; Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Marketing also uses data to offer a comprehensive view of customers. Microsoft’s Power BI features create infographics from CRM data to provide readable insight into marketing audiences and other critical information. Configurable dashboards enable users to track campaign performance and activities to help them refine marketing performance. Both solutions prove the value of CRM in steering marketers in the right direction.

Maintaining Customer Trust

Though it’s more important than ever to leverage data to win deals, it’s also more important than ever to respect your customer’s privacy. Doing both requires a delicate balancing act that can be managed through CRM. Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Salesforce, for example, both enable businesses to comply with the recent GDPR mandates. Microsoft Dynamics 365 allows users to capture consent from your customers and design content in accordance with audience consent. Salesforce’s data processing addendum was updated to ensure clients can report and detect data breaches and support other activities to stay in compliance with the GDPR.

Both CRM vendors also build their solutions on sophisticated platforms that enforce data security. Salesforce Shield, an encryption platform, provides users with full control over encryption to protect sensitive data throughout your enterprise. The Azure cloud platform offers state-of-the-art security features to support compliance and prevent data loss for Microsoft Dynamics 365 users. These solutions instill trust in your customers at every stage of their journeys.

Wrap Up

Growing customer expectations make this a demanding time for marketers, but it’s also an exciting time as advanced software solutions create more opportunities to leverage data for better customer experiences and more sales opportunities. Manufacturers and distributors on the hunt for a CRM solution need an instance that can support data-driven strategies while respecting customer privacy. Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Salesforce serve as optimal solutions for meeting both requirements because they continuously make advancements to enable users to improve customer journeys.

But it’s not enough to have the right CRM platform—team up with the right CRM consulting firm to ensure your instance is implemented successfully in accordance with your specific business practices. Datix has the unique distinction of being a certified partner of both Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Salesforce, giving us insight into each platform so we can help our clients choose the best option for them. Plus, with Unity, our integration platform, Datix can connect CRM with your Epicor ERP instance to further streamline operations and protect enterprise data.

It’s time for marketers to meet customer expectations. Reach out to Datix today to reach out to more prospects and customers!

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