A Complete Guide to CRM For Contractors

Be more organized when you’re on the move with a CRM that makes managing business relationships effortless wherever you are.

What Is A CRM system?

A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system helps manage customer data. It supports sales management, delivers actionable insights, integrates with social media, and facilitates team communication. Cloud-based CRM systems offer complete mobility and access to an ecosystem of bespoke apps.

Why Do Contractors Need CRM?

Traditionally a CRM system wasn’t seen as a priority for contractors. However, recent research from Gartner1 suggests that 57% of SMEs have already implemented or plan to implement CRM by the end of 2016. With estimates suggesting the CRM market will be worth over $16.8 billion2 by 2020, there is clearly a major trend toward investing in a CRM system.

While there is a lot to be gained from implementing a CRM system, there is also a lot to lose. A CRM system shouldn’t be seen as a luxury for management, it is a necessity for sales-employees.

How Will Have CRM Support Contractors?

Managing business relationships effectively is crucial for contractor success. On average, sales representatives spend 12% of their time managing relationships, by deploying a Salesforce CRM3 this activity time could be reduced by up to 50% and the rate of signing off a deal quadruples4.

In this post, we will explore the value of implementing a CRM system for your business. You will learn tips to manage your business effectively when you’re on the move with a CRM that makes managing relationships effortless wherever you are.

Why Do Contractors need CRM?

A CRM implementation plan is a great opportunity for your business to streamline its processes. The management and organization required when you’re working with multiple clients and jobs isn’t always straightforward.

With a solid CRM system in place, following a simple CRM process will become a lot more straightforward. This is because having a formal document in place is far more productive than managing business relationships informally, which can often lead to miscommunication, missed opportunities, and an unorganized approach.

For example, the simplest of tasks such as new client signup could involve the following:

The client fills out the signup form.
You access the form and view the new client details.
You upload the new client’s logo.
You add the new client to your sales pipeline.
You add the new client to your CRM.
You email the new client.

In addition to uploading the new client’s logo, you also need to check if you have that image in your logo library. If you don’t, you’ll need to obtain it from the client and add it to the library.

In the process of adding clients to your CRM, you’ll need to update your staff. This allows them to view the client details from their mobile device.

The traditional process of following up on a new client requires you to build a new task in your CRM. This is time consuming and ineffective as you’ll need to review each of your sales people on a regular basis to ensure each sales person is in touch with a new client.

So, by introducing a CRM system that formalizes this process, you can:

Reduce the time spent on managing relationships.
Save time and increase your productivity by streamlining tasks in your CRM.
Have a separate task board for each of your sales people to monitor their activity.
View, track, and manage communication and appointments.
Acquire a deeper insight into your business performance.
Advertise directly to your prospects through the lead management system.
Track contact details, histories, and notes that are specific to a person or business.
Become a more effective business, therefore improving your sales.
And, most importantly, reduce the arguments over whose responsibility it is to manage the following up of a new client.

What Should You Look Or In The Right CRM For Contractors?

Step 1. What CRM Solution Does Your Company Use?

This is typically the first thing to check as some companies use different sales applications to manage their pipeline and accounts.

Most accounts revolve around the contact records and the way tasks are handled. Depending on the configuration of your account, a CRM solution that is designed for organizational growth and development may also be critical, especially if you have a sales team other than just yourself. In this case, you will want to ensure you have a solution that allows important information such as notes and tasks to be stored securely.

Step 2. Does It Fit Your Mobile Lifestyle?

An important aspect of the CRM solution is the interface. It needs to be convenient, intuitive, and easy to use, otherwise it may create unnecessary problems for your day-to-day operations. Look for a solution that doesn’t require clunky downloads.

Step 3. Does It Integrate With Another Service?

Some CRM solutions are compatible with other tools you may use in your operation. Make sure your CRM solution works with other tools you have, such as payment processors and digital marketing services.

Step 4. How Does Customer Support Work?

All too often, software solutions are sold that fail to deliver the results their providers promise. This usually occurs due to poor customer support. Be sure to ask your CRM provider about its methods for supporting customers. Avoid companies that promise to support you with abstract explanations and ambiguous terms of use.

Step 5. What’s The Set-Up Process?

A CRM solution should be as simple as possible to set up. Be sure that it installs quickly and seamlessly, without the need for call center assistance.

Why Is CRM Important For Contractors?

A CRM implementation plan is a great opportunity for your business to streamline its processes. There are multiple CRM system providers with just as many features. The management and organization required when you’re working with multiple clients and multiple jobs isn’t always straightforward.

With a solid CRM solution in place, following a simple CRM process will become a lot more straightforward. This is because having a formal document in place is far more productive than managing business relationships informally, which can often lead to miscommunication, missed opportunities, and an unorganized approach.

For instance, the simplest of tasks such as new client signup could involve the following:

A signup form is filled by a client.
Staff access the form and view the new client details.
Information about the client and associated documents are uploaded.
The customer is added to the CRM and added to the sales pipeline
Staff updates their CRM with the new client details.
The staff is notified.

In the process of adding clients to your CRM, you’ll need to update your staff. This allows them to view the client details from their mobile device.

The traditional process of following up a new client requires you to build a new task in your CRM and track each sales person. This is time consuming as you’ll need to review each of your sales people on a regular basis to ensure each sales person is in touch with a new client.

So, by introducing a CRM solution, you could:

Reduce the time spent on managing relationships
Save time and increase your productivity by streamlining tasks in your CRM
Have a separate task board for each of your sales people to monitor their activity
View, track and manage communication and appointments
Acquire a deeper insight into your business performance
Advertise directly to your prospects through the lead management system
Track contact details, histories, and notes that are specific to a person or business
Become a more effective business, therefore improving your sales
And, most importantly, reduce the arguments over whose responsibility it is to manage the following up of a new client

Is It Time To Upgrade Your CRM?

With the ever-increasing demand on digital marketing and the necessity for businesses to align their marketing strategies, it’s important to have a solution that will ensure a streamlined process in which your team can access and quickly respond to new client inquiries. With the right software in place, you’ll see an improvement on the following:

Improve your sales cycle
Remove any confusion about what’s expected of your team
Improve productivity and help you to work faster
Potentially increase sales conversion rates
Reduce the risk of accidentally losing a client’s details
Improve the likelihood of a client returning to your business

When considering a CRM solution, it’s advisable to do your research and select one that will fit both your budget and business needs. Be sure to consult with a trusted advisor because while the process of how a CRM solution works are relatively straightforward, the roles and responsibilities defined in your CRM system will need to be defined, so you can ensure you’re developing a system that works for you and your organization.