What are ecommerce CRM systems?

CRM in ecommerce

Ecommerce CRM may be a term that you have recently come across online. A CRM system is something that allows you to store, manage and use customer relationship data to improve your business in specific ways. What you decide to use your systems for is entirely up to you, and the goals that you have laid out for your company. Let's explore the concept of ecommerce CRM and CRM text solutions - what they are, what they look like and how you should use them.

Related: Why customer experience and CRM are important for your business

CRM in ecommerce: The basics for beginners

Investopedia describes CRM as 'the principles, practices and guidelines that an organization follows when interacting with its customers. The complete relationship includes direct interactions like sales and services, but also the ability to predict customer trends and behaviors that can eventually enhance individual experiences with your company.

So then, what are ecommerce CRM systems?

A customer relationship management system is a central location or piece of software that you can use to store customer details, accounts, information, and leads that can then be leveraged for future sales opportunities. Small and large businesses will benefit from some ecommerce CRM systems in that they firmly place client data in the 'cloud' - which means that it can be accessed by multiple people, anywhere, at any time, from any number of mobile devices. For the mobile developer who has spent time, energy and money building a responsive mobile e-commerce website, CRM is more important than ever. Using select CRM practices and processes, sales on an ecommerce website with integrated CRM will help you better understand your cross-channel customers, and what makes them buy from you.

For example, the United Methodist Church recently upgraded, connecting 35,000 churches together, with nine fully populated websites. An integrated ecommerce CRM system was needed to simplify transactional needs across multiple storefronts. They also needed a system that could be used by business partners without help, while maintaining easy maintenance processes. The church ended up using Microsoft Dynamics ERP System with CRM integration. Things like ordering, tracking and delivery, automation, credit card verification and shipping led to streamlined interdepartmental cooperation online, which saved the church thousands of man-hours and gave them access to detailed customer data for their marketing team.

Mobile CRM in the age of big data

Mobile CRM is an integral part of a well-thought out ecommerce customer relationship management system. One of the elements of this system could be the ability to use CRM SMS solutions in order to leverage those insights that you get from your data. Text solutions for mobile ecommerce CRM can greatly improve a mobile developer's efforts to manage their customers once they have signed up, ordered, or bought from their website. With solutions like text notifications, alerts, and updates for product tracking and shipping - you can see how bulk text messaging has a place in the CRM arena.

The SHORT version: Give me the elevator pitch

In a nutshell, ecommerce CRM systems have the power to harness your customer data, so that you can gain insight into customer behavior, social experience, and purchasing habits - which gives your website the power to improve your offerings and increase your sales. With this kind of valuable market information, your ecommerce website or app is sure to expand rapidly in your chosen niche market.