CRM for the commodity business

In the business of selling goods, success is not limited to product quality only. Here it is important to prove yourself as a strategic planner and build effective channels of interaction with clients at different stages of their relationship with your brand. This is where the CRM system for merchandise comes in - a key way to develop the company and its competitiveness.

One of the main features of the commodity business in Ukraine is the need to effectively organize the supply chain. It is important to have a reliable management system and optimize processes to meet client needs.

In retail, it is extremely important to properly organize the prompt processing of orders and delivery of goods. With the fast pace of life and high client expectations, the efficiency and speed of order processing are becoming key factors in the success of a retailer. The consumer will not wait, and find out why you have a delay – he/she does not care what is happening in your business. If the client is not satisfied with something, he/she will simply go to another supplier, thereby depriving you of a potential lead.

In addition, inventory control, product accounting, and loss prevention are also challenging tasks for businesses. Warehouse control is an important department in all areas of business. Probably, no owner wants to be left with a shortage of goods in the warehouse during the period of active trade due to a banal mismatch of accounting data.

The reasons described above are only the tip of the iceberg in the list of all the difficulties faced by the commodity business. However, the industry does not stand still, and CRM is the key to successful problem solving. In just a few months after integrating the system, the owner will realize how easy it can be to manage such a specific business.

CRM for the commodity business – is a powerful tool that will greatly facilitate the sales process and increase the efficiency of your business. The “all data in one place” model used by the systems will allow the owner to easily manage all aspects of sales: from accounting for goods in the warehouse to tracking orders and managing the client database. Let’s take a closer look at the main features of the software.

The CRM system will help to create your own price list from scratch based on supplier catalogs, a partner trading platform, or a website. The product database can be supplemented with additional information that will be useful to the end user: photos, descriptions, technical specifications. CRM can be used as a PIM system for working with SKU cards.

Owners of several sales channels at once know a typical problem – synchronizing all data, especially prices, on different platforms. A CRM system for a commodity business completely solves this problem. The ability to integrate different sales channels automatically synchronizes all data from a single catalog with the external platforms. Marketplaces, online stores, or Ukrainian bulletin boards will become one with the CRM database.

If a business has several sales channels at once, the owner can configure CRM so that the system independently processes incoming client orders without the participation of staff. Thus, a single sales funnel is formed, which is quite convenient to track and customize if necessary.

Another important feature of the marketplace is the automation of interaction with suppliers. This allows to exclude a person from this chain and the errors associated with it. Based on the initial data, the system is able to determine the balances and, if necessary, generate an application for the supply of goods.

Control the company’s budget and analyze trade. Generate invoices, accept payments, and record them in a single information base. CRM supports all of these functions and even more – it can automate them. Management will always have access to up-to-date information about each check or invoice. This will help the business to control the accounting department and the owner to make informed decisions on the product.

A CRM system is an opportunity to bring all business processes to a single standard. This allows to increase conversion, identify problems in advance, and improve the level of service.

Management systems are based on several models that allow to achieve the described results:

• Data collection and analysis. Successful trading starts with understanding the needs of the audience. When using CRM, the system automatically collects data on purchases: type, quantity, cost, and other details.
• Personalized approach. Based on the collected data, the software system analyzes potential consumer preferences. This allows to customize the best recommendations based on your previous requests.
• Targeted products. Has part of your audience not visited the catalog for a long time? No problem – CRM will notify them and generate individual offers.
• Warehouse management. A CRM system for sales constantly monitors the number of sold and available items, analyzes demand, and warns of possible shortages. With the software, you will forever forget the lack of goods in the midst of client purchases.

In parallel with other processes, the system constantly collects data for the analytical part. This will help the business owner determine which areas are on the rise and which need additional attention.

Top 5 programs for the retailing segment:

• Pipeline: a powerful commodity CRM system for wholesale trade with full control of the trading cycle – from getting to know with the offer to the contract, the price starts from 25 USD for a starter package (month);
• Zoho CRM: consolidate sales on a single powerful platform, this software provides all the necessary functionality for such tasks, the price starts from 37 EUR;
• Salesforce Sales: a cloud service with comprehensive functionality – lead management, client base, marketing, CRM integration with the client’s website, the price is individual;
• Infor CloudSuite: a cloud service that offers tools for all stages of the sales lifecycle, price from 790 USD (one-time license);
• SAP Hybris Cloud for Customer: a comprehensive solution for sales automation, a powerful cloud-based system for any business scale, the price starts from 54,000 USD (license).

The choice of CRM should be made based on the needs and scale of the business. For example, an SAP product is definitely not suitable for startups due to the high cost and complexity of the system.

We have considered what CRM systems are available in an out of the box version. Now let’s focus on a special type of these systems – personal software. Such CRMs are not created in a template, but are designed specifically for a particular business. Thus, the client receives:

• precise functionality for specific tasks;
• compliance of the system with the business model;
• taking into account the interests of the company, its peculiarities and corporate style;
• constant support from the developer.

Despite the somewhat high cost of such a product, personal software is cost-effective in the long run. The owner does not need to make regular payments for a license or cloud services. Moreover, there is no need to buy new packages to scale or add additional functionality – the software is finalized on the basis of the ready-made one. If you are interested in this approach, don’t hesitate to contact SKYLEX! We will always find the best solutions for your business.