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Digital technologies are revolutionising the way we do business and giving small and medium businesses (SMBs) the upper hand when it comes to productivity and marketing. However, with so many tools available and so much at stake, it can be difficult to decide which ones are best for you. Having a channel partner that is familiar with the industry and already digitised their own processes can help you better build a roadmap and achieve your business goals.
Whether your business is new or well established, having the right digital tools – such as a customer relationship management (CRM) software – can help you streamline your workflow, improve communication, increase revenue and reduce costs.
According to a recent Deloitte Small Business imperatives for the digital age report, businesses that are using CRM software have 28% higher revenue than those using spreadsheets, paper based systems or no system for recording or analysing customer interactions.
Digital tools also help you meet skyrocketing consumer expectations. A well-developed CRM can allow sales, marketing, accounting and customer service staff to easily access full customer histories for a faster, personalised and seamless customer experience. Furthermore, chatbots and other digital tools allow customers to engage with your business 24/7.
Digitisation increases efficiency and gives SMBs more opportunities to reach broader markets, with almost half of SMBs surveyed reporting that digital tools help them find new customers. This is especially important for younger businesses that are focused on building a client base. However, for more established businesses that want to add value for customers, the use of digital tools allows them to expand their products and services.
There’s no doubt that digital technologies have limitless potential, but optimising your tools and processes can be challenging.
When we face crossroads in our journey, we often look to an expert, role model, or mentor for guidance. For SMBs, a partner that has experience in your industry and understands the challenges of running a business can be that mentor or trusted advisor.
Having already digitised their own business, your partner will be able to coach you on which tools to adopt and how to get the most out of them. Depending on your partner’s capabilities, they may even be able to build the tools for you.
And this partnership can offer more than one-off advice about digitisation. Building a long-term relationship means you have a constant source of knowledge and insight to guide you through key challenges such as automation, providing exceptional customer experiences, and adapting to ever-changing market dynamics.
Often, partners will challenge your strategies and offer fresh perspectives, encouraging thoughtfulness before execution and keep you on track to reach your business goals.
When it came to generating leads and managing customer relationships, Harmoney – New Zealand’s first licensed peer-to-peer lending platform – looked to Salesforce and Pardot, for support. Destined was the partner involved in the deployment.
Using Pardot forms and form handlers, Destined enabled Harmoney to create a smooth application process that made them more attractive to customers. As people began to fill out the forms, Salesforce would capture the data and plot it in Pardot, allowing Harmoney to segment prospects and send targeted messages to customers based on their loan purpose and position in the customer journey.
Another success story where partnerships worked for the customer is Endotherapeutics. When Endotherapeutics – a disruptor specialising in the sale and distribution of medical devices – realised it needed a CRM tool to keep track of its business, Salesforce partner, FullCRM, stepped in to help optimise the platform. Working closely with sales and management, FullCRM delivered a solution that complemented its sales process and improved internal communications so that staff could share complex information for more effective interactions with customers.
Continuous improvement plays a big role in Endotherapeutics’ success – as the organisation has grown over the past four years, FullCRM has been supporting the former the entire time, coming in when needed for guidance and expertise. FullCRM also handed over every project so that Endotherapeutics was able to administer Salesforce on its own, keeping costs to a minimum.
Over the four years, Endotherapeutics was able to expand its Salesforce toolkit, including implementing Pardot, when budget allowed.
As SMBs ride the wave of the digital revolution, a partner can help you stay on the board by providing enablement and training support that will ensure your success. This may be in the form of a standardised package or a lengthy, tailored conversation, depending on your needs.
However, one of the greatest ways a partner can add value is through their extended capabilities – from sales to service, to two door automation, artificial intelligence, and quoting. With expertise in a variety of areas, your partner can become your primary go-to person, rather than having to set up multiple relationships across the market.
As your organisation matures, partners can also embed extra tools into your CRM that will allow you to upscale your business and offer new products or services. These can be customised based on the size and needs of your business. Your partner can help you prepare for the challenges of scaling and guide you through the best way to tackle them.
These moves by a partner will aid in setting you apart from your competitors and giving you the tools, skills and information you need to provide the incredibly strong and personalised experience consumers crave.
Check out the Deloitte Small Business imperatives for the digital age report to learn more about how going digital can help your business.
