We are living in the social age. Don’t believe it? Well consider these stats: as of September 2013, 73% of online adults use social networking sites. In addition, 27% of time spent online is on a social network.

While traditional customer relationship managment (CRM) focuses on direct advertising, one-way communication with customers, sales activity, and marketing campaigns that target certain customers, social CRM is different. This new platform is conversation-driven and helps you see who is talking about you online and what they are saying.

Today’s customers expect more and they know social media is a great place to learn about what’s new and to find other people’s recommendations and complaints. Businesses can use social CRM to get closer to customers and to capitalize on the chatter around their brands, products, and services.

Answering these simple questions will help you reach a decision on whether social CRM is the best fit for your business:

• Do your customers use social media?
• Do your salespeople use social media?
• Would more customer knowledge help reps provide a better customer service experience?
• Do you want to know what people are saying about your brand, products, and company?

A “yes” to any of the questions on this list means you should look into a CRM system that can help you with social media.

It’s also worth noting that while you might prefer traditional CRM over social CRM, you do not necessarily have to choose between the two. The best traditional CRM systems also offer a way to use social for better customer insights and improved efficiency.

Learn more about the value of a social CRM by downloading this free e-book.