Why Enterprises Should Not Hold Back Integrating ERP And CRM?

Traditionally ERP and CRM Systems have continued to deliver exclusive streams of information effectively. Clubbing these exclusive data streams by integrating ERP with CRM Systems is now catching the attention of industry experts. Such an integration would enable enterprises to conduct enhanced analysis resulting in improved Sales Forecasting, Better Inventory Management and building more durable and  satisfied customer relationships.

Such an integrated system will also make the multi-dimensional analysis of customers feasible, with information on Sales/Support, Finance, Accounting, etc. coming onto a single platform. It would therefore lead to a much better understanding of customers’ needs, their buying habits and preferences. This would eventually lead to clarity as to what steps need to be initiated to expand and deepen a client relationship.

Both ERP and CRM Systems make use of the contact and account information but the purpose of usage is entirely different. An ERP is concerned primarily with the billing and shipping addresses whereas CRM is focussed more on prospects and sales/support. Manually switching between the two systems leads to duplication of data entry. An integrated system would eliminate the possibility of such duplication as the effect of any change made in the ERP System will reflect automatically in the CRM System and vice versa.

For a company with a size able customer base and where CRM and ERP are working in isolation, the process to funnel the customer information between the Sales and the Accounts departments becomes lengthy. Moreover, the information pertaining to so many customers is entered manually into the ERP System. These time-consuming and error-prone activities in the information flow can be eliminated easily by ERP-CRM integration.

The Sales force of an enterprise is always on the move, and a CRM System integrated with a mobile-enabled ERP Software like ebizframe will do wonders for them. Such a system will let them access a continuous flow of updated information on their smart phones, while interacting with potential and existing buyers. They would be intimated about any changes made to the customer, product or inventory database in real-time. This will bring prudence into the decision making, thus leading to a more mature, reliablen and deeper customer engagement.

Without a shadow of doubt, the perception of enterprises about the ERP and CRM Integration will have a direct correlation to their agility and their willingness to adapt to changes. Thinking of ERP and CRM as isolated data storage systems and not as an integrated enabler is a mind-set that needs to be changed.

About the Author:

Ashutosh has done his B.Tech in Electronics and Communication. He started his career with a Digital Marketing company. To refine his writing style and blend it with other niche markets, he joined ESS’ Marketing Communication Team to come up with savvy and engaging content for ESS’ flagship product: ebizframe ERP. Apart from his professional calling, he loves penning down his abstract reflections whenever the urge is overwhelming.