Top 5 CRM Trends of 2021

Trying to keep customers happy and impressed with your service and brand is a struggle that very few brands get right and are able to scale without much issue, as historically this has to be done directly on a one-to-one basis. As digital channels begin to mature we were able to extend this with the help of email marketing and SMS marketing and now instant messaging or chat marketing. Brands are now looking to take a more conversational approach with their customers and to do so, they need to stay on top of digital trends that support this move in CRM.

The fast-paced digital transformation experienced in the past decade has led to the widespread adoption of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology. And it couldn’t come at a better time when the marketplace appears to be competitively volatile and disrupted. CRM is the sweet cake that everybody wants a piece of lately.

But do you know what direction it’s likely to take in the coming years? In this post, we discuss the top five CRM trends for 2021. Let’s dig a little deeper.

1. AI integration

There’s no denying that AI is quickly becoming part of our daily operations. AI has already created a significant impact in the health sector, as we’ve seen in telemedicine technology and robots performing accurate medical procedures. And guess what, the same applies to the sales and marketing sector.

The tech is becoming a part of CRM activities, and it continues to influence campaign optimisation, pricing, product configuration, and customer segmentation.

AI-enabled CRM seeks to empower sellers to make informed decisions based on justifiable and real-time sales data. And that’s not all; the AI-CRM integration could pump up global revenues by $1.1 trillion by the end of 2021.

2. Customer experience enhancement

Did you know that a customer’s experience with your brand is as important as your products’ quality? Customers are likely to avoid shopping with you for the second time if they felt you didn’t accord them the right treatment. But with the correct utilisation of the CRM technology, this should be the least of your worries.

Customers expect sellers to give them customised engagements, know their preferences, and read their intentions. Luckily for you, CRM tools do an excellent job of collecting and personalising customers’ information. This intelligence is set to grow more going forward, with the inclusion of conversational tones, social data, major life events, far-fetching demographic data, and relationships.

3. Mobile optimisation

About a decade ago, CRM never left the confinement of offices, as everything was done mechanically. That has since changed, with most CRM systems now going digital to match the new trends and evolving customer needs.

For example, with more companies now encouraging their staff to work from home, there’s a need to have CRM tools that can be accessed by multiple stakeholders online. This means having portable tools with hassle-free online-offline interchangeability.

In the future, we’ll continue seeing tools that provide more security features, apps that work across multiple platforms, and which also have more intuitive interfaces.

4. Social integration

Perhaps unsurprisingly, CRM will continue to root to social media channels as it offers companies an opportunity to have a one-to-one connection with different stakeholders. Both regular customers and prospective ones are already using social media, so it enables marketers and salespersons to boost brand equity more affordably.

And not only that, companies that have integrated CRM to the social channels also get a clearer picture of how customers perceive their products. This enables them to make the necessary adjustments and offer quick responses to customers, especially when there are misunderstandings about the products.

Overall, social media offer the highest ROI among common marketing channels as they can help generate leads and attract and retain customers.

5. The rise of self-service

Automation is a highly promising technological trend in this era. Its impact on customer relationship management is well visible in the chatbots, making companies’ contact management and engagement tasks easier. Leading platforms like Hubspot and Drift provide bots that direct customers and prospects through the right channels.

These bots ask questions, collect data, offer tailored content and interactions, plus everything else a customer may need. This is time-saving and stress-free on the side of the clients and budget-friendly to the business.

2021 is the year we are likely to see more personalised services suited for the younger generation, remote areas, and smaller enterprises, all thanks to CRMs.

Conclusion

They say that change is inevitable, but growth is optional. CRM trends have given businesses a chance to reevaluate their performances and steer them in the right direction. The 2021 trends and predictions reveal that this technology will enable companies to automate most of their tasks, more so those that require a humane approach for optimal results.

For the best results, we recommend that you combine several trends all at once instead of focusing too much on one while ignoring others. For example, you can implement AI integrations to enhance the functioning of your chatbots.

What CRM trends are you looking forward to in 2021? We’d like to hear your feedback and expectations in the comments below!

Tell us your story

Would you like to write for nichemarket just like Carla has? Find out how to submit a guest post and when you're ready, you can contact us.

Are you looking to promote your business?

South African businesses can create your free business listing on nichemarket. The more information you provide about your business, the easier it will be for your customers to find you online. 

Registering with nichemarket is easy; all you will need to do is head over to our sign up form and follow the instructions. If you require a more detailed guide on how to create your profile or your listing, then we highly recommend you check out the following articles.

• How to create a nichemarketer profile
• How to create a nichemarket business listing

Recommended reading

If you enjoyed this post and have time to spare why not check out these related posts and dive deeper down the rabbit hole that is customer relationship management.

• 5 Reasons CRM Is The Key To The Most Effective Digital Strategy
• 5 Benefits Of Using CRM For Your Business
• 10 Free Marketing Automation Tools For Small Businesses
• AdWords and Salesforce can now join forces
• Tips For Subscription Based Sites

Tags: CRM, Guest Post