BigCommerce sellers, here’s the scoop: CRM (customer relationship management) software is the tool you’re missing that will supercharge your ecommerce business and simplify your operations. If you think of the overly complicated solutions of the early 2000s, you’re not alone, but CRM has come a long way since then. Companies have launched simpler but equally effective industry-specific solutions to help professionals build relationships no matter the business. There is even BigCommerce CRM software that will provide you a wealth of data so you can build and strengthen relationships with your BigCommerce customers. Here’s what you need to know.
It connects BigCommerce and their marketplace accounts to one hub to manage all orders and data.
Multichannel selling is a smart strategy because it lets you reach multiple markets and be visible in more places so there are ample opportunities for the browsing online shopper to make a purchase. It’s one downfall is the complications associated with managing orders and data. Each platform has a slightly different process, so the method you use on BigCommerce will be different than Shopify, Amazon, eBay or anywhere else you sell online. If you have BigCommerce CRM software, this problem disappears because all your data gets aggregated into one hub. Simply use your dashboard to see it all in one place or filter by channel for more granular reporting.
It streamlines reporting and customer service.
When was the last time you called a brand’s customer service line? After waiting on hold, it’s rare that the first specialist who answers can assist you. Each transfer wears you down because you must explain your situation time and time again, and you’re not keen on dealing with that brand ever again. You want to make sure your customer service is better than that, and BigCommerce CRM software can help. Each customer profile includes detailed reporting with a timeline of order history, interactions with your team and more. Therefore, when a customer calls, your specialist can simply navigate in the CRM to that customer’s profile and be up to date with the latest information. It’s a better experience on both ends.
It expedites growth marketing and remarketing with key data points.
Knowing about your customers makes it easier to find new ones. Here’s an example: If BigCommerce CRM software reveals your customers mostly fall into the same age range, you can then plan your marketing activities to target other consumers who fit that profile. This can include social media advertising, ad spots on common websites or other creative tactics. By targeting a specific demographic, your marketing becomes more efficient, and your budget stretches farther. You can also piggyback off your initial efforts to remarket to consumers who expressed interest in your ads but didn’t end up making a purchase. The remarketing/retargeting will keep your brand visible until they’re ready to “Order Now.”
It connects your entire back office team for more synergy.
If your business has scaled enough to hire a few employees, congratulations. It is exciting to have a team to share the workload with, but it also means that communication becomes even more important, so details don’t slip through the cracks. Luckily, BigCommerce CRM software makes this easier by keeping track of those details for you. Do your sales reps need to check in with customers who have made purchases recently to solicit reviews? They can filter the address book and see a list of recent buyers with just a few clicks. Do customer support specialists want to ensure there are no unresolved issues? It’s all right there. Your back office will stay connected and have more synergy because they’re better organized and up to speed.
It gives you a 360-degree view of the customer journey.
There is not much you can do with the limited information given by a customer at the time of purchase. Of course, you can add that customer’s email address to your distribution list for email marketing efforts and perhaps send a discount code to prompt a future purchase. However, the pre-purchase journey, plus other information like their birthday and shipping address, goes to waste without a BigCommerce CRM. Picture instead knowing where each customer comes from (social media, organic search, affiliate referral, etc.) and how they interact with your brand before finally buying something. This gets added to their customer profile, which gets created when they first make a purchase, and all future orders get added as well. You’ll see which marketing campaigns resonated with them and which sales were the most enticing. The whole customer journey comes into focus, and you’ll get smarter about how to sell to that customer again and again.
It helps you benchmark trending products and seasonal products for future growth.
Some products are obviously seasonal. Pool accessories and beach toys are going to be a hit in the summer, while blankets and coats will sell better in the winter. If your catalog is more subtle, though, chances are you don’t know if any of your products have their own seasons of higher demand. BigCommerce CRM changes that. It tracks the sales made on each of your channels so you can see your historical data and explore whether there are months or quarters when products are selling quickly and then prepare for that growth. You’ll also see if there’s an abnormal demand for a product, meaning its trending. Pop culture, influencer recommendations and other moments’ drive trends, and you’ll know right away to expect a growth spurt.
It helps you automate workflow, customer support, shipping and returns.
As a BigCommerce seller, you know what it takes to run an online store. You must market your products, oversee the order fulfillment process, manage the business operations and handle the customer service, among other things. There is simply not enough time in the day to do it all, which is why e-tailers turn to automation. Automation is the busy professional’s best friend, saving them time, money and plenty of headaches that come with day-to-day low-level tasks that are an unfortunate reality of running a business. Adding automation to BigCommerce CRM elevates the tool even further. All the activities from customer support calls to chat logs to shipping preferences and returns can be assigned to the correct customer profiles created by the CRM. This adds even more color to each profile.
