The evolution of CRM systems: From single function to multi-functional platforms
In the ever-evolving business ecosystem, companies find themselves in an unavoidable race to adopt and adapt to emerging technologies. Among the plethora of technologies impacting the business world, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems hold a significant place. Initially, CRM systems were introduced with the primary aim of facilitating a singular function – managing customer relationships. But as the technological landscape has transformed, so has the functionality of CRM systems. From merely managing relationships, they have evolved into robust platforms that orchestrate various organizational activities, allowing for seamless integration with other systems.
Expanding customer touchpoints: A double-edged sword
Many CRM platforms commenced their journey by offering a particular service or functionality. With time, additional features were incorporated, ultimately resulting in a more extensive, multi-functional system. While these developments have undeniably enhanced the platforms’ capabilities, they have also made them more complex. Consequently, several users struggle to fully comprehend and utilize these advanced functions, leading to an increase in support tickets and a surge in customer queries across different channels. Moreover, recent research by Butler Group shows that only about 50% of the CRM features paid for by businesses are actually used; on this, the study indicates that 43% of the users use less than half of the features provided by the CRMs.
To address these growing customer inquiries, businesses have been compelled to increase their customer touchpoints. These touchpoints – ranging from live chat, self-served support centers, chatbots, support system ticketing system, to community pages – aim to provide effective customer service. However, the sheer volume of interactions through these channels poses its own set of challenges. Only a few companies have started converting this deluge of customer feedback into actionable business intelligence, thus enabling informed decision-making and enhanced customer experience.
Introducing NLP: A solution for CRM platforms
This is where Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology, an integral component of artificial intelligence (AI), comes into play. NLP can streamline the process of handling customer feedback and grievances. For instance, platforms like Tagado can easily integrate into customer support systems, identifying and highlighting the primary issues reported by customers. From customer complaints, difficulties in using features, to suggestions for additional tools – these platforms can meticulously analyze, monitor, and manage this crucial information. The result? CRM systems can better prioritize and strategize customer experience improvements.
Tagado, in particular, offers a suite of functionalities that address the challenges faced by CRM platforms:
- Centralization of customer feedback: No matter the channel of communication, be it emails, social media posts, surveys, support tickets, or even phone calls, Tagado can integrate and compile all forms of customer feedback into a single, easy-to-navigate platform. This comprehensive approach ensures that every customer’s voice is heard and allows for a holistic understanding of their thoughts and sentiments.
- Enhanced customer retention: By deploying sophisticated AI algorithms, Tagado can sift through enormous volumes of customer feedback in real-time. It efficiently identifies and highlights emerging trends and issues that could potentially impact customer satisfaction. This allows businesses to address concerns proactively, fostering better relationships with customers and enhancing retention rates.
- Reduction in support tickets: Tagado utilizes AI technology to intelligently categorize customer feedback. With this automated classification, businesses can rapidly identify the most recurring customer issues and focus on addressing them. Moreover, Tagado’s platform can also recommend the best resolution to use.
- Monitoring insights and impact over time: Tagado’s powerful monitoring system enables businesses to assess the impact of their actions on customer satisfaction levels over time. It provides valuable insights into what’s working and what’s not, thereby eliminating the guesswork from the decision-making process. This helps create a more efficient and effective customer experience strategy.
- Prioritizing product development: Armed with direct customer feedback insights, product teams can make more informed decisions about what features need refinement or what new functionalities should be introduced. Tagado empowers them to prioritize their roadmap based on actual user needs and suggestions, thus ensuring that the product development process is continually aligned with customer expectations.
- Empowering BI with quantitative data: Beyond traditional number-crunching, Tagado can infuse your business intelligence (BI) processes with a rich, qualitative data analysis. By synergizing both quantitative and qualitative data, businesses can unlock a new level of insights that drive faster, more precise, and more impactful decisions. This enhances overall business efficiency and ensures a competitive edge in the market.
In the era of data-driven decision-making, the integration of AI and NLP technologies is no longer an option but a necessity. They form the next logical addition to any analytical team looking to enhance the overall user experience and improve user retention. As we progress further into the digital age, these technologies will become a standard requirement for all business intelligence teams. This shift will ensure a comprehensive understanding of both qualitative and quantitative data, leading to better-informed decisions and improved efficiency for SaaS platforms.
