As a business, your primary goal will always be the happiness of your customers. If they are satisfied with the products or services you provide, your profits should be in a good shape too. That’s why organisations are always rattling their brains on how to improve their CX (Customer Experience)… New products? Personalised offers? Funkier websites?
However, what some don’t realise is that, in many cases, customer frustration comes from other areas of the business beyond the product or service itself. A lot of the times it’s the experience with the customer service, the delays, stock outs or other issues that cause poor reviews. This is where ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems can be helpful.
ERP systems have a wide range of benefits: from increased efficiency and productivity, to improved team collaboration. The key aim of these smart solutions is to integrate all departments within the organisation into a single system and make their management as seamless as possible. Improved customer experience is one of the benefits that comes out of it. This article will look at 5 ways in which ERP systems help improve your CX.
What is customer experience, and why does it matter?
Before we get into the ERP side of things, let’s establish an understanding on why customer experience matters all together.
Customer experience is all about the interactions that a customer has with your business at different points of the relationship - whether that’s their first introduction to the brand or the post-purchase communication. These interactions involve numerous touchpoints, such as the website, emails, app notifications, customer support, usage of your products or services, and many others. Generally, CX will consist of the cumulative experiences the person had with your company.
A good customer experience means that your products or services are of high quality, and your business, as a whole, delivers great value and offers positive experiences. As such, CX becomes one of the key differentiators organisations have in their competitive industries. Not only does it give a competitive advantage, but also increases customer trust and loyalty to the brand, encourages positive WoM (Word of Mouth), and results in higher sales.
How do ERP systems improve customer experience?
Now that we understand its importance, let’s look at the 5 key ways ERP system implementation can help with better customer experience.
1. Centralised information
ERP systems function as a centralised repository for your data, offering a structured, efficient platform to store and manage all customer data. It has a similar idea and functionality to CRM systems, however, when debating ERP vs CRM, it’s essential to understand that ERP system’s scope is much broader. An ERP system CRM module offers a holistic view of each customer, encompassing all their interactions with your organisation.
The integrated ERP CRM unifies data from sales, customer service, and marketing teams, providing a 360-degree customer view. This unified customer profile helps your customer service team tailor their responses to their specific needs, leading to more personalised and effective customer interactions. For instance, if a customer calls about an issue with a recently purchased product, your customer service representative can easily access the customer's purchase history, product details, and past interactions.
2. Inventory management and order processing
ERP integration with other business areas helps ensure a good customer experience from placing the order, to receiving it at the door. One of the key integrations is managed inventory with real-time data. This means that the system can significantly improve your inventory management by accurately forecasting product demand. As a result, your sales team is always aware of which products are low or out of stock, while the information gets automatically updated in the system.
Not only that, the whole order processing workflow can be streamlined with ERP systems. Once a customer places an order, every detail is tracked and managed within the software, ensuring a seamless, efficient, and error-free ordering process. This also leads to faster delivery times, fewer delays and, thus, happier customers.
3. Streamlined Communication
Business management software can enhance communication channels, both internally and with customers. For instance, if a delay occurs during the shipment process, the ERP system can automatically and instantly generate a message to the customer explaining the delay and providing a new delivery estimate. This proactive communication ensures customers are always informed, managing their expectations and reducing frustration.
Additionally, internal communication benefits too, as different departments can share and access customer information, collaborating together in order to ensure that all of your clients' needs are met. This also maintains higher consistency in customer interactions, regardless of which team member the customer is speaking to.
4. Data management and analysis
Data is a powerful tool when used effectively, and ERP systems come equipped with robust data management capabilities to help with that. These tools can analyse vast amounts of data to uncover patterns and trends, enabling businesses to make strategic decisions based on these insights. For example, if the data shows a growing demand for a particular product, you can anticipate increased sales and plan inventory accordingly - all in real-time.
Moreover, by integrating financial management with other business operations, ERP software also provides real-time data on received payments, invoices, pricing, discounts, etc. With this information, your customer service team can swiftly resolve any financial queries your clients may have. If a customer questions an invoice, for instance, the representative can access the transaction details in real-time, clarify the charges, and rectify any errors immediately.
5. Process automation
ERP systems offer automation capabilities for various customer service functions, including tracking customer interactions, managing service tickets, and sending follow-up emails. By automating these tasks, your customer service team can focus more of their time on resolving complex customer issues.
Some businesses will also make use of AI-based chatbots, that will handle the majority of customer inquiries without the need for human interference. However, where a human customer support member is required, they will receive automatic notifications, helping them deal with all queries quicker and more efficiently.
Final word
Finding ways to improve customer experience is one of the most pressing tasks for any business, however, an ERP system implementation can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you. By improving the efficiency of your back-end activities, such as inventory management, data analysis or internal communication, these smart BMS leave you to focus on creating great products and services for your customers.
Odoo ERP system implementation
If an integrated ERP system is what your business is lacking for an enhanced customer experience, then Odoo ERP is the perfect choice! Odoo CRM module allows you to manage seamless communication with your clients, while custom solutions in other departments will help increase the efficiency of all business processes.
As official Odoo implementation partners, we can help you grow your business and keep your customers happy using this powerful software! Get in touch or book your first FREE consultation, and one of our experts will be happy to discuss your business needs with you.
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