How the mobile revolution is proving to be a game changer for CRM

The mobile revolution has arrived in India. A report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has estimated that the number of mobile users in India will reach 478 million by June 2018. The report has also identified young students as the ‘most prolific customers’. It stated that middle- and older-aged men, and working women, have shown a greater propensity for social networking and browsing, while non-working women have shown a higher keenness for text messaging. All this has huge implications for the way businesses will function in the future.

The message is clear – mobile is no longer part of the strategy, it is the strategy. The number of people using mobile devices to engage on social media platforms highlights a plethora of opportunities for a business to connect with its target audience.

How mobile has revolutionized customer buying behaviour

People today love to buy more than ever. But at the same level, they do not want to be sold to. The result is that consumers – especially youngsters – no longer have the time or patience to engage with telemarketers. They want to respond on their own terms at their own time. Yet the amount of information for customers and the analysis of it through customer relationship management (CRM) tools is higher than ever.

People are more keen to share personal information with brands they trust on social media. They want to engage with brands in meaningful ways. They want quick responses. A survey showed that people expect a brand to respond to them in under an hour after they’ve mentioned it on social media, and they’re doing all this through mobile devices. However, almost 90 percent of brands don’t engage with their customers or target audience on social media.

This presents a huge opportunity for businesses. If they build their strategy focused mobile-first, they can quickly capture market share. If they can create content and campaigns to engage their target audience, their campaigns to generate leads will be much more successful.

How mobile has revolutionized work culture and CRM

CRM on mobile does a few things for employees. One, it makes people more efficient. Thanks to mobile devices, employees no longer have to stay restricted to silos and cubicles to do their work. Research has shown that companies gain an extra 240 hours of work annually from employees using mobile devices for work-related purposes.

Two, it reduces the mundane task of data collection from multiple avenues like social media, exhibitions, online and offline campaigns, and so on. This doesn’t just bring down the time spent on non-revenue generating activities. It also reduces the time they take to respond to their prospects and customers, thus enabling them to live up to expectations and grab a larger piece of the pie.

Three, it allows businesses that have mobile CRMs to plan marketing activities using the calendar integration, communicate real-time using features like click-to-call, share files and access dashboards on the go, and so on. This further enhances the productivity of individuals and organizations on the whole.

Summing up

The mobile revolution has reduced barriers to entry into businesses. It has also enabled businesses to flourish by making them more efficient, and it has played a key role in how CRM tools collect and analyze data to become more effective.

Customers are the key driving force for every business, and mobile is the platform they’re all on. No business can afford to ignore this platform anymore.

Limesh Parekh is the CEO of Enjay IT Solutions.

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)