What to Look for in E-Commerce CRM Software

If you’re interested in growing your e-commerce business, it’s worth investing in customer relationship management software. Statistics from The Ecomm Manager revealed that today’s customers are 19% more likely to spend when they feel a sense of belonging with a brand. The data CRM systems provide can help you better personalize customer interactions, thus shortening sales cycles.

Some of the bigger e-commerce websites, such as Shopify, provide valuable customer data, which can give businesses a clearer picture of their performance. According to AskMoney’s feature on Shopify, the popular platform has a live view option that shows vendors their store’s real-time activity, which allows them to analyze daily performance. Shopify also provides insights, reports, and demographics related to the users visiting the store.

However, this level of data organization is limited. E-commerce vendors that want to take their business further need to invest in CRM software. Beyond daily performance and basic visitor demographics, CRM software can also reveal the channels your leads come from, win rate, and your customers’ lifetime value. To help you get started, we’ve listed a few things you need to look for when selecting an e-commerce CRM software.

Cross-Channel Tracking

DataReportal’s overview of global social media usage shows that the average user visits approximately 7.5 social media platforms each month. As a result, many e-commerce platforms have also diversified their marketing channels, capitalizing on the amplified reach of websites like Facebook and Instagram. Often, these efforts are added on top of more traditional platforms, such as websites and emails.

Though cross-channel marketing can significantly boost your reach, having these interactions spread out across multiple platforms can make ROI difficult to track. A CRM software with cross-channel tracking can help you put all the data in one place. Cross-channel tracking can identify customer interactions and help you track where your customer is in their buyer’s journey, no matter what channel they are using.

Platform Integration

You can save a lot of time by investing in a CRM solution that integrates well with the different software you already use. Accounting software and CRM solutions both need customer information, sales orders, invoicing, and expenses. Integrating both can save you time that would be otherwise wasted on manual data entry. You can also connect CRM solutions to email platforms or email marketing software to streamline email campaigns. Other third-party software that can benefit from CRM integration include POS systems, social media management software, and cloud storage services.

Security

Any effective CRM solution will contain a pertinent amount of customer data, including sensitive information such as physical addresses, contact details, payment methods, relevant e-commerce account information. However, if your CRM software lacks strict security features, this data could fall into the wrong hands, leaving your customers vulnerable. A data breach will inevitably cause your customers to lose trust in your business. To ensure that your CRM is safe, check if it has effective password policies, authentication, and encryption features.

Useability

CRM solutions aim to save you time by automating processes that you would otherwise have to manage manually. You’d achieve the opposite if the CRM software you invested in was difficult to use or understand. Look for a CRM solution that keeps its features and data organized. If you plan on having other employees manage the software, try to determine how much time and work teaching them will take to teach.

Our recommendations for e-commerce CRM include Pipedrive, HubSpot, and Salesforce. Our reviews of these CRM solutions can show you how easy they are to use, which platforms they integrate with, and how they might measure against your budget. By investing in a CRM solution that fits your needs, you can strengthen your relationships with your customers and drive greater growth for your e-commerce business.