Customer relationship management is as old as the concept of sales. You have a product or service; you market it, sell it, and support your customers to keep them happy. But as technology has improved, it’s evolved. It can be a lot to take in if you’re new to CRM software. However, in a world rich with competition, you want to be sure you’re doing everything to supercharge your CRM. Today, that competitive push means taking advantage of CRM software.

From calendars to communication and from customer data to task management, CRM software tools abound to help businesses thrive. Whether you’re using ClickUp, Salesforce, Pipedrive, or any other software, you’ll want to be sure you’re making the most of them. When you maximize the potential of your tools, you increase your chances of improving customer relationships. And improved customer relationships typically mean rising sales, which is essential for keeping your business alive and well.

1. Get In Sync

One of the most important steps to taking full advantage of any CRM software you use is to sync everything up. For example, most tech-savvy businesses know how to share Outlook calendar information and other time management software. However, once that information needs to be available across a variety of CRM platforms, sharing isn’t enough. You’ll need to work fully syncing into a standard procedure for the best results.

Many businesses get started with software tools like Google Calendar or Microsoft Teams. As a project manager, you might start using them by necessity — adding events to your schedule or setting up meetings on Teams. Before you know it, you also have Microsoft Outlook and an Apple Calendar, thanks to your iPhone. Your assistant adds an important meeting, and at the same time, your partner plans an important meeting. Before too long, staying organized may seem impossible.

Don’t worry — it happens to the best and busiest in the business. The trick to avoiding schedule overlaps and miscommunications is to utilize proper calendar management with a syncing tool. When you sync your calendars with two-way syncing, all of your calendars are updated each time a change is made. So, if you’re working with Google Calendar, MS Outlook, Apple Calendar, or more, you’ll never miss a beat. With this change, you can save time and meet the demands of your customers and your family members with greater ease.

2. Integrate Your Tools

You also want to sync or integrate all of your other productivity tools and apps to streamline your workflow. This ensures seamless communication and organization across different platforms. You likely started your business with a few innovative tools, but now you have dozens. It’s a time killer to jump on and off various CRM systems. Within an hour, you may need to check CRM data, message clients or vendors, collaborate on documents, and assign tasks for your team. Doing so on multiple platforms that don’t communicate with each other is inefficient.

Instead, you can centralize your work. All you have to do is go into the marketplace of your CRM software and browse your integration options. Once information flows among your applications, you can schedule meetings, review analytics, run ads, and work on marketing strategies, and trust that each application will be updated. This way, you improve customer relationship management and save time and money. And if you need someone else to step in and take over for you, that transition can be seamless.

3. Utilize AI Wherever Possible

An added benefit of streamlining all of your tools with centralized software is automation. When you integrate your CRM tools, you can leverage AI software that can take care of many of your tasks for you. Just a decade ago, you needed a person to run reports, print them out, send emails, and respond to clients. Today, automated systems can provide all of this labor and more at a fraction of the price.

You can implement AI software not only to run reports but also to provide analytics and insight on them. When you automate the simple tasks that don’t require human engagement, you can capitalize on the humanity of your business. Put AI in charge of analytics and recommendations and humans in charge of follow-through. That way, your operations run smoothly, minimizing human error, but your customers get real human interaction. It’s the best of both worlds and can be great for your bottom line.

4. Clean and Update Systems

Now that you’re ready to work with multiple systems and top-quality CRM software and utilize AI — keep them clean. Outdated software or information is the quintessential cog in the machine that would otherwise run smoothly. It can slow down your process, fail to integrate, and throw your whole system off. Make sure you have systems that update automatically or schedule regular system checks yourself. While scheduling regular updates, remember that it’s also essential to update data regularly.

You should ensure contact details such as phone numbers, emails, addresses, and job titles are current. People change roles or contact information, and keeping this updated avoids communication issues. Similarly, everyone on your team should regularly log and update interactions like calls, emails, meetings, and purchases to have a comprehensive history of engagements with clients or leads. Regular updates ensure the CRM system contains the most current and relevant information, maximizing its effectiveness.

5. Take Full Advantage of Your CRM Software

Finally, one of the most powerful steps you can take this year is to know and use all the tools at your disposal. You are likely working on CRM software without understanding its full capabilities. If so, you are leaving money and opportunity on the table. Tools like ad tracking, lead scoring, and duplicate management can improve customer relationship management by leaps and bounds.

Take the time to call a customer support person from your CRM software company if you have any questions. Watch tutorials available online or join user forums for additional guidance and tips. Then, navigate the app, playing with the various options at your disposal. Finally, get your entire team trained on the software and other applications essential to your business. You’ll set your business up for maximum success with a highly trained staff. It’s an investment that will pay off over time.

The bottom line is this: If you’re going to use CRM software and tools, you may as well get the most out of them. Understanding your tools, training your staff, and keeping applications updated and clean can make this year your best yet. Taking these steps can genuinely enhance your customer relationship management.