Introduction to the World of Automated Processes 7 – Sales

The widespread adoption of CRM systems has greatly simplified customer management and sales processes for small and medium-sized businesses. Many people think of CRM systems as essential, all-in-one solutions that cover most business processes. However, when complex sales processes push a CRM system to its limits, a much more flexible workflow management solution is likely to be needed.

What is a CRM system suited for—and what is it not?

A CRM system is an excellent tool for small and medium-sized businesses to manage customers transparently, manage projects and, in some cases, even handle invoicing. These features are usually sufficient to cover the everyday tasks of many businesses. Workflow management systems, by contrast, approach every challenge from a completely different perspective. They allow virtually any custom business process to be built, either using templates or from scratch. Although this detailed planning requires more resources initially, it provides tremendous flexibility in adapting to change over the long term.

Automation opportunities

Although most CRM systems allow custom automations to be built, their integration options are generally limited. For example, xFLOWer supports data connections to NAV (Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration), integrations with számlázz.hu and Cégkapu, and numerous other integrations. This enables it to obtain data directly through two-way data connections, without the need for an OCR solution (optical character recognition from images).

Flexibility

If we look for individual solutions to each sales-related challenge, we will find monolithic systems that each specialize in a particular area. Ideally, these would be used together to support efficient work. However, such software solutions are generally not designed to work flexibly with one another. Rather than choosing separate specialized solutions, it is more beneficial to select a robust yet flexible system that can meet most of the business’s needs on a single platform. A workflow management system can support both the simplest and the most complex automations. Processes can incorporate decisions and branches, as well as document management.

Practical application

As a simple example, consider a hypothetical online store offering several thousand different products. Such a store typically needs to handle the following tasks: ● Supplier relationship management ● Product listing and inventory management ● Order management ● Invoice management ● Shipping and logistics ● Customer service and complaint handling

Using a workflow management system to operate an online store offers numerous advantages over traditional CRM systems or off-the-shelf e-commerce solutions, particularly in sales-related areas that are not directly part of the online store itself. Inventory tracking can be largely automated and performed in real time, providing an accurate, up-to-date view of stock levels and preventing problems caused by sold-out or unavailable products.  Operating an online store generates a large number of invoices, so handling them manually would create a substantial administrative burden. Since invoice management can also be fully automated, invoices can be sent immediately and payments tracked, improving the efficiency of financial processes and reducing the risk of late payments. The order and shipping process becomes fully transparent from the moment an order is placed through to delivery, minimizing errors and delays. During shipping, the system can keep both the customer and the company informed about the current status of packages and any issues holding them up. The system ensures efficient complaint handling by linking incoming requests to the relevant order, treating each as a separate task and automatically notifying the person responsible to enable a swift and effective resolution.

Summary

  Of course, a workflow management solution is worth using for any sales process, not just for an online store.  It is always advisable to seek help from experienced professionals when designing processes, as even a few unnecessary steps can lead to substantial extra costs and require significant staff resources. At Click On, we always provide our software solution with personalized assistance and process design to ensure comprehensive support for our customers.     

Supporting sales with business processes

Providing the right systems and tools helps sales teams work efficiently. Automated processes and high-quality, instantly accessible data support decision-making and targeted sales activities.

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