It is not just today that technology places itself as one of the great allies and necessary partners within companies, assisting in internal and external issues and, mainly, helping managers in their tasks. Examples of such systems are ERP and CRM .
Able to generate reports, analyze data, manage documents and automate processes , these software provide the best practices aimed at the growth of organizations. If you want to know more about these tools, peculiarities and differences, continue reading this article!
Defining ERP and CRM
In the business scenario, it is possible to classify the ERP system as a system whose focus is business management, related to the organization’s internal routines, while CRM is specifically linked to the relationship with customers and sales. Let’s understand a little more about each one below?
ERP Features
What is the primary goal of an ERP system? ERP ( Enterprise Resourcing Planning ) consists of extremely comprehensive software in its applications, integrating data from different sectors of the company. Acting as one of the pillars of management, it is able to reduce costs, increase productivity and enable the best strategic decisions based on data collected from the standardization of processes.
About ERP, its characteristics also define it in some points, such as:
- It is a flexible system that adapts to eventual changes within the organization;
- Uses information gathered in a single database, facilitating access,
- Through automation, it enables data collection and treatment in real time, eliminating the manual execution of the process.
CRM Features
CRM ( Customer Relationship Management ) is a software that works with sales and customer relationship management. This system helps in the monitoring of negotiations, in long-term contact, assisting in consumer loyalty and retention practices .
Some of the points that stand out the most in CRM are:
- Construction of a database on customers, with categorized contact data;
- History of interactions with consumers, generating reports on completion and abandonment of purchase, for example
- Commercial information security and automatic reminders for after-sales, delivery and visit contacts.
Main differences between ERP and CRM
Probably the biggest difference between ERP and CRM is due to the fact that ERP acts in more administrative and essential tasks of a company, such as financial management, purchasing control, accounts payable and receivable, issuing notes, inventory control, tax and accounting management, and so on.
The main objective of the software is to integrate different areas of an organization and ensure efficient and secure communication between departments, facilitating information flows and operational and administrative routines.
CRM, in turn, is a software aimed at managing sales and customers of the company, concerned with offering the best possible service, understanding the pain of the target audience and reducing the time of the purchase cycle, making the processes more profitable and satisfying for consumers.
Since the customer experience counts as much as the product or service marketed, it is the task of CRM to provide the best relationship and an excellent shopping journey for the customer, who must be constantly fed and have his interest renewed by the brand.
Why should ERP and CRM systems work together?
Both tools, ERP and CRM, are fundamental in the daily activities of companies, and not only can but must work together. The integration between systems has an impact on the organization as a whole.
By integrating with the financial department, the commercial sector can negotiate sales more quickly and securely. The contact with established customers and new leads also only has to gain from the implementation of a standardized and optimized structure of administrative routines, such as electronic document management .
Other good examples of the integration between ERP and CRM are the purchase orders made to the commercial sector, which walk at the same time to the stock and allow to save time in the separation and delivery of the items, in a clear and objective information flow.
Indicators of productivity and sales performance allow a broader view to the manager, who follows in detail the positive points and processes that need to be improved within the company, with strategies aligned with the organization’s goal.
The sales team keeps up to date on internal changes such as new forms of pricing, and internal processes can adapt to the best way for salespeople to perform in a rich and careful exchange.
Conclusion
In this post, we talked about the ERP and CRM management systems. We go through its concepts, main characteristics and the differences between the two tools, which, together, can bring numerous benefits to your business.
If you liked this article, check now our post on ERP Modernization – Scalability, Security, And Innovation. And in order not to miss any news, keep following the Elvis blog and subscribe to the newsletter to receive content directly in your email.
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