The problems of using Excel to keep in touch with customers

What companies do not realise is that using Excel has pitfalls compared to an intelligently automated customer relationship management (CRM) system.

The spreadsheet is due to fear of change. This could be costing these small businesses hundreds of pounds every year.

The use of spreadsheets is often common when starting a business and therefore data management can be convenient. However, this can be quite costly in the long run, as well as possibly putting the SME at risk by continuing to use limiting software.

Some of the drawbacks of using an Excel spreadsheet and in-house software are:

1.- LOSS OF TIME IN YOUR OPERATIONS

With an in-house system or an Excel spreadsheet, companies can get bogged down moving information from one screen to another manually, data can be cumbersome to collect and duplication of work usually occurs. A CRM, on the other hand, offers an automated process. Repetitive tasks can be entered and information can be amalgamated to produce data and facts, which are quick and easy to understand. When your business grows the CRM grows, when your Excel spreadsheet grows there is a plethora of data that is difficult to control and can get lost.

2.- HIGHER COST OF EMPLOYMENT

Different departments within the same company often have different ways of capturing information. For example, the finance department may have a number of headings that do not match those used by the sales department, causing anomalies when capturing information. With a CRM, you can integrate the needs of each department and it will reflect the information they all need in one easy to use system, saving time and cost in the use of different systems.

3.- LESS CONVENIENCE WHEN SEARCHING FOR OR MANAGING DATA

Data has to be converted to different programs if you are using separate systems such as a Mac or PC. Having a cloud-based CRM system like Datalyse allows you to get information on any device and anywhere with internet access. Some departmental software such as accounting has its place, however CRM definitely trumps software that should be used to keep in touch with customers. Of course, a CRM like Datalyse recognises this and can integrate such solutions to work together. Datalyse is built on a cloud-based platform that is specifically for SMEs in mind. and provides the added convenience of building in any additional bespoke elements you may need for your business.

At Datalyse, we offer a free trial before you commit and, if you are a sole proprietorship, we will give you free access for a full year.

- Datalyse is a fast and easy to use CRM that allows you to unify your company's needs, centralising all your operations in a single application. Find out how a CRM can help your team on our website and blog, or get in touch with us.