Developing a successful CRM strategy for your agency

In the last edition of the Journal, we talked about the CRM maturity journey. To start progressing to the top-level Innovation stage, you can start thinking about developing a CRM strategy.

Your CRM strategy could include the following items which, taken as a whole, will give your agency a clear direction forward:

Setting targets in your CRM strategy

A CRM strategy needs to be articulated and visible so your staff are focused on reaching the same goals.

Your first step is to decide what you want your goals to be. Then choose the metrics you'll track. Depending on what you want to achieve, those metrics could include:

• Win-loss analysis

• Conversation rate

• Average lead lifecycle

• Goal tracking

• or something else.

The key is to decide on what you're measuring and be consistent when measuring it.

Consider your most important people

The most important people are your customers. You'll need to initially think about the following:

• What are your agency's key objectives for your contacts?

• What is your agency's view on lifetime sales potential?

• What is the ultimate vision and mission for your brand's relationship with customers and prospects?

Taking the time to think about all of these things at the beginning will put you in the right mindset to...

Prioritise customer needs

You need to know what is going on in the minds of buyers and sellers in your local area. Additionally, you need to consider what is really important to them - today, tomorrow and in 10 years' time.

As you deal with your customers every day, you essentially know these things. However, you should be prioritising their needs based on value for your agency if you want to improve your bottom line.

You can start that by documenting the different types of buyers and sellers your agency interacts with. Identify their pain points and the value they're seeking. Then, you can prioritise each of the segments in order of the value of the potential business you see coming from them.

Mapping out user journeys

'Adding value' is a term you've probably heard about. If you want to provide a great customer experience, it's something that needs to occur at every stage of the buying and selling journey.

You can start by mapping out example user journeys of buyers and sellers. Detail each interaction they have with your agency; every touchpoint you want to make. Thinking beyond the sale, consider how your relationships may evolve over months and years. Your CRM can help build clients (and referrals) for life - but only if you constantly add value.

Once you've mapped out your user journeys, you need to...

Build workflows into your system

Building workflows into your systems help all your agents work the same way. This provides a consistent customer experience to each buyer and seller coming into contact with your agency. Workflows help new starters get up to speed and work efficiently for your agency as quickly as possible.

Each user journey requires a workflow. Rex comes with a bunch built into the system - we call them tracks. These tracks make it easy to remember what you need to do, and when you need to do it - only minimal thought is necessary. Tracks assist with taking the mystery out of best practice follow-up.

Prioritising training

Your CRM strategy is only valuable if your employees use it. Training is a key element in adoption. By investing in one-on-one or group training and continued support, you'll be able to lock in the value of the system among employees and ensure you're getting the best bang for your buck.

If you consider how people in different roles will need to use the system, you'll be able to tailor their training accordingly.

Make sure you assign someone responsible to communicate system updates and new features to the team.

Creating a data strategy plan

Your contact and property data is at the core of your customer relationship strategy. It must be clean, organised and accessible; a single point of truth.

All agency staff need to be entering and storing data in the same way. The data points each agent or admin is capturing need to be considered and they need to be entered back into your CRM software. This is so they can be used to add value to the conversations you have with your customers.

Determine your CRM's maturity using Rex's free CRM Grader tool.

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