In an earlier post, we talked about 'why' foodservice manufacturers and their supply chains are using a CRM to increase their overall bottom line.
What are some additional benefits of using the HubSpot CRM?
Let's dive into topics like API integration, aligning foodservice marketing, sales, AND service, customer happiness, and sales empowerment.
The following video clip was taken from a recorded webinar on How A Free CRM Will Change Your Foodservice Business.
API Integration
Even though HubSpot is an all-in-one tool, it's not the end-all-be-all. HubSpot is the foundation of your digital ecosystem. It needs to connect with other software tools and share key data points between systems. An enterprise API (application program interface) is needed by the core CRM to 'speak' with other systems.
For example, the HubSpot CRM will need to connect to tools like:
- SpecPath
- Orgo
- AutoQuotes
- KCL
- Atero
- Specifi
- SalesForce
Marketing, Sales, and Customer Service - Aligned
Today's marketers are part of the sales process. Today's marketers don't just create brochures and help set up trade-shows. Today's marketers help generate sales qualified leads through content creation (blogging, landing pages, email marketing, social media, etc.) and truly understanding the buyer's journey. Buyers are spending more and more time online researching equipment solutions, watching videos, and learning more and more before speaking with sales.
This marketing information (data) is being captured in the SAME database as the CRM. Sales now has access to all of the marketing intel and knows so much more about their customers before making the sales call. Before turning that lead into an opportunity. The common thread? Shared data across multiple business units.
Customer service executives play a most critical role post-sale, right? That install. That start-up. That service issue that always happens at peak hours of the restaurant. Who gets the call? Typically, the manufacturer rep.
Reps and manufacturers will start to use the CRM and Service Hub to automate service tickets and tracking, ultimately, improving the time to remedy a customer's service issue. Imagine getting the entire process from start to finish down to 1 hour during peak times. It can be done. The common thread? Sharing data across multiple business units and systems.
Sales Empowerment
A CRM will empower salespeople. It's proven. Sales increase with CRM adoption.
If you are a factory reading this right now, ask yourself this: How long does it take for a lead generated by your company to be contacted by the manufacturer rep's sales person? Come on. One week? Or more?
A CRM will allow only the most qualified leads to be automatically sent to the right salesperson immediately. The right salesperson can be based on geography, vertical, or however your sales process is structured. The goal should be within one hour. Not one week.
Other sales empowerment:
- Stay [better] organized
- Know WHO is interested
- Know WHAT they are interested in
- Know WHEN to follow up
- Know WHY to follow up
- Be more efficient
The following video clip was taken from a recorded webinar on How A Free CRM Will Change Your Foodservice Business.
