What is CRM Integration? Key Concepts and Strategies (2024)

CRM software program is usually a highly effective advertising, gross sales, and repair resolution by itself, nevertheless it’s typically paired with different instruments in an organization’s tech stack. The best technique to make the most of a CRM platform is to have it act as a hub of all consumer info, marketing campaign insights, and gross sales reporting.

CRM integrations join all enterprise instruments and functions with the CRM software program so as to improve effectivity and enhance total buyer expertise.

What’s CRM integration?

CRM integration is the connection between your normal CRM software program and another enterprise functions. It’s a core characteristic of any CRM instrument that controls information sharing and automation performance that eliminates the necessity for customers to leap between instruments.

CRM software program can combine with each native and third-party functions. Native instruments, or built-in integrations, are software program that’s owned or provided inside a set of merchandise by the identical CRM supplier. For instance, customers of Zoho CRM can sync info from their Zoho Analytics account by built-in integrations.

Third get together functions are instruments provided by solely completely different suppliers that companies have already got subscriptions to or plan to ultimately make the most of. CRM suppliers can combine with these completely different instruments, however I do suggest first confirming the CRM software program you’re seeking to put money into helps integrations with the highest instruments you have already got.

Companies use connectors like Zapier or construct out their very own API to do the combination of software program. APIs are simply endpoints in every instrument that management how functions can work together with one another. In case your IT workforce is supplied, they’ll construct APIs to completely customise how your enterprise integrates instruments. That is most useful in case you have area of interest enterprise wants and even an in-house software program you need to combine along with your CRM software program.

5 varieties of helpful CRM integrations

Electronic mail and calendar

Syncing your CRM software program to your enterprise electronic mail and calendar is the primary integration I counsel establishing. A lot of the promoting course of is finished by electronic mail communication and scheduling conferences, so when your CRM is built-in with these instruments, reps can shortly ship personalised and even automated emails and schedule consumer conferences with out leaving the CRM interface.

• Google Workspace: Entry the whole suite of instruments, together with Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets, Meet, Chat, and Jamboard.
• Microsoft 365: Make the most of the host of productiveness instruments from Microsoft, together with Groups, Phrase, SharePoint, OneDrive, and extra.

Lead technology

Having new leads and prospects continuously funneled into the CRM helps reps establish after which interact with new enterprise alternatives on the proper time. Investing in a lead technology firm or a B2B database can do plenty of the heavy lifting with regards to discovering pre-qualified leads. This manner, companies can at all times be producing leads within the background with gross sales reps prepared to begin nurturing.

• ZoomInfo: Obtain certified leads which can be able to be engaged with along with real-time insights into their firmographics.
• Wiza: Confirm emails, telephone numbers, and job titles in seconds with this Chrome extension add-on.

Social media

As one other avenue of lead technology, social media integration permits for the CRM to immediately import and handle new leads and advertising campaigns. Connecting your companies social media accounts to your CRM software program permits reps to reply inquiries, construct model consciousness, and spot extremely certified leads which can be partaking along with your content material.

• LinkedIn: Supply leads with LinkedIn Gross sales Navigator and interact with prospects by content material.
• Fb: Deploy, monitor, and handle ongoing social media advertising campaigns from the CRM.

Communication instruments

Nearly all of the gross sales course of is finished by immediately speaking with leads. Integrating your most typical communication instruments along with your CRM software program makes it simple for gross sales reps to succeed in out and reply to purchasers by a number of channels. Immediate messaging or video calling permit workforce members to speak each internally and externally for streamlined operations. The CRM integration with these instruments additionally makes conserving a historical past of the chat simple.

• Microsoft Groups: Chat with workforce members, schedule conferences, and sync calendars.
• Slack: Message internally with paperwork, calls, and chat historical past saved.
• Zoom Conferences: Host and document gross sales calls, inside conferences, or webinars.

Invoicing and fee processing

Some CRM suppliers supply built-in invoicing, quote administration, and fee processing capabilities. Nevertheless, since most don’t have it as a local characteristic or solely have it as an costly add-on, integrating the present invoicing software program your enterprise makes use of may be the higher technique to go.

• QuickBooks: Handle invoices and bills with this industry-leading accounting software program.
• QuoteMachine: Create, evaluate, and ship interactive quotes and invoices on to purchasers from the CRM.

4 advantages of CRM integration

Present a unified view of buyer information

When a CRM software program is built-in with a number of different functions in your gross sales or advertising tech stack, gross sales reps and whole groups can entry a extra unified view of all of your buyer information. That is nice for reps wanting to interact with a consumer by way of telephone, electronic mail, or social media from only one click on to viewing buyer development experiences for strategizing.

Automate processes

Workflow automations make many redundant gross sales duties simpler and extra time environment friendly. All the finest CRM suppliers supply automations for that precise cause. These automations can lengthen past the CRM software program for extra ease. When automations can combine with different instruments in your tech stack, the gross sales course of may be extra advanced, which in flip enhances the client expertise. For instance, by an electronic mail integration, leads can obtain personalised and focused automated electronic mail campaigns constructed within the CRM.

Elevated information accuracy

When you’ve got all gross sales and advertising instruments synced, information is ready to be up to date in actual time. This may embody buyer contact info or detailed income monitoring. Having correct information means customers can confidently promote with out having to waste time double checking info.

Extra alternative for collaboration

CRM integration can result in extra enhanced collaboration each internally and externally. For customers who need extra alternative to attach with purchasers or potential prospects, there are dwell chat instruments or touchdown web page builders. For groups that need to get rid of silo workflows, there are integrations with communication apps and progress trackers.

3 finest CRM for integrations

HubSpot

HubSpot is a well-liked buyer platform with highly effective AI instruments, advertising instruments, and aggressive scalability. Along with a strong free CRM, HubSpot gives a advertising hub, service hub, and operations hub inside its suite of instruments that every one combine internally. HubSpot can combine with over 1,500 functions and even suggest apps for companies simply beginning out.

To study extra, head over to this HubSpot evaluate.

Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a advertising CRM resolution that has an important mixture of core and superior options for an important worth. Some characteristic integrations for Zoho CRM embody Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Sack, Shopify, Mailchimp, and Fb.

Learn this impartial Zoho CRM evaluate for extra info.

Pipedrive

Pipedrive is an easy gross sales CRM with pipeline and undertaking administration instruments. Inside Pipedrive’s market, companies can search, filter, and even prospect different tech instruments. Pipedrive’s AI assistant may even discover related third-party instruments for integration suggestions of their market.

Concerned about extra? Try this Pipedrive evaluate.