Why an ERP software is better than a standalone CRM software?

Very often people may ask us do we have a CRM software. Before answering that, we asked this question “What is your definition of a CRM” and that’s where we hear differences in their reply. Some define as a system that handle quotations, some defined as tracking anything on customers and etc. To help make it clearer, below are some differences:

• CRM software is only one part of an ERP software
  CRM only captured information pertaining to customers. Some CRM software may include pre-sales activities tracking and integrated to quotation until order is confirmed while some CRM may only be as simple as preparing and tracking quotation only. ERP System however does much more than that. Not only can it capture these information, it can also captured information across all departments including Procurement, Warehouse, Production, Accounts, HR and etc.

• CRM only process customers data while ERP Software process more
  While sales is indeed the profit generating center for all companies, analysing only customers information may restrict company from serving and providing the best to customers. Imagine your inventory being managed manually in excel and that the excel file was not updated and the last piece of stock was sold by another salesperson . The other salesperson would have wrongly committed to customer for the ETD and affect customers’ impression on your delivery record. What happen if a customer calls up and report an issue with your product and that you do not have an integrated Warranty and After-sales servicing record system in your ERP Software? You can still do the work but probably not without after searching through files and files of papers and documents and that the amount of delayed in reverting back to your troubled customers will affect customers’ impression on your after-sales service and the cycle continues on how willing client is willing to rate you well in their internal vendor quality review? Do note to be careful though as not all CRM softwares offered in market has full coverage. Some may cover “quotation management” only while the better vendors may offer more including Campaign Management, Pre-sales Prospective activities tracking and etc. The most ideal situation where possible is to implement an ERP Software integrated with a CRM module in place to give your company a wider and deeper coverage of data collection which shall in turn allow management to perform the best possible analysis for quicker business decision planning and decision making.

Check out here for more information on our CRM module and ERP Singapore System: