This is where Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software comes into play. Think of CRM as your trusty assistant, simplifying customer-related processes like sales, marketing, and customer service.

But despite its many benefits, choosing a good CRM can be daunting. That's why we've compiled this helpful guide of CRM strategies to kickstart your journey to success. With these strategies in your toolkit, you'll be ready to grow your dealership confidently.

Set clear goals 

A good starting point for your CRM strategy is a thorough analysis of your goals. Setting clear goals right from the beginning helps your team stay on track and tweak their approach as needed. 

For example, do you want to: 

• Better understand the needs of your customers? 
• Better understand your buyers' journey?
• Create targeted marketing campaigns? 
• Gain valuable insights through data analysis? 
• Improve customer segmentation?
• Improve customer loyalty and retention?
• Identify your strongest leads?

The answer will be unique to you. Just make sure your business goals are specific, realistic, and achievable. Keep in mind that a CRM strategy can only be successful if you know what you want to achieve with it!

Prioritize onboarding and training 

Not everyone on your team will be ready to adopt the CRM system right away. Some might prefer sticking to old-school methods. 

If this is the case, try not to get frustrated. Instead, take the time to help them understand how new technologies can benefit everyone. You can smooth out the transition by offering plenty of training, clear instructions, and support as needed. 

We recommend continuing training practices as you move forward so everyone stays up-to-date on how to use the CRM successfully. 

Customize to your needs 

No two businesses in the agricultural machinery and equipment industry are the same, so a CRM system will need to be customized to fit your individual needs. 

To make sure your CRM works best for you, consider the size of your dealership, the types of equipment you specialize in, and what your customers want. Once you've sorted out these details, you can incorporate them into your CRM plan.

By customizing your CRM to match your specific needs, you unlock its full potential and maximize your investment. A customized system will lead to stronger customer relationships, streamlined workflows, and most importantly, a thriving dealership.

Implement AI and automation 

With automation and AI baked into your CRM strategy, your dealership will enjoy a revolutionary shift in operations. Repetitive manual tasks like data entry will become automatic, freeing your team to focus on tasks that take a bit more brainpower to tackle. 

And that’s not all. In an effective CRM, AI can redefine customer groups, predict churn, and teach chatbots to give accurate answers to common questions.

AI-driven tools also help your team understand customer needs, use targeted marketing tactics to improve the customer journey, and reach your audience in the right place at the right time.