CRM in the Finance Department

CRM is fast becoming the latest corporate necessity and companies of all sizes are already realising the benefits in the sales and marketing departments. But why should CRM systems be limited to these two areas of business when there is the potential to make changes company-wide?

The accounts department is one area of business where CRM is currently highly undervalued. Most organisations now use some form of accounts software in order to manage payroll, expense claims and invoicing online, making the processes more efficient and cutting down on the risk of human error.

Typically, only the finance department has access to this kind of software, which means that when someone else in the company needs access, for example if someone in the sales team wants to check that an invoice has been despatched, they have to ask finance staff to check for them. This can be time-consuming for finance staff and distracts them from more crucial aspects of their job.

The alternative is to pay for extra licences for other employees that may need access to the accounts software, but this is hardly cost effective when the need may only arise once in a blue moon.

Integrate Software has come up with a more practical solution in SalesBase. The system can be integrated with most account systems, including Sage, Access, Pegasus, Tetra, Navision and Scala. This means that anyone in the company can access accounting software when necessary, without the need for extra licences, providing everyone with access to the most up to date information about customers’ and suppliers’ payment and order status.

The potential cost savings for larger organisations can have a significant affect on the IT budget, as well improving customer service and productivity both within the finance department and the rest of the company.