CRM and ERP System Integration

CRM and ERP Systems Integration

Businesses often employ two systems to make sure business processes run efficiently – a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

SAP, Oracle (Netsuite), Salesforce, and Microsoft offer on-premise as well as Software as a Service (SaaS) CRM and ERP solutions to businesses of all sizes.

Manage Customer Data with CRM

A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system helps manage customer data and deals with front-end information.

It managages valuable customer data and enriching it through interactions with marketing and customer support.

This helps businesses understand prospects and clients. Cloud-based CRM systems offer complete mobility and access to an ecosystem of bespoke apps.

ERP System Handles Critical Backend Information

ERP, or enterprise resource planning, is a modular software system designed to integrate the main functional areas of an organization’s business processes into a unified system.

An ERP system handles critical backend information, that focus on essential business areas, such as finance and accounting, HR, production and materials management, customer relationship management (CRM) and supply chain management.

Both client relationship management and enterprise resource planning systems independently offer substantial benefits to businesses.

Employing a powerful CRM and ERP System Integration solution allows for connectivity between the two, providing even more advantages to businesses.

The Integration Challenge with ERP and CRM systems

Generally, ERP and CRM systems tend to remain siloed as their contrasting architectures make it difficult to streamline integration.

Those who try to create seamless connectivity between the two often turn to custom point-to-point integration.

This method is fragile, expensive, and difficult to maintain. With point-to-point connections, a developer needs to manage connectivity and implement changes.

Moreover, changes impact the entire system, leaving room for errors.

These point-to-point integrations deliver a short-term solution, but become overly complicated as businesses grow.

Another method businesses resort to is “swivel chair” data entry. This method requires an individual to manually retrieve data from one system and enter it into another. Such a procedure is error-prone and takes an extensive amount of time and human resources.

With two different systems unable to communicate with one another, it becomes nearly impossible to track all customer interactions and obtain information through one interface.

Sales reps spend time jumping between applications to create a 360 degree view of their customers, slowing down sales processes.

As a lack of CRM and ERP System Integration creates an inefficient workspace, businesses need a robust CRM and ERP integration solution in order to streamline their business processes.
Find out more about ERP Integration

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