A couple months ago I attended a social media conference.  I sat down at a large round table with about ten other people and the introductions started.  I introduced myself as the Social Media Coordinator for Webfortis, a company that specializes in Dynamics CRM.  Another gentleman at the table introduced himself as Robert , the CEO of a Social CRM company.  Then the question arose, “What is Social CRM?”  Robert and I looked at each other and paused, “Well… I would like to hear your definition,” he said to me.

So, what is Social CRM?  This is a question that fills Social Media Marketing and CRM communities and it seems as though definitions very from person to person.  This is due to Social CRM being a broad term that came from a need for businesses to keep track of their engagements within social media, a tool not designed for businesses.

At first glance these two things appear as though they have little to do with each other but if we go back to elementary school and compound words, breaking down Social CRM can help us understand exactly what it is. 

Social Media is the newest and greatest marketing, sales and customer service strategies that companies are successfully using.  Social Media allows companies to be able to go where their customers are, see what their customers are talking about, gain their trust, interact with them and provide another channel to help with any complaints or concerns from current customers

CRM is software that manages a company’s interactions with customers through the marketing, sales and customer service process.  These interactions include everything from phone calls to emails to snail mail to quotes to invoices and everything in between.  It also helps a company be efficient in these interactions, see and understand all aspects of the business and close their deals. 

If a company is using social media to further achieve their efforts with customers it is only logical to use your CRM system to help plan and track these interactions as you would with any other interaction a company would have with a customer.  Therefore Social CRM is nothing new and different from what we already know about CRM and Social Media, it is simply the wording used for companies to be more efficient in their social media strategy.

For a Social CRM strategy of your own, contact me at mgoepp@webfortis.com.