Automation, digitalisation to address business issues in 2021

Dubai:Many companies are looking forward to a pandemic-free world where businesses are back in normal operations and economies are flourishing. With the creation and distribution of vaccines, normalcy is on the horizon. But many experts agree that it is too soon to tell.

The year 2021 will be full of uncertainties for businesses. Many workers have lost their jobs and businesses have closed for good. For Ali Homadi, CEO and Founder of Loyica, a Dubai-based technology company, automation and digitalization are important components for companies to have to address the looming unpredictability of the market. These two components will allow businesses to gather data from a turbulent and volatile business environment and make data-driven decisions. This will give businesses an edge over the competition and a higher chance of survival.

But most businesses do not know about the power of automation. And the global pandemic has affected the rate of adoption of technology by organizations. “Many businesses are cutting back on expenses to survive the recession. But what many businesses do not realize is that there’s a strong evidence supporting the claim that technological investments during a pandemic is a necessity and it’s what will allow them to take advantage of the opportunities that will emerge in the months to follow,” said Homadi.

Why CRM is important

Homadi argues that using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software will give companies the ability to constantly communicate and engage leads and customers at the most efficient way possible, all due to “automation and digitalization that CRM provides.” Saphyte, a CRM that Loyica developed and designed, hosts an ecosystem of sales, marketing, support, and team management features that uses automation to augment business processes.

Customer-centric approach necessary for 2021

There is a collective agreement among marketing executives that communication, through email marketing for example, should be a top priority for companies in 2021. To keep customers engaged, CRMs like Saphyte help companies build customer profiles and use automation to send them target emails. A personalized interaction fosters meaningful relationships which are catalysts of customer loyalty— which is becoming more important as research shows that during the pandemic, customers tend to switch brands easily.

“It’s more important now than ever for companies to establish their presence in the market. They have to show that their business remains impactful despite the sudden changes around the lives of their customers,” said Joshua Yates, Sales Director of Saphyte.

CRMs use contact information from customers to provide businesses actionable data and insights. The information can be added after every interaction between the business and the customer to “know the customer at a deeper level.” This helps provide a personalized service which tends to improve the overall customer experience. “They have to keep their brand felt, seen, and known especially when it’s rough out there for consumers. This need not be complex and labor-intensive. Companies can do this with minimal effort using CRMs,” added Yates.

With the social distancing measures and lockdown policies in place, businesses must consider taking advantage of digital solutions that can address the challenges of remote working and automate sales and marketing processes. “If companies continue to ignore the importance of digitalization, they may lose out on connecting to their target audience especially those that digital channels reach,” said Kevin Lopez, Systems Managing Director of Saphyte.

Most companies have been attributing the success of closed deals to marketing actions conducted from the first and last touchpoints. But research suggests that understanding the customer journey and discovering how marketing impacts the bottom line revenue of a closed deal is too complex an approach that not all companies can successfully pull off.

“With CRMs, marketers are shown data where their marketing efforts are most effective throughout the buyer’s journey. This helps them identify and determine which of their practices are the most effective and which ones need to be changed. This shapes and reshapes organizational practices to set them up for success,” added Lopez. Today, Saphyte continues to partner with local SMEs and train them to use CRMs to know their market better.