CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a management approach adopted by many companies. This article explains the benefits of introducing CRM in the real estate industry, recommended tools, and its connection to maximizing LTV.
What Is CRM, and Why Is It Getting So Much Attention?
CRM is an approach used to maximize profit by putting the customer at the center. It is an initiative designed to understand customer thinking accurately and develop appropriate strategies, and CRM systems as IT tools have also become widespread. Implementing CRM tools helps reduce strain, inconsistency, and waste, and supports the achievement of goals such as higher sales.
Three Reasons CRM Is Being Adopted
- Changes in the domestic market: As customer values diversify, the market becomes more segmented, making CRM significantly more important
- Preventing the loss of existing customers: As the number of competitors increases, accurately understanding customer needs becomes essential
- More advanced marketing: Classifying and analyzing prospective and high-value customers can lead to the discovery of company-specific success patterns
What Are the Benefits of CRM in the Real Estate Industry?
- Efficient approaches aligned with customer acquisition channels: By analyzing data from increasingly diverse channels such as portal sites, company websites, and social media, companies can take the most appropriate approach
- Sharing customer information across the company: Customer information held individually by sales staff can be shared company-wide, creating new ideas and synergies
- Connecting online and offline activity: Customer behavior on both sides, such as visiting a store after an internet search or registering on a website from a flyer, can be managed centrally
Comparison of CRM Tools Suitable for the Real Estate Industry
| Tool Name | Features | Implementation Track Record |
|---|---|---|
| eセールスマネージャー | A UI optimized for Japanese sales operations | 5,000+ companies |
| Knowledge Suite | Business card management linked with customer ledgers | 6,500 companies |
| Sansan | Builds customer databases through business card scanning | 7,000+ companies |
| Sales Cloud | Highly customizable | 150,000+ companies |
| いえらぶCLOUD | Supports both brokerage and property management operations | 12,000 companies |
| ノマドクラウド | Supports sales operations for real estate brokerage | Real estate focused |
| Dynamics 365 | Strong integration with Microsoft products | Global deployment |
How Can CRM Maximize LTV (Customer Lifetime Value)?
LTV (Life Time Value) is an indicator showing how much value one customer brings during the course of the business relationship. To maximize LTV, the key is how well a company can build a strong relationship with the customer, which makes CRM implementation essential.
Five Tips for Improving LTV
- Increase customer satisfaction: Improve the quality of products and services and prevent switching
- Raise average purchase value: Make effective use of upselling and cross-selling
- Extend the duration of the relationship: Introduce subscription and recurring purchase services
- Lower customer acquisition costs: Focus on segments with lower acquisition costs
- Strengthen customer loyalty: Enhance point cards and after-sales services
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the difference between CRM and SFA?
CRM is a customer relationship management approach used across marketing more broadly, while SFA is a system specialized for sales activities. Using both together makes it possible to manage customers consistently from marketing through sales.
Q. Is CRM necessary even for small real estate companies?
Yes. In fact, smaller companies can benefit even more from CRM tools because they help manage customers efficiently with limited personnel.
Q. What should a company do first when introducing CRM?
The first step is to clarify the challenges in its current customer management and identify the functions it needs. From there, it is advisable to choose a tool that matches the company’s budget and scale and begin with a small implementation.
