CRM Best Practices

When capturing customer data, it's important to gather information that is relevant to your business and will help you better understand and serve your customers. 

There are several ways to get customer data when starting a new CRM system:

1. Import existing customer data: If you have customer information stored in another system, such as a spreadsheet or database, you can import it into your CRM.
2. Web scraping: You can use web scraping tools to gather customer data from websites and online directories.
3. Conduct surveys and gather information: Conduct surveys and collect customer data directly from your customers through feedback forms, email campaigns, and other communication channels.
4. Encourage customers to provide their information: Encourage your customers to provide their contact information when they make a purchase, sign up for your newsletter, or interact with your business in other ways.
5. Utilize social media: You can use social media platforms to gather information about your customers, such as their interests, demographics, and behavior.
6. Utilize lead generation tools: Utilize lead generation tools such as forms, landing pages, and pop-ups to capture customer data from potential leads visiting your website.
7. Monitor online reviews and feedback: Monitor online reviews and feedback to gather insights into customer pain points and preferences.
8. Utilize data from customer interactions: Track and analyze customer interactions such as phone calls, chat sessions, and email conversations to gather information about their needs and behavior.

It's important also to respect customer privacy and only collect data that is necessary for your business operations and that you have the customer's permission to collect.

Some data that is commonly captured in a CRM system includes:

1. Contact information: Names, email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses, and other contact details.
2. Demographic information: Age, gender, job title, income, education level, and other information that helps to describe the customer's profile.
3. Behavioral data: Information about a customer's interactions with your business, such as purchase history, website visits, and email open rates.
4. Customer preferences: Information about a customer's preferences and interests, such as product preferences, communication preferences, and purchasing behavior.
5. Communication history: Records of all communications with a customer, including emails, phone calls, and chat sessions.
6. Feedback and ratings: Customer feedback, ratings, and reviews to understand their satisfaction with your products or services.
7. Sales information: Information about a customer's sales history, including the products or services they have purchased, the amount spent, and the date of purchase.
8. Marketing and advertising data: Information about a customer's response to your marketing and advertising efforts, including email open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates.
9. Social media data: Information from a customer's social media profiles, such as their followers, interests, and activity.
10. Custom fields: Custom fields that capture information that is specific to your business, such as product interests, customer value, and account status.

It's important to keep in mind that the data you capture will depend on the specific goals and needs of your business, and that you should only collect data that you have a legitimate reason to collect and that you have the customer's permission to collect.