| Any retail store that wants to stay in business for a | | | | Once this action has become standard sales |
| long time will appreciate every customer that walks | | | | procedure in a store, it is only a matter of time before |
| through the front door; the question is whether or not | | | | hundreds of customers have obliged and a highly |
| they will choose to display that appreciation. Customer | | | | valuable database is formed. Yet, because the CRM |
| relationship management (CRM) has become an | | | | database is integrated with the POS software, the |
| integral part of any business that wishes to establish a | | | | information stored in the database is even more |
| strong client-brand relationship. The first step of the | | | | valuable. Not only will it store the contact information, |
| process involves creating a database of contact | | | | but it will also track all purchases made by the |
| information; otherwise a business would have no way | | | | customer and how much they have spent overall. |
| to engage the customers outside of the shop. With a | | | | When customers return they are asked whether they |
| contact database set up, a business can activate | | | | are in the system, and if so, the employee simply |
| powerful campaigns with their customers, ranging from | | | | searches for their name, and the purchase is |
| promotional offers to new item updates. | | | | automatically added to their history. This information is |
| Business owners should not be worried about the time, | | | | invaluable for store owners, whose relationship with |
| effort, and investment it would take to set up such a | | | | clients is based on how much money the customer |
| database, because the tools may be right under their | | | | spends and how often. |
| noses. Any smart retail owner has probably invested in | | | | With all this information stored in a neat file on the |
| a high quality point of sale (POS) because they are | | | | computer, the point of sale actually turns into a |
| really the only way to manage all aspects of retail | | | | database of a list of "close friends", the highly valued |
| stores. They track everything from inventory, sales, | | | | customer, or "acquaintances", the rare shopper. The |
| and yes, customers. Most retail POS systems have a | | | | CRM can then be activated based on that: Loyal |
| powerful CRM tool integrated in their system. This | | | | customers can receive special invites or perks that |
| allows for retail clerks to input data about a customer | | | | other customers aren't privy to while rare shoppers |
| at the point of purchase. Before the transaction is | | | | can be attracted through promotions or new product |
| made the employee can kindly ask if the customer | | | | announcements. At the end of the day the way a |
| wants to be added to the system, briefly explaining the | | | | CRM will be put to use will be up to the one in charge |
| benefits, such as discount opportunities or event | | | | of marketing, but whoever controls the retail point of |
| notifications. If the customer agrees, the process is as | | | | sale will empower that person with the data they need |
| easy as typing in their name and address (home and | | | | to nurture relationships with customers. |
| or email). | | | | |