CRM case studies

Apple CRM
Apple, the brand itself does not need any introduction.
The company which was founded by Steve Jobs is a global phenomenon and
continues to send ripples of excitement during product launches.
Apple has rolled out revolutionary products including the iMac, iPhone, iPad,
and Apple TV. While there are no apprehensions pertaining to the quality of
these products, Apple leaves no stone unturned to ensure customer
satisfaction.
Let’s explore how Apple leverages Apple ID.
If you have used iTunes, you will know that you need an Apple ID. Besides, even
if you use an Apple device, you will need an Apple ID to register it.
Your Apple ID syncs with all your devices to keep track of your movie and music
choices and offer customized recommendations based on that information.
What problem is this solving? It provides users with a higher level of
convenience.
Apple uses the data it has collected to understand what its customers are
looking for enabling them to improve their targeted marketing strategies.
This is a classic case of a well-done CRM.
Uber CRM
Uber hit the market in 2009 and since then has been at the forefront of the ride-
sharing revolution.
Today, Uber is a household name in many parts of the world, but the big
question is, can it continue its dominance in the future? Well, we will have to
wait and find out. In the meanwhile, we can take a look at how Uber has
acquired more than 95 million customers worldwide.
It is no secret that Salesforce has powered Uber’s CRM strategy and helped the
company reach new milestones.
Salesforce, one of the leading CRM vendors in the world helps Uber collect data
from users who are engaging with the brand on social media. This approach
helps Uber address customer queries and complaints in a timely manner.
Besides, Uber can also keep track of all interactions with customers via an
intuitive dashboard.
Let’s not forget Uber’s loyalty program which allows customers to collect Uber
Rewards.
Every user earns points when they ride or eat with Uber, which can be redeemed
across Uber’s plethora of services.
It is safe to say that it is a textbook example of a brand acquiring customers by
incentivizing them.
McDonald’s
Did you know that McDonald’s serves around 1 million customers only in the
UK? The number is projected to be anywhere close to 65-70 million across the
world.
So what is the secret sauce behind ensuring that customers keep coming back
for more?
McDonald’s CRM strategy is second to none and this is why this is an interesting
CRM case study.
McDonald’s has joined hands with Astute Solutions. This partnership enables
the global fast-food company to gain deep insights into customer feedback and
their satisfaction levels.
The company can also evaluate a restaurant’s performance based on region and
swiftly identify gaps in customer relationships. Besides, this allows McDonald’s
to step in before even the smallest of issues turn into serious problems.
Astute Solutions works with McDonald’s to offer real-time customer
information, integrate information from its restaurant into an advanced CRM
tool, and enhance the accuracy of its reporting to facilitate sound decision-
making.
British Airways
The aviation industry is highly competitive and very consumer-oriented. Even a
single bad experience is enough for customers to never look back.
So how does British Airways manage to fly more than 145,000 passengers to
over 200 destinations each day? Why do customers love Birtish Airways?
The answer is clear – it’s Executive Club.
The British Airways Executive Club is an excellent example of one should do CRM
loyalty schemes.
The program is free of cost and doesn’t have any ongoing charges. It allows
passengers to earn ‘Avios’ points when you buy holiday packages, car rental,
hotels, and flights via British Airways or its affiliated partners.
These ‘Avios’ points can be redeemed for discounts on accommodation or flight
tickets. Users can also choose their seat and meal preferences, paving the way
for a flawless booking experience.
As customers continue to fly with British Airways, they will be able to advance
through the different tiers of the Executive Club membership (from blue to
Gold).
British Airways keeps track of this information using a CRM system named
Teradata. It allows the airline operator to stay on top of all customer bookings
and how they are engaging with their offers and deals.
Learn, adapt, implement
What are the key takeaways from all of these CRM case studies?
Customer is the king, and if you treat the king right, your business will flourish.
Having said that, it is important to have a full-proof CRM strategy in place to
ensure you strengthen your relationship with your customers. It is critical that
you start creating strategies to pull in more leads, manage deals in the pipeline,
and foster healthy customer relationships.

AMAZON: Is probably the biggest and best CRM marketer in the world. Their
database, data warehouse, and data analytics have opened up more
communications with current and potential customers than any other company.
Yet, the enabling of their massive capabilities relies on a simple approach. If you
want to buy something at Amazon, you have to set up a personal account. Their
incredible data capabilities can’s begin unless the customer initiates it. Very
soon, 85% of the world’s products will be available on Amazon. Already, for
every $1 that Americans spend online in 2015, Amazon captures 51 cents.
DELL: Has a division where 70% of B2B contacts on their email list are inactive.
And 43% never engage with marketing emails. They create the “Unfrozen”
program, a data-driven multichannel content and contact strategy that
leverages direct mail, email, and retargeting. They segment targets into Nappers
and Dormants. In this one of our CRM case studies, they create appropriate
messaging and offers for each. Email open rates climb to 45% above the
business-as-usual benchmark. There is a 33% conversion rate on high-value
direct mailers. This result is 6% higher revenue, 8% higher margin and 5% higher
units per buyer.

OFFSET SOLAR: Distributes and installs solar panels in homes. Offset Solar goes
from sun analysis and consultation to permitting and activation of solar panels
for homeowners. They employ a lead nurturing system such that once they meet
certain criteria such as qualifying for one of the loan products, they become hot
leads. Within the first 10 minutes, a dedicated team reaches out to them to
gather further information about their needs. They schedule an appointment for
the property Then, they move to the deal. With this system, they see a 66%
reduction in the sales cycle and a 400% increase in revenue.

RAKUTEN MARKETING: Launches a line of Disney-themed backpacks partnering

with JanSport. They do a series of cross-channel marketing campaigns. These
rely on artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify and target new
customers. A teaser ad drives consumers to an email sign-up page and to
branded content. There, they can get a preview and learn more about the new
items. Results are 711% increase in total affiliate sales; a 33% increase in month-
over-month affiliate sales; and a 73% lower cost-per-acquisition.
SAIL INTERNET: Services thousands of customers offering clearer, more reliable
service and better support than the big internet providers. But, to grow, they
have to scale their lead management process. Sail Internet is having trouble
processing just 10 new leads per day. Once they fix this problem and find a
system that can process more leads, they have days where over 200 leads come
in. 10X the lead processing and 3X the revenue results within a year.

SOUTHWEST: In airline travel, keeping customers happy can go a long way

toward earning loyalty and building repeat business. Southwest enables callers
to literally hang up on hold time while the software keeps their place in line and
calls them back when it’s their turn. With more callers taking advantage of the
callback option, the average speed of answer improves by 47%. In addition,
Southwest saves 25 million toll minutes or the equivalent of over 47 years of
hold time taken out of the call center.

WILD EARTH: Is a protein pet food company dog food company with a mission
of formulating “the highest-quality clean protein the world has ever seen.” They
begin by selling their products directly to consumers but soon realize this is not
a sustainable solution. Pet food is still largely sold in brick and mortar stores. But
managing follow-ups is.. Basically, Once we’ve gotten permission to send them
samples, then we create our lead in Copper and convert it. We send the samples
and set our first follow-up for within a week, CRM gives them a new channel and
a business that grows exponentially from there.