Benefits of Prototyping in Agile Development

by CRMUncategorized

Benefits of Prototyping in Agile Development:

Prototyping is an essential aspect of agile development that enables the rapid development of a working prototype of the product, which can then be tried, assessed, and improved before settling on a final design.

Agile development uses prototyping to reduce risk, improve teamwork and communication, and make sure the finished product satisfies user requirements. Through this method, development teams can spot problems early on and find solutions, ultimately saving time and resources. Prototyping is crucial to the success of agile development. Here are some of the benefits of prototyping:

  • It enables teams to quickly create and test new ideas, allowing them to deliver products to the market faster.
  • It encourages cross-functional teams to work together and collaborate, which promotes better communication and helps to align everyone’s understanding of the goals of the project.
  • It helps to identify potential issues and risks early on in the development process, which reduces the likelihood of costly errors in the final product.
  • It allows developers to gain valuable feedback from users, which helps to improve the user experience and create products that better meet their needs.
  • It enables developers to be more flexible and responsive to changing requirements, as they can quickly iterate and adapt their designs as needed.
  • It helps developers to identify and fix issues before the final product is released, leading to better quality products that are more likely to meet user needs and expectations.

Techniques for Prototyping in Agile Development:

Agile development uses several standard prototyping methods. Here is a couple:

  • Paper prototyping: This involves creating low-fidelity sketches or wireframes of the user interface on paper, which can be quickly modified based on feedback. This technique is useful for testing early concepts and exploring different design options.
  • Rapid prototyping: This involves creating a working prototype of the product using tools such as Balsamiq, Axure, or Sketch. Rapid prototyping allows the team to test the usability of the product and iterate quickly based on feedback.
  • Wizard of Oz prototyping: This involves simulating a product’s functionality without actually building the technology behind it. For example, a user might interact with a human actor who is pretending to be a chatbot. This technique allows the team to test user reactions to a new product idea without investing a lot of time or resources.
  • MVP Prototyping: One strategy for developing a new product concept is to establish a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), which focuses on the essential elements required for the product to be commercially successful. The MVP’s goal is to test the product with users as soon as possible to see if it satisfies their demands. MVP prototyping is the term for this. It is a well-liked technique for new product development and startups since it enables early testing and validation of the product concept.

 

Get Started With Us:

Overall, prototyping is an essential practice in agile development that helps to promote collaboration, reduce risks and costs, and produce higher-quality products that satisfy customer requirements.

0101 team has good experience in prototyping for agile development in numerous profitable projects. Our expertise and in-depth understanding of the methods help in achieving our client’s objectives. We understand the importance of collaboration, communication, and flexibility in the agile development process. Team 0101 is committed to offering excellent, cutting-edge solutions that exceed our client’s expectations.

Contact us right away to find out how our expert team can help your company succeed.

Prototyping in Software Development

by CRMDigital

 

Prototyping in Software Development:

Prototyping in software development is an important step as it involves creating the initial stage of a primary version of a software application. It evaluates the functionality and design before creating the final product. This is similar to how an architect plans the layout of a house, sketches it on rough paper, and then drafts a blueprint after making necessary changes. The prototype version allows designers to find and fix problems early in the design process, leading to a better-finished product. This is an initial step to ensure that the software meets the requirements of the user as intended.

 

Types of Prototyping in Software Development:

There are different types of prototypes, such as low-fidelity prototypes that focus on the overall functionality of the software and high-fidelity prototypes that are more detailed and closely resemble the final product.

  1. Throwaway Prototyping: This is also known as low-fidelity modeling or rapid prototyping because once the required data has been gathered, it is quick and easy to build a model that can be quickly discarded. It is useful in the early stages of development when design specifications are continually modified according to the requirements of the application. Throwaway prototyping makes creating models that can be thrown away after using simple and fast.
  2. Evolutionary Prototyping: Evolutionary prototyping is a way of creating a prototype that involves making changes and improvements over time as more information becomes available. This method allows flexibility for the team to make changes and improvements to the prototype as the project progresses ensuring that the final product meets the requirements of the stakeholders. In other words, the prototype evolves over time.
  3. Incremental Prototyping: This is a process for creating products that call for building several usable prototypes that are gradually integrated to create the final product. With each iteration, the team meets specific requirements and improves the previous version, providing flexibility and adaptability throughout the development process. Instead of making changes all at once, this approach allows for incremental adjustments for a more refined final product
  4. User Interface Prototyping: User interface prototyping is a type of prototyping that specifically focuses on creating a graphical user interface (GUI) for software. This strategy’s primary goal is to produce a design that is user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing, and simple to use. Designers and developers can better comprehend how users will interact with the software and spot potential problems or areas for improvement by building an interface prototype. This kind of prototyping can guarantee that the finished product has an easy-to-use user interface, improving the user experience in general.
  5. Simulation Prototyping: This technique entails building a model of the software that replicates its performance and behavior in an actual setting. Before the software is released, this kind of prototype helps test its functionality and find any possible problems. Deliver it in an easy-to-understand tone.
  6. Exploratory Prototyping: This type of prototyping is an experimental approach that involves creating a prototype without a specific end goal in mind. This technique can result in unexpected findings that can be incorporated into the finished product and are useful for exploring new ideas and concepts.

 

0101 Experts will Take Care of It:

 

0101 DigitAll lab offers top-notch prototyping services that are customized to your requirements, whether you need a proof of concept or a fully functional prototype. Our team of experts excels at providing tailored solutions that suit your unique needs while addressing complicated issues and workflow bottlenecks. We’re dedicated to offering efficient, trustworthy, and reasonably priced services that produce excellent outcomes. We shall help you turn your ideas into reality. Get in touch with us to discover how we can assist you in making your vision a reality.

Do’s and Don’ts for Customer Relationships

by CRMUncategorized

Dos and Don’ts of CRM:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems are crucial for companies looking to enhance customer satisfaction and build lasting relationships. However, for such a system to be effective, businesses must take certain actions and avoid others. When implementing a CRM strategy, it is important to keep the following considerations in mind to ensure success.

Dos of CRM:

  1. Do adopt a CRM project management methodology to ensure that your projects are managed smoothly and effectively, right from the start of customer interaction through development, delivery, and ongoing system support. This method can assist you in tracking project progress, anticipating potential difficulties early on, and keeping all stakeholders informed throughout the project’s life cycle.
  2. Do choose the right business partner by checking their experience, references, technical certifications, and case studies of their past work. Ensure that they understand your company’s needs and can translate them into concrete economic results. Choosing the appropriate business partner is crucial for your company’s success.
  3. Do adopt a CRM project management methodology to ensure that your projects are managed smoothly and effectively, right from the start of customer interaction through development, delivery, and ongoing system support. This method can assist you in tracking project progress, anticipating potential difficulties early on, and keeping all stakeholders informed throughout the project’s life cycle.
  4. Do allot internal resources and set aside staff time, particularly for your CRM project.
  5. Do ensure that your employees comprehend the advantages of the framework, have obtained sufficient knowledge, and are ready to use it in compliance with legal requirements, to gain their buy-in.
  6. Do choose a partner with a wide range of services, multiple CRM options, and a fast implementation track record to minimize business disruption.
  7. DO conduct regular system audits. Your CRM architecture will evolve in tandem with your business. Examine its usefulness regularly from the standpoints of method, customer, and technology.

Don’ts of CRM:

  1. Don’t see CRM as just software. Even for minor implementations, a CRM project involves a strategy shift encompassing personnel, processes, and procedures.
  2. DON’T create an unsteady sales funnel and client relationship program that will never be completed – be realistic!
  3. Don’t commit to sending a monthly email to clients because you may struggle to find enough relevant information and clients may not be interested in reading it. Instead, only contact out when you have significant and interesting information to give. Remember that your client’s time is equally as valuable as yours.
  4. Don’t use complicated subject lines and fancy graphics. Google tags bulk emails as ‘promotions,’ and other email systems block them out.
  5. Don’t forget to update your documentation, processes, and procedures to reflect changes when you alter, update, or change your CRM system.
  6. Don’t stop communicating. The most prevalent reason for project failure is poor communication, which includes both internal communication among IT, project managers, and end users, as well as external contact with business partners and client firms.”

 

Consult our Expert Team:

0101 DigitAll has developed a reputation as a CRM solutions authority. We are a licensed Salesforce partner with a good track record of one year in the sector. Our field of expertise is deploying CRM systems for 500 users across 8 countries who have benefited from our CRM solutions, enabling our clients to efficiently manage their customer relationships. With a wealth of knowledge and expertise in tailoring to each client’s specific needs, our qualified team ensures the highest return on their investment. For more information, get in touch with us to maximize the return on your investment.

Connect to know more.

 

CRM Automation for Efficient Business Operations in 2023

by CRMUncategorized


CRM Automation: Strategize Business Operations:

Efficiency is often the biggest obstacle for companies trying to flourish in the market. By increasing efficiency, companies can streamline their procedures and cut down on wasted time. Thus, the quicker the production, the greater will be the efficiency and reliability, which in turn can provide them with a competitive advantage and help grab the market faster. Ultimately leading to greater success for the company.

Businesses can save time by automating marketing, sales, and customer support duties so they can concentrate on more crucial jobs that need human attention. CRM automation is one of the approaches to automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks. This increases productivity and enables businesses to make better use of their resources.

According to a report by Markets and Markets, the adoption of CRM automation by businesses is on the rise due to the benefits it offers, such as simplifying sales, marketing, and customer service processes, resulting in improved customer satisfaction, retention, and revenue growth. The report predicts that the global CRM automation market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13.4% during the forecast period, reaching a value of USD 23.1 billion by 2026.

 

CRM Automation Project Strategy:

  1. Identify your business needs and goals: Before implementing CRM automation in your business, it is important to identify your specific business needs and goals. This will enable you to understand how CRM automation can benefit your business and what you aim to achieve through its implementation.
  2. Select the right CRM system for your needs: To select the appropriate CRM system, evaluate the available options and choose a platform that matches your company’s needs, scope, and budget. Consider researching and comparing CRM software to find the best fit for your business, and look for options designed specifically for service businesses. Here is a list of the best CRMs that are available in the market for service businesses.
  3. Define your processes, workflows, and data requirements: Establishing the procedures for gathering, managing, and utilizing customer data in the CRM system is essential. This involves defining your business processes, workflows, and data requirements to ensure that the CRM system is optimized for your specific needs.
  4. Set up and automate your sales funnel, lead nurturing, and lead acquisition: To streamline lead management and customer interactions, it is important to set up and automate your sales funnel, lead nurturing, and lead acquisition processes. This can be achieved by utilizing custom fields, templates, and automated workflows within the CRM system.
  5. Train your team and continuously review and refine your setup: To ensure your staff is utilizing the CRM system to its fullest potential, provide them with training and support. Continuously evaluate the CRM automation configuration to ensure it is meeting the specific requirements of your company.

Streamline your CRM Automation with 0101:

As a certified Salesforce partner, 0101, is equipped with the knowledge and experience to streamline your sales and marketing procedures, ultimately leading to a better customer experience. We excel in lead generation, deal closing, and revenue growth through our proven lead nurturing procedures and sales funnels. With our guidance, you can gain valuable insights into your target market’s behavior, preferences, and demands, enabling you to make informed marketing and sales decisions. To ensure your success, do refer to the Dos and Don’ts of CRM for additional guidance on optimizing your customer relationship management strategies. Our approach will elevate your business to the next level.

Why do businesses need CRM and what are its benefits?

by CRM

Why do businesses need CRM and what are its benefits?

CRM can be a way to stay in constant touch with customers while reducing the manual efforts that a business has to put in. There are a lot of reasons why a business needs CRM. Being a cloud based system, you can access it via the internet from anywhere and any device in the world. The kind of organization it brings in, you might forget your best friend’s birthday but it will remind you of the tasks and important things needed doing. CRM is not just for handling customers but also to automate and streamline various repetitive processes. Partnering with 0101 offers a lot on table in including CRM for your business and here we list some of them:

Sales, marketing, service and commerce teams have never been so closely knitted before. CRM allows this fostering of inter-departmental teams which is crucial for the success of any business. Information and updates from all the teams are stored in a centralized database which makes it easier to share between the teams and work as a single unit. As a result, customers will go through a seamless and consistent customer experience while the business thrives.

As we said before, CRMs are not just for better customer experience. They also enable the automation of monotonous and error-prone tasks and puts them on a speed track. This will also help shift your staff’s focus on other important work. To name a few automation tools: Workflow Rules, Chatbots, Macros, Lead and Case Assignments, Routing, Flows and Follow-up comms.

  • Sales Automation: Various CRM Sales automation tools provide features like Workflows to streamline sales processes, Email scheduling, Proposal Reminders to push a sale through to the finish line, Lead Management to manage the influx of leads, automated creation of leads and tasks, CPQ to configure price and quote, Lead forecasting.
  • Marketing Automation: CRM Marketing automation tools provide features like Automated Email/Digital/Social media marketing, Marketing cloud intelligence to action on marketing data and KPIs, Account engagement to unite marketing and sales for B2B marketing, Advertising automation, Content Management, Loyalty Management.
  • Service Automation: CRM Service automation tools provide features like dedicated console to boost agent productivity, live agent to enable customers chat with a representative through any channel, Knowledge articles which is embedded into the console, Omni Routing enables the automatic routing of cases, leads or other works to the most appropriate and available agent, streamline feedback in one connected system.

 

CRM platforms are ever evolving and they enable businesses to interact with customers on various channels. To overcome the customer-facing challenges, they integrate with other services through which current and potential leads and customers can engage. For example, Salesforce offers Virtual Remote Assistant which helps the agents walk the customers through the process and Hubspot offers Video integrations Vidyard to send memorable and personalized sales and and marketing videos to track engagement.

Best CRMs offer you the tools necessary to build reports and dashboards and report on the metrics and KPIs that matter the most to the business. With all the data that is pulled in by CRM, it doesn’t make sense if you can’t analyze it and fetch insights, does it? These insights can help a business identify the key areas of impact and make data-driven decisions, identify areas of opportunity and growth and create better customer experiences. From a customer's point of view, this data can give them personalized preferences as well as give them a nudge to decide whether or not to go with the purchase.

Because of a pool of automation tools CRM provides, routine tasks are expedited and handled automatically which frees up agents’ time who can utilize this time to attend to other tasks. This makes sure that there won’t be any errors in handling those tasks. Businesses can deeply understand the needs of their customers, purchase patterns using a process that is more streamlined and automated like Workflows. This will also help in optimizing the human resources more efficiently. Join hands with 0101 and unleash all these benefits that a CRM offers. We would realize it for your business, for you.

What do CRM systems provide?

by CRM

What do CRM systems provide?

CRM is a term echoing in every industry today. You have seen some of the benefits it brings. But what can it do for you? Few years ago, only a few big companies were able to afford CRM implementation but the scenario is different today. CRM is crucial if not a necessity to run the business smoothly. There’s one-size-fits-all when it comes to CRM for the business but today, businesses of all sizes, small, medium and large have easy access to affordable CRMs.

Let’s rewind to the 2000s. You have a business and you are using legacy systems to run the business and MS Excel is the best you can do to keep track of customers and information.

But soon your company started growing beyond your expectations and you struggle to keep up with the pace. No amount of human resources can manage it. We didn’t have anything to handle it well then but we do today in the form of CRM systems. More growth means more opportunity to change how you run your business. Spreadsheets, though they prove to be a very handy tool, come with a lot of drawbacks like inconsistency, hard to update and interpret, and data getting lost. More importantly, it is difficult to leverage information and collaborate.

Fast forward to the present, we have the most sustainable way of handling business efficiently, thanks to CRM. Fundamental tracking methods don’t cut in today’s market. Embracing this fast-paced demand growth and the needed technology is one way to fit in. CRM systems:

  • Provides 360 degree view and access to your business.
  • Automate everyday tasks and help manage human resources better.
  • Allows collaboration between all departments in one place.
  • Monitor tasks, deals, leads, campaigns, opportunities, queries and you just name it.

A modern CRM system will help you with:

 Contact information, communication history, customer history and all the other data will be gathered in an easy-to-access space. You can access and track as you go. This makes it easier for your team to look at all the information in a single platform. 

 Manual tasks can be real productivity killers. CRMs automate many of these repetitive tasks and save you time. A typical CRM also provides a standardized process for Sales and Marketing like Sales Process which gives you a blueprint for closing deals better and bring in more leads. Yor sales methods can be constantly improved, analyze the data and get a prediction of your sales and increase close rate.

With a CRM, you can provide 360 support to your customers and increase the retention rate as well as add new customers. Customer experience can be personalized by knowing the history of a particular customer, customer issues can be solved more effectively and faster than ever via multiple channels, all customer information can be consolidated and viewed in a single pane so that your support agents don’t have to surf through all the files.

What is the ROI of a CRM system?

by CRM

What is the ROI of a CRM system?

There’s a statistical report prepared by a non-profit organization that every penny you spend on CRM, you get x9 returns. According to a study by Nucleus Research, a research firm, return on investment (ROI) of using a Customer Relationship Management system is a whopping 700%. In simple words, for every dollar you spend, CRM will give you the ROI of $8.71. This ROI is on track to grow more in recent years.

Going by the history, CRMs have been expensive, difficult to implement and not business friendly. In recent years, the advancement of the internet and software has paved the way for user friendly and practically priced CRMs. Now, CRM systems are being built with industry specificity in mind, they are more customizable tailoring the needs of every business and much easier to use. Ever increasing consumer demand has propelled the need for CRM even more.

Customer Engagement and Success is a game changer for every business. For customer success, CRM is a game changer. A proper CRM is an absolute necessity when trying to keep up with the modern day customer.

If something is improving your customers’ experience multifold and at the same time giving a huge ROI to your business, then why look anywhere else? In the early 2000s, the CRM market was very scratchy and in a toddler stage with very few competitors, but it has gained a lot of momentum in recent years. As the market continues to grow, CRMs are only becoming more cost effective. In the early 2010s, CRMs paid back maybe a dollar or three in return for every dollar spent. According to the 2016’s forecast, it is set to triple the previous measured ROI by early 2020s.

Calculating the exact ROI can be quite complex as it involves a lot of factors. It’s not just limited to cost factor but extends beyond that. Overall revenue, cost per lead, time saved, resource utilization, effective use of a CRM system, sales/marketing/service metrics, collaboration and productivity can be some factors. Let’s say your business is generating a revenue of $50,000 but your overhead costs like software and hardware, IT support, wages are costing you $45,000 in which case your profit is just $5,000. The CRM implementation in your business can not only cut these costs by almost half but also increase the revenue and gather everything at one place.

How to leverage CRM to increase the business?

by CRM

How to leverage CRM to increase the business?

There are multiple reasons for why you need to leverage the CRM in the right way. Some of them are: better productivity, higher revenue, enhanced user engagement, time and cost saving. Of course, stepping into the world of CRM for the first time and making it work isn’t always easy, that is unless you leverage the power of CRM rightly. Here are some of the ways:

Time when you used to predict whether the customer was interested in your product(s) based on your gut feeling is long gone. Time when you used to know if someone was interested in your service because they called your sales agent to enquire about it is also gone. Today, it’s all about the data. What pages did they visit? What articles did they read? What did they recently purchase? What promotion emails did they click on? What is the frequency of their visit to a particular website? These are the stats that drive your business.

Getting this customer data and turning it into actionable insights… it’s not creepy, it’s smart. It means that you care about your customers, “Let us help you on your journey of buying and lead you to make a smart choice”. This is especially important for growing business. CRM helps you collect all the information at a place acting as one source of truth. Having access to this doesn’t hand you a golden ticket to overnight revenue increment. This data should be continuously used and monitored to improve sales and marketing methods to improve deal close rates and increase customer value.

Accessing the data is one thing and sharing it across platforms is another. Both should go hand-in-hand. All the departments like sales, marketing, commerce and service must be able to collaborate and work on the data collected. CRM usually gives you the ability to create domain specific processes like Sales Process, Service Process, Workflows and other integrated processes as well. These processes can span the entire customer journey, even if you have multiple platforms. This can help automate most of the processes and you can free up your resources who can then work on the growth prospects and avoid waste

For instance, a Sales Process is special and aligns the goals of customers with their customer journey. This is about what your prospects need, what they prefer, when and how they want it. Then helping them make a safe choice. The existing process can be repeated for other prospects and scaled accordingly

Analytics is something that acts as an underlying force that every business runs on. One commonality between sales and marketing is that analytics revolve around lead generation in marketing whereas it’s deal closure in sales. Though a typical high end CRM provides you with a full fledged analytical functionality, it will also let you integrate third party analytical tools.

Plethora of organizations do manage to collect the data but fail to use it to the full extent. Tools provided by CRM will help you overcome this. They aren’t important just because they provide analytics, but also because they validate the data and analyses done by conducting statistical checks to verify that they are valid.

Whether you are not using a CRM or you already have a little bit of CRM implemented in your business, it’s worth investigating if the existing tools and software are holding you back. Since it is cloud based, scaling is one of the most important features offered by most CRMs. Whether you need a CRM for 50 users or 5000 users, with few selectable features or a full set of features, it can adapt with moments. This is the kind of flexibility that CRM brings to your business.

Like software development, running a business can get tricky due to the changing aspects to accommodate the current scenario. Thanks to cloud based CRMs, you can upscale or downscale at any given time depending on the business requirement. Running a business smoothly requires close to 100% uptime. An optimal CRM solution will have nearly 0 downtime and ensures consistent uptime all round the clock and provides seamless performance and feature upgrades.

 

What is inbound marketing and how is it helpful?

by CRM

What is inbound marketing and how is it helpful?

As Hubspot defines, Inbound Marketing is described as, “A method of attracting, engaging and elighting people to grow a business that provides value and builds trust. As technology shifts, inbound guides an approach to doing business in a human and helpful way. Inbound is a better way to market, a better way to sell, and a better way to service your customers.”

The goal here is simple: To catch the eye of more customers by making it easy for your company to be found. You would want to draw customers to your website, products, services or articles by consistently creating interesting content. You don’t fight or beg for their attention. Instead, you channel the efforts using marketing mediums and tools. What differs inbound marketing marketing from outbound marketing is how you approach the potential customers. Outbound marketing uses a push method where you push your products/service towards customers and inbound marketing does the opposite, it uses a pull method where you pull the customers towards your products/services.

At 0101, we use all the right tricks to help your business grow better using inbound marketing. We follow simple yet effective steps:

With all the right processes up our sleeve, we can make inbound marketing do wonders for your company. You will soon realize that inbound marketing is powerful next to none to increase engagement.

Which CRM to choose?​

by CRM

Which CRM to choose?

Considering market as a driving factor, CRM Systems are categorized into 4 types:

  • Strategic CRM – It is mostly customer-centric, with primary focus on acquiring new and maintaining profitable customers.
  • Operational CRM – It is based on customer oriented processes such as marketing, selling and customer services.
  • Analytical CRM – It involves capturing, screening, interpreting, segregating, processing and analyzing customer related data. It is based on the intelligent mining of customer data.
  • Collaborative CRM – It is the collaboration of different resources and domains with a view to optimize the organization and customers.

Now that we have an overview of CRM types, we get back to the main concern. Which CRM product should I go for? Before moving to decide anything, you need to ask yourself a few questions.

  • What is your budget?
  • What is the size of your business?
  • Which department is it for?
  • How much of an easy-to-use system do you need?
  • What are your primary communication channels?
  • What key features, processes, security policies and integrations does your business need?
  • To what extent do you need the process automation?
  • How much data and business analyses would you need?
  • Is there an internal IT team who can implement and customize the CRM?

By now, you would have realized that there’s no one size fits all. Different CRMs come with different pros and cons with different features and pricing models. It all depends on your business needs. Below we have discussed some of the best CRMs currently in the market.