CRM Excel, an asset for boosting your sales (+ template)

Excel CRM or software CRM?

If you're asking yourself this question, you're probably already aware of the countless benefits to your business of a well-honed sales strategy, and by extension of a CRM system.

But achieving the desired level of performance can only be achieved by using an effective solution that is tailored to your ambitions.

This raises a number of questions, particularly if you already use Excel on a daily basis. Is customer follow-up with an Excel file enough? And how do you set up prospecting management using the famous spreadsheet? Or is CRM software more appropriate?

Make the right choice and boost your sales by finding the CRM tool that's right for you by reading this article.

See all software Customer relationship management

Definition of Excel CRM

Let's start by defining CRM itself.

Customer Relationship Management refers to all the techniques used to deploy a strategy for building relationships with customers or potential customers.

A CRM tool is subsequently characterised as the IT tool that enables this strategy to be put in place, by streamlining processes.

To achieve this, the CRM system must be able to, at a minimum :

• record all data relating to prospecting and customer management ;
• provide visibility of all interactions with customers and prospects.

In this sense, Excel CRM is one of the tools that can be used to carry out these operations, providing a 360° view of business opportunities.

Free Excel CRM template

To help you build your Excel CRM, here's a free template to download.

It's up to you to add to it and develop it according to your needs.

How do you create and use a CRM in Excel?

☝️ It should be noted that what we are about to describe also applies to the use of Google Sheet. Although the Google Suite tool is not as complete as Excel, it does have the merit of being free and allowing you to work collaboratively at the same time.

Define your objectives

There are as many forms of CRM as there are companies.

That's why you need to determine in advance what the objectives of your Excel CRM are and what data you want to record in it.

👉 F or example: if your aim is to build customer loyalty, it might be useful to enter your customers' dates of birth, so that you can offer them a discount on their birthdays.

Build your table

Build your table(s) based on the elements identified above.

The type of information to be recorded determines the purpose of the columns in your main table: 1 column = 1 type of information.

Therefore, include columns relating to the identity of your contacts: title, contact details, etc.

And don't forget all the data relating to actions taken. This is why your table should mention your activities, your business opportunities and the status of your prospects and/or customers:

• first contact ;
• first follow-up ;
• second follow-up ;
• amount of purchases ;
• abandonment, etc.

Again, it all depends on your objectives.

In short, don't leave out any information that is useful for customer relationship management.

👉 Example of an Excel CRM template:

Complete your CRM

Once you've defined your fields and built your table, it's time to fill it in.

But with a spreadsheet, you don't have much choice: you proceed "by hand". This is one of the main disadvantages of spreadsheets, but we'll come back to that in more detail later.

Filling in your table remains a constant task: the effectiveness of your Excel CRM depends on regularly updating your data, and adding columns as soon as you identify useful information that can be exploited to trigger additional business opportunities.

Exploit your data

Finally, make judicious use of your data.

Using Excel's sorting functions, for example, you can see at a glance which information is useful for your customer relations strategy. Age, location, gender, acquisition channel, purchasing behaviour... are all segmentation criteria to consider to avoid diluting your sales actions and reducing their impact.

The aim? Always deliver the right message to the right target.

By feeling that they are at the heart of your actions, and experiencing your efforts at personalisation, customers will be more receptive to your offers. That's the whole point of a strategy, and therefore of a CRM tool.

Advantages and limitations of an Excel-based CRM

What are the advantages of creating a CRM in Excel?

Excel, particularly if you're just starting out, is a great ally when it comes to building your tool.

Here is a summary of its main qualities:

• the software is familiar to everyone and is used by most organisations;
• it's fairly easy to use, and there are plenty of tutorials available if you need them;
• It allows you to group and record information in a personalised and consistent way;
• it's often considered a "free" CRM tool, since you already use the spreadsheet (or can turn to Google Sheet if you don't).

And the drawbacks?

Advantages, yes, but also disadvantages!

Here are the main limitations you'll encounter if you use a spreadsheet like Excel as a CRM:

• lack of collaboration, as it is impossible to work simultaneously on the same document ;
• the lack of automation in CRM processes (such as data logging), which makes the work very time-consuming and increases the risk of errors;
• the absence of certain functions traditionally found in CRM software, such as the ability to add attachments, marketing automation, in-depth analysis, etc. ;
• less security, since your work is backed up locally.

☝️ To sum up, in the early stages of your business, Excel is a great ally for getting to grips with CRM. The spreadsheet is easily accessible and, what's more, there are a number of online tutorials and training courses to help you get to grips with it if you're just starting out.

However, as your business grows, it's best to consider the CRM software option!

What are the alternatives to Excel CRM?

As you will have realised, it's in your best interests to turn to a dedicated CRM solution if you want to benefit from certain advantages:

• Hosting, often in SaaS mode, for greater collaboration and the ability to work on the move;
• the ability to upgrade the tool as your business grows;
• time saved by automating many tasks;
• software that is generally simple, intuitive and ergonomic;
• additional functionalities to help you structure your activities and exploit additional business opportunities (dashboards, reporting, opportunity management, project management, etc.).

🛠️ Examples of CRM software:

• Salesforce Starter is the all-in-one tool that brings together the main features of the giant Salesforce, for VSEs, SMEs and startups that want to start digitising their processes. It covers marketing, sales management, customer service and, of course, CRM. You'll benefit from centralised management of your contacts and customers (key information, exchange histories, etc.) as well as tracking sales opportunities via a clear pipeline. Many administrative and strategic tasks, such as generating quotes and reports, are automated.
  
  
• Sellsy CRM is a comprehensive,sales-focused solution that will help you grow your sales . Aimed primarily at SMEs, it provides total visibility of your sales and business opportunities, using an intuitive pipeline view. You can also take advantage of tracking and scoring tools to analyse and score the behaviour of potential buyers on your site. Finally, Sellsy offers activity reports to assess the performance of your teams and identify areas for improvement.

See all software Customer relationship management

Excel CRM or software CRM: support the growth of your business!

Excel CRM or software CRM... in the end, it all depends on your company's level of maturity and your ambitions.

But one thing's for sure: as your customer base grows, you'll soon feel that Excel is getting too small for you. As a result, more and more companies are integrating a CRM solution into their business processes.

However, the use of such a tool can be frightening at first: too costly, too complex, teams who are reluctant to change their habits, etc.

However, all these reservations are quickly dispelled, because CRM software exists to suit all budgets, projects and types of company or business sector.

All you need to do now is find yours... and start boosting your sales!