The Perks of a Unified CRM and Project Management Solution

The modern customer’s standards have never been higher.

In the last two decades, we’ve witnessed a customer experience arms race, to the point where delivering a consistent, tailored journey that a) meets their expectations and b) keeps pace with the competition requires:

• More investment
• More teams
• More tools
• More visibility

All of this development has grown the typical organization’s software wishlist – not to mention the number of zeros on their monthly invoice. Incredibly, Statista estimates businesses used as many as 112 Software as a Service (SaaS) applications in 2023 on average.

This unchecked expansion creates enormous complexity, information silos and operational inefficiency.

Even if some of these tools are able to integrate and talk to one another, trying to share information between dozens of systems is a recipe for disaster.

For business services firms where sales, client management and project delivery go hand in hand, misalignment could lead to significant financial losses and reputational damage.

As businesses look to minimize unnecessary spending amid economic uncertainty, unified software products are growing increasingly popular. In the case of CRM and project management, unifying these tools could be a compelling option for business services firms.

What is unified CRM and project management?

Unified tools are solutions where two traditionally separate pieces of software are combined into one individual platform.

CRM and project management software are great examples of this. When consolidated, they can save organizations from needing to purchase two separate tools.

Solutions that unify these tools combine sales processes, customer data and project workflows, creating an end-to-end process where all relevant parties have visibility on the same data and information.

Why CRM and project management work well together

In the most effective business services organizations, all departments, whether they’re customer-facing or project-driven, work in close alignment.

For instance, in industries like management consulting, insights from client managers and project delivery teams can identify future upselling opportunities for sales.

Similarly, the ability of sales teams in logistics firms to truly understand the challenges their clients are facing can go a long way to helping a business address their needs and make an immediate impact.

So where do unified CRM and project management tools fit into this picture?

Consolidating these functions into one solution strengths this alignment and stops missed details from slipping through the cracks.

The unification of this software gives all teams visibility on the same information, meaning insights on customer challenges aren’t lost when they’re transitioned to different departments.

6 perks of unifying your CRM and project management

There are a wide range of benefits of consolidating your CRM and project management into one solution:

1. Centralization

A unified solution can act as a single source of truth for all of the customer and project data your teams need.

This means that all of their records will be up to date, and you won’t have the inaccurate information that can lead to embarrassing (and potentially costly) mistakes.

What’s more, each department will also have greater visibility: client and project teams will have the specific insights they need from sales recorded on the platform, without having to switch to a different tool or even chase sales for their own recollection.

2. Visibility

As customers move from prospects to paying clients, the transition through each stage can be made seamless with one single platform – your organization won’t lose valuable context behind each client at any stage.

A unified tool also gives all teams visibility on both budget and revenue throughout the project’s lifespan. This makes it easier for any potential issues with delivery or expenses to be addressed proactively, and for the project to be kept both on time and within budget.

3. Improved collaboration

Bringing your CRM and project management software together can bridge the gap between customer-facing and internal project teams.

Not only will unification improve collaboration through better visibility, but it will also help you align your teams towards shared goals and provide both sides of your business greater context on each other’s needs and requirements.

Plus, if for whatever reason your project delivery teams have a query for sales or need their input, it’s far easier to set tasks and get responses when you’re communicating through one unified tool.

4. Enhanced customer experience

Having all information regarding both the client and the project itself can do wonders for consistency. It establishes your software as the go-to source of information, which is far easier than switching between different tools.

This empowers you to deliver a smoother, more consistent and more professional service experience every time a customer interacts with your brand.

Keeping the client updated on progress will also be far easier, and with access to accurate information, addressing any queries won’t mean digging through potentially outdated records.

5. Cost

If you’re savvy with your choice of provider, you also stand to save money by consolidating these functions into one tool.

With one software solution, you’ll only need one licence per user. Instead of having to provide training, conduct maintenance and bring in specialists for two pieces of software, you’ll also only have to partner with one vendor, who can support you with all of your needs.

6. Efficiency

It’s not just the initial outlay and maintenance costs that you can save through consolidation. Having all of the CRM and project management functionality you need on one tool can boost operational efficiency and productivity.

With two tools, there’s greater risk of duplicated work and misunderstandings. With one solution, you have a single source of truth, integrated data and automated processes set up between CRM and project management work.

This frees up your internal and customer-facing teams to spend more time focusing on tasks that create value instead of conducting time-consuming admin and performing manual processes.

With Workbooks, your CRM and project management live under one roof

CRM and project management may seem like separate functions, but these tools are more closely aligned than you’d think in the context of your business.

Bringing them together under one solution can deliver financial and operational savings that support revenue and strengthen your ability to serve your customers.

At Workbooks, we offer a unified CRM and project management solution that does more than bolt two separate tools together.

Our software seamlessly integrates these functions:

• Your CRM gets the task management and resourcing functions to help you track progress
• Your project tasks can be monitored alongside revenue and timesheets
• Your get visibility on overall progress, time spent on projects and revenue in one clear dashboard

All of this is delivered in a single solution, saving you from the expense of onboarding other project management tools like Trello or Asana on top of your CRM.

What’s more, your Workbooks CRM can be tailored and customized to meet the specific needs of your business.