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What is No-Code CRM? A basic explanation that even IT-illiterate CEOs can understand in 3 minutes.

Hello, this is Matsubara, CRM Evangelist.

"I'd heard of CRM, but I thought it wasn't relevant to our company."

"What is no-code? Do you still have to write code?"

For those of you who are wondering what no-code CRM is and why it's necessary for small and medium-sized businesses today, this article will explain it in an easy-to-understand way, using as little IT jargon as possible.


What exactly is CRM?

CRM stands for "Customer Relationship Management."

It may sound complicated, but in short, it's a **system for organizing and managing customer relationships**.

Specifically, it's a tool for managing and organizing this kind of information.

  • Customer basic information (company name, contact person, contact information)
  • Business negotiation progress (proposal in progress, quote submitted, deal closed, deal lost)
  • History of past interactions (when, who, and what was said)
  • Follow-up tasks and schedule

I can almost hear someone say, "I do that in Excel." And indeed, you can do the same thing in Excel. However, Excel has its limitations. I've explained those limitations in detail in another article, so please check that out if you're interested.


What is "no-code"?

Next, I will explain the meaning of the term "no-code".

"Code" refers to a string of characters that contains instructions for a computer—in other words, programming. Traditionally, engineers needed to write programs to create or customize business systems.

No-code refers to technologies and services that allow you to create and configure systems without writing any code.

Think of it as being able to create a custom system for your company with the same ease as using a mouse to adjust settings in Excel.

There's no need to hire engineers, and even CEOs and managers who aren't IT experts can operate it intuitively while looking at the screen.


What makes no-code CRM different from "regular CRM"?

Traditional CRM tools (such as Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics) are very feature-rich, but they also have the following challenges:

Problems with traditional CRM:

  • The monthly fee is high, ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of yen per user.
  • Engineers or expert consultants are required for installation and setup.
  • Too many features make it difficult to use effectively, and it doesn't become established in the workplace.
  • It's difficult to adapt it to our company's workflow.

No-code CRM solved these problems.

Conventional CRM No-code CRM
Monthly cost Several thousand yen to tens of thousands of yen per user Hundreds of yen to several thousand yen/month
Implementation effort Experts are needed Can be configured by the company
Customization Engineer required Can be changed using the mouse.
Establishment at the site There are many difficulties. Simple and easy to use

The biggest advantage of no-code CRM is that, by streamlining its features, it's easy for anyone to use and can be operated at a low cost.


What can you actually do with a no-code CRM?

You might be wondering, "Even if it's simple, is it really usable?"

Here are some typical examples of what you can do with a no-code CRM.

① Centralized management of customer information
In addition to company name, contact person's name, phone number, and email address, you can freely add unique fields such as "What products are they interested in?" and "What challenges have they faced in the past?"

② Progress management of business negotiations and projects
You can set stages that match your company's sales process, such as "Approaching," "Proposal Submitted," "Quotation in Progress," and "Closed," and see at a glance where each deal is located.

③ Task follow-up management
By registering tasks such as "Make a follow-up call to Ms./Mr

④ Real-time sharing within the team
Since all members can see the same information, situations where you have to ask the person in charge to find out are eliminated.


No-code CRM is especially suitable for companies like this.

While it's not the perfect tool for every company, it's particularly effective for companies in the following situations:

  • The number of customers has exceeded 50.
  • There are two or more sales representatives.
  • "When was the last time I contacted that customer?" is a common occurrence.
  • I'm always the only one updating the customer list in Excel.
  • I always struggle with handing over responsibilities to new people.

Conversely, if you have fewer than 10 customers and only one person in charge, Excel might still be sufficient. However, if you plan to expand your business, it's recommended to set up the system early. This is because hastily implementing it after expansion will take time for data migration and integration into the workforce.


Reasons why EMOROCO CRM Lite is chosen

Among no-code CRMs, EMOROCO CRM Lite is specifically designed for the practical operations of small and medium-sized businesses.

In addition to its outstanding cost performance, starting at just 1,500 yen per month , it features the flexibility to digitize your company's existing business processes, based on the concept of "developing it to suit your business needs."

  • Even those unfamiliar with IT can operate it intuitively by looking at the screen.
  • Customer information fields and management methods can be freely configured to suit your company's operations.
  • You can start small and gradually develop it as you use it.

The most important thing is to "just try it." There's no need for complicated setup or lengthy training.


Summary

Let's summarize the key points of this article.

  • CRM This refers to a tool for organizing and managing customer relationships.
  • No codeThis refers to a technology that can be operated and configured by anyone without the need for programming.
  • No-code CRMThis tool solves the problems of traditional CRM, such as being "too expensive and too difficult."
  • This is especially effective for companies with a growing customer base and multiple sales teams.

If you've ever thought that CRM seems complicated, a no-code CRM makes it much easier to get started than you might think. Try a free trial to experience its ease of use.
EMOROCO CRM Lite Product Page


Next article: [Comparing Salesforce, kintone, and EMOROCO—Which CRM is truly right for small and medium-sized businesses?]

Previous article: [What happens if you continue to manage customer data using Excel? 3 risks that small and medium-sized businesses should know about]

Person who wrote this article
Shinsuke Matsubara

Arcus Japan Representative Director / CRM Consultant
Click here for detailed profile
He has worked as a system engineer, architect, and consultant at Accenture and other companies, an evangelist at Infragistics (Microsoft MVP for Dynamics CRM (now Microsoft MVP for Business Solutions)), and a solutions specialist at Microsoft (in charge of Dynamics CRM products).He currently leads a service team specializing in CRM, supporting CRM implementation and business launches for companies of all sizes.At the same time, he works as a CRM evangelist, spreading the idea of "true" CRM through events and article contributions.
Having learned CRM at Accenture, and having advocated and globally popularized CRM 2.0 (platform-based CRM) at Microsoft, he is a legitimate successor to CRM and the longest-serving active CRM expert (CRM consultant/CRM doctor), having received an award at Worldwide.
Since then, as a leading expert in CRM who advocates CRM 3.0 (Personalized CRM) and CRM 4.0 (Creative CRM), he has been interviewed and received numerous awards both domestically and internationally from publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, TIME, WORLDCOM, Mainichi Shimbun (Weekly Economist), and Nippon Cultural Broadcasting. He has also been selected as a representative company of the Kansai business community by "Keizaikai" for four consecutive years.
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