In the age of new media, to stay in business is to adapt to ever-changing trends in the playing field. The savvy entrepreneur knows that customers are now shifting to mobile; that’s why customer relationship management (CRM) has changed so drastically--and for the better.

Now, there is a plethora of services and software designed specifically to help business owners piece together a more accurate profile of their customers that, in turn, can improve their products or services.

CRM holds great potential for entrepreneurs to take their business to the next level. Customers are more willing to interact with businesses online and through mobile devices, which serve as the perfect sources for data collection. More and more business processes can now be automated, but that won’t cost your business its personal touch. If anything, companies can leverage on technology to collect more useful data on customers than ever before, and use that information to improve customer satisfaction, generate more leads, and guide their business strategies.

Here are some ways you can get to know your customers online:

1. Start conversations directly with a live chat feature
If there are any problems that come up with your service or products, you’ll want to know. Some customers will raise the issue with the management or staff, but don’t expect everyone to put in that effort; other customers who encounter a problem will simply take their business elsewhere, and you won’t be the wiser. That’s why entrepreneurs have to make it as easy as possible for their customers to leave feedback.

Online, one of the most common ways to address this is installing a live chat feature, suggests Carlo Valencia, founder of Klaseko, a web development startup that develops digital enrollment systems for schools. In the websites they create and manage, a live chat window will pop up on the corner of a device’s screen, prompting the visitor to share any questions or concerns. These live chat windows immediately connect customers with a representative of the business. This way, they can address and resolve the problem pronto, and the customer can retain their interest and trust in the business.

2. Use social media to get to know your customers
Many businesses today have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram—these help them build their own online community, where customers can easily post about what they like and don’t like about the brand.

According to Amanda Fernandez, owner and manager of indoor football training venue Sparta Philippines, leveraging on the power of social media has definitely helped her improve Sparta’s services.

“Social media helps us determine the interest of the people by the number of interactions, shares, comments, and likes,” she says. “By observing the pattern of people’s behavior through interacting with our posts, we would know what’s mabenta or not to our market.”

Maximizing the advertising features of these social networking accounts won’t hurt, either. She adds, “We use social media to introduce new promotions and new ideas to the market. And by ‘boosting posts,’ I’m able to get more response from the audiences I’m trying to reach.”

3. Digitize your brick-and-mortar stores
Want to beef up your store’s performance? Take a page out of the e-commerce playbook.

One of IDC Philippines’ top forecasts for the local ICT industry is the use of the physical storefront as a new source of customer data. The market research firm predicts that by 2020, brick-and-mortar branches will take their cues from online stores and personalize their in-store customer experience with a digital strategy: using cutting-edge technology solutions not only to improve in-store experience, but to gather more accurate information about one’s target market.

“There is a lot of potential to be realized from analyzing the multiple data sources generated from digitalizing physical stores—information that will allow retailers to both identify and target casual shoppers and, in the process, allow them to better position their products and services to stimulate loyalty to their brand,” says Jerome Dominguez, an analyst for IDC Philippines.

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