How Does Cannabis POS Help with Customer Relationship Management
As per research, the market size for legal cannabis is expected to reach USD 10.2 billion by 2030. This means that cannabis is here to stay, and the cannabis retail and dispensary industry will continue to grow. But this also means that cannabis dispensaries are going to see tremendous competition. And that’s where customer relationship management will become as important as offering the best of products and deals.
Now considering how cannabis is a highly regulated industry and staying compliant is mandatory for every dispensary, there are rules and regulations to be followed when storing customer data.
So in this article, we’re going to highlight how dispensaries and retail businesses can use a cannabis POS for customer relationship management.
What is customer relationship management for cannabis businesses?
Customer relationship management refers to businesses leveraging a combination of processes, strategies and technologies to manage and analyze customer data. It is what helps cannabis businesses understand their customers better, uncover their purchase patterns, needs and preferences to leverage the insights to increase customer loyalty and drive repeat business.
With the soaring competition in the cannabis dispensary space, you can no longer ignore focusing on customer relationship management. It is the only way to achieve cannabis business growth with a data-driven approach.
But for customer relationship management, does your cannabis business really need a separate CRM solution?
While we do recommend having a third party CRM, if you’re using a cannabis POS system like SellTreez, customer relationship management can be done in one place.
How does a cannabis POS system help with customer relationship management (CRM)
A customer relationship management system or process can be used in several ways based on your cannabis business goals and objectives. Let’s take a look at how cannabis dispensaries and retailers are using SellTreez:
1. Identifying and categorizing the customer
Is your customer an adult-use customer or a medical-use customer? An adult-use customer is a recreational cannabis user and should be 21 years or older. If the customer is identified as a medical use customer, they should have a valid doctor's recommendation or have a state-issued medical marijuana identification card. Similarly, if you have a customer with a medical MMID registered with the state as a medicinal cannabis user, they should be segmented into a separate group of customers.
A cannabis POS system like SellTreez helps with intelligent customer segmentation, keeping in mind different behaviors, requirements, regulations and more - which can otherwise be prone to errors, when done manually.
2. Adding and managing customer information
Once you have identified the customers under any of the top three categories, you add them to your CRM along with proof of their identity/ doctor's prescription, etc. Once you create a new customer profile, the POS-integrated cannabis CRM like Treez can auto-populate all the customer data in a methodical manner.
For example, if you're using a driver's license, the system automatically pulls out the picture as the customer's profile picture. You can also add the details of the customer caregiver ID. The cannabis POS also enables you to collect signatures and send them to the newly added customer's device so that they can sign and receive the member's agreement. Other customer details that you can add include customer name, gender, caregiver, any special notes, etc.
3. Keep close notes on your customers
Does a customer have a preference for a particular product, an allergy or is there a ban on their purchases? You can add a customer note while ringing up the sale on your cannabis POS system that automatically gets stored in the CRM.
This helps you create targeted offers based on their preferences, and at the same time ensure compliance by being able to keep track of the warnings and bans applicable.
4. View customer event history
A cannabis POS system records all the sales you make over a period of time. The added customer relationship management feature lets you view past check-ins, transaction details, and profile details for every customer who has ever made a purchase from your dispensary. You can also keep track of the cannabis dispensary location or retail outlet they have made the purchase from.
5. Offer and manage customer rewards
With a clear record of the interactions a customer has made with your business, you can focus on setting a customer loyalty program through the cannabis POS. This includes informing the customer of the rewards and benefits available to them based on their previous purchases. This can help boost customer loyalty, drive more repeat purchases and also increase the average order value.
6. Reduce customer wait times
Another important aspect of building a positive customer relationship is to deliver a great experience. This includes their interaction with your cannabis business at the dispensary or retail outlet.
The best cannabis POS systems come with a feature that helps you manage customer queues effectively. This includes customers who have checked in and are waiting to be served and those waiting to be signed up, helping you work on strategies that increase speed to point of sale.
Furthermore, once you have added a patient to the cannabis POS, checking them in is easy. You just need to scan the barcode in their license, and you can check in them in minutes. This helps in faster transactions and manage better customer relationships.
Conclusion
Managing customer data in the cannabis industry is important not just for meeting customer demand in a consistently growing competitive market but also for meeting the compliance and regulations associated with the industry.
While you can always invest in a dedicated cannabis CRM, getting a cannabis POS system like SellTreez helps you create a single source of truth. The integrated CRM can directly pull out data from the POS system, so you don't need to manage two separate systems.
To know more about how to use a cannabis POS system for customer relationship management, book a demo today.
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