Why You Should Integrate Official Business Data into Your CRM (and Do It via API)

In the era of big data and Artificial Intelligence, CRMs are no longer simple archives but true interconnected operational hubs, capable of interacting with the outside world and managing customer relationships in real time.

This transformation is made possible by APIs, interfaces that allow the CRM to instantly communicate with external applications and functionalities (ERPs, chatbots, social media, etc.) and to obtain official and constantly updated data on customers and leads.

CRM for companies: what it is and what it is used for

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a software system that centrally collects and manages interactions between a company and its customers or potential customers in order to acquire new leads, retain existing customers, and streamline sales.

A CRM software performs three main functions:

• Centralizes and organizes customer data (personal data, purchase history, etc.);
• Automates sales and marketing processes (email marketing, customer service, etc.);
• Provides analytics and reports (sales analytics, marketing campaign performance, engagement rates, etc.).

This gives all company departments a complete and updated view of the customer, including demographic information, tickets, purchase details and expressed preferences.

In addition to providing crucial tools for marketing, a good CRM manages support requests and handles the acquisition and assignment of potential customers (leads). Its main task, however, remains to collect, centralize and manage information, starting with the personal data that enables customer identification.

Why integrate the CRM with official business data?

When dealing with business customers, integrating official company data is essential. Business data is also useful in the B2C market, for example when potential partners or suppliers are involved or when compliance checks such as KYC are required.

Lists of contacts and shared databases may seem like a brilliant solution, but they expose you to several risks, including:

• Non-compliance with GDPR and other privacy regulations;
• Inaccurate or outdated data;
• Duplication and inconsistency of data;
• Reputational risks.

Data from official registers provides accurate and updated information on all companies you interact with. Data from Chambers of Commerce, in particular, includes company name, VAT number, operational status, and legal form.

It therefore allows you to correctly identify customers and to obtain additional potentially valuable information, such as industry sector and company ownership structure.

The advantages of official business data

Integrating data from official sources into your CRM means benefiting from several advantages:

• Accuracy and reliability of data;
• Elimination of duplicates and data cleaning;
• Verification of the company’s existence and operational status;
• Automation and compliance (e.g. e-invoicing);
• Data enrichment with information not available elsewhere, such as ATECO codes and names of company directors.

Accessing official Chamber of Commerce registers ultimately enables reliable CRMs. Once centralized, data becomes the Single Source of Truth for all systems connected to the CRM. In such a context, data accuracy is not a bonus but a necessity.

APIs in CRM management

Excluding manual processes, there are essentially two ways to integrate official business data into corporate systems: integration through batch processing, which involves periodically purchasing data packages and uploading them to company databases, and integration via APIs.

In the CRM ecosystem, APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) can be considered an enabling factor, as they physically allow the system to communicate with other applications and therefore to act as a central hub for managing customer relationships.

APIs allow CRMs to send sales orders to ERPs for invoicing, automate segmented marketing campaigns, and above all enable data integration and synchronization.

Why integrate business data via APIs

If API integration in CRMs has quickly become the most widespread strategy for acquiring and updating CRM information, it is because it makes it possible to obtain verified data in real time.

The integration of official business data via APIs also offers additional strategic advantages:

• Data synchronization;
• Structured and standardized data (typically JSON);
• Elimination of errors;
• Flexibility: APIs allow you to request only the necessary data, when needed;
• Scalability: API providers can handle large volumes of requests;
• Technical reliability: API providers offer efficient infrastructures and take care of maintenance;
• Ease of integration: specialized providers like OpenAPI offer APIs already integrated into major CRMs (HubSpot, Salesforce, etc.).

All this results in greater CRM efficiency and in more informed decision-making processes, as they are based on complete, reliable and always updated data.

API integration in CRMs: a driver of innovation

API integration in CRM systems also brings less immediate benefits that can turn into a significant competitive advantage, especially in a time of rapid and nearly unpredictable innovations.

As we have seen, APIs are the “engine” that allows CRMs to open up to the world, integrating data and functionalities from a potentially infinite number of applications that enable real-time operations and interactions.

For a CRM, this means integrating chatbots and social media, relying on external AI services for data analysis, creating new touchpoints, and above all interacting with customers in real time.

Since they connect the CRM with external applications and touchpoints, APIs are also the key to a CRM capable of integrating the latest technologies and evolving over time.