How to choose a CRM System that fits your biz!
Posted 23 Jan '17
Posted 23 Jan '17
Spending $1000’s on getting your own Client Relationship Management (CRM) software developed isn’t generally necessary for small business needs and there are so many different platforms available today that finding a CRM suitable for your business should be fairly simple… right?
We have found that this isn’t always the case, and maybe it is because there is too much choice on the market so you don’t use the first you settle for to it’s full capacity before you move on to another. At Empire Accountants we went through about 4 different CRM system’s until we found one that really suits our business needs.
1. Why do you need a CRM?
It seems like an obvious question to ask but it is important enough to emphasis! To figure out why you need a
CRM system you need to know how you currently interact with your customers, how you want to interact with them, what other systems the CRM
should integrate with (eg. accounting software/direct mail marketing), what reports you need to produce, what the system should track and
measure and if it should be able to convert your
leads into clients etc.
2. What is your budget?
A simple CRM system for 1 – 3+ users can range from a free service to $200+ per month. It all depends on the functionality of the software and whether it is basic or so advanced it can call your clients for you! (just kidding – good idea though). Deciding why you need a CRM will help you determine the cost of the software as well.
3. Who will be using the CRM?
Is it purely for your sales staff to track and manage their leads? Or will it be the starting point for sales that need to be converted into jobs and then managed by your operations team? Knowing who will need to be able to use the CRM will help you determine the size and the functionality needed.
4. Does it need to be mobile?
Do you need to be able to access information in a hurry on the road or update new contact details after a networking meeting? Finding out whether your CRM system is mobile responsive and functioning is important.
5. Do you know what CRM systems are out there?
Do you research before buying. If you don’t want to retrain yourself and your staff on new systems and save yourself a lot of data entry and importing, find out what is on the market! There are some products that are specifically designed for certain industries so spend some time to research what could apply for you and don’t be afraid test them out (most have free trials)!
The most important lesson Empire learned when choosing our CRM was we needed to decide the information we wanted to know; for now and for the future. If you have absolutely no idea, we definitely welcome a chat in this space and can point in the direction of experts and specialists as needed!
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