How to Choose the Right CRM for Your Business
With so many customer relationship management (CRM) solutions on the market, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to choosing the right one for your organisation. In today’s article Brian Gorimani shares insights into some key considerations that can help cut through the noise and find the right fit solution for your individual business needs.
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Navigating the CRM journey can be a daunting task, with CRM.org reporting that less than 40% of CRM adoptions are fully successful. The first challenge is often choosing the right solution for your business. Below we discuss some of the key factors to consider when choosing your CRM.
Functionality
You must first assess the functionality your organisation requires from your CRM. Most CRM solutions will provide essential features like contact management, reporting and analytics, email integration and pipeline management. However, you may also require advanced capabilities like artificial intelligence powered features or automation. A modern CRM solution like Dynamics 365 Sales enables users to harness these tools to streamline workflows and boost productivity. Built-in AI assistant, Copilot, can help generate insights, summarise customer data and email history, generate email recommendations and more. Whether features like these are necessary may depend on the size of your organisation, the complexity of your sales processes and of course, the budget.
Scalability
Taking on a CRM implementation project can be a labour intensive task, with various stages from evaluating solution and vendor options to training staff on how to use the new system. So ideally, you want to get it right first time with a scalable solution that not only aligns with current but also future organisational needs. Cloud-based solutions such as D365 Sales offer the ability to scale on demand to facilitate additional users and changes in the complexity of the organisational sales process. In addition, automated updates ensure your business remains up to date with the latest feature functionality.
Security
Perhaps one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a CRM is security. With heightened global focus on data protection, not to mention the reputational threats posed by a data breach, protecting customer data and sensitive company information is imperative. When selecting a solution and vendor it is essential therefore to understand how the solution and vendor stack up in terms of security and compliance standards. You may also want to consider whether the CRM is integrable with security solutions like Entra ID to optimise system and data security.
Integration
17% of users cite lack of integration with other tools as the most significant challenge to using their existing CRM, according to Statista. It’s important that your CRM can be integrated with the existing systems in the business to create a more cohesive system that ensures the seamless flow of data and communications. Find out if the system can be integrated with collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams or document management systems like SharePoint.
User Interface
When it comes to CRM implementations, organisations often focus on the technology and forget the people aspect of a project like this. Of course, the CRM will be a huge part of core business processes once implemented, but it is the people within the organisation that will be using the system. It’s critical to take a people-first approach to solution design. This involves assessing the CRM usability from an end-user perspective. Will staff from non-technical backgrounds be able to use the solution to its full potential? Opt for a user-friendly system to minimise the amount of time required to train staff and maximise user adoption.
Accessibility
Assess whether your business requires a cloud-based or on-premise solution. Accessibility needs will vary between different organisations. However, integrating a cloud-based solution offers a degree of flexibility that is favorable, especially given the increase in remote and hybrid work in recent years. A cloud-based CRM will ensure your workers can access the system at any time, regardless of physical location.
Support
In terms of vendors, it’s recommended that you choose one that offers long-term support in case any problems arise once the CRM goes live. This will help minimise technical issues and system down-time.
If you would like to learn more about CRM, get in touch with one of our solution specialists today. Alternatively, check out our CRM FAQ page where you can learn more about its capabilities and benefits.
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