If you've decided to invest in CRM software to improve your customer relationship management you've made a wise business decision. The question is are you up for the CRM challenge?
Your growth strategy for the future is an integral part of choosing the right software. You will want to choose software from a vendor that will make any expansions in the future timely and for a reasonable price. You want a vendor that's going to be there and stand by their clients over time.
From the time you decide to implement a CRM solution to the time it is implemented is usually somewhere between three and six months. However there are some times when you can be up and running much quicker. A great deal depends on how prepared your company actually is to make the leap into the CRM world.
Some companies have already spent a great deal of time on customer service and customer records so this information can be transferred into the CRM system either manually or hopefully electronically. While other companies have no idea about customer relationship management and will have to build a strategy from scratch and bring their employees onboard. The size of the business will also play a role in how long it takes to implement your CRM strategy.
You need to make sure that the software you choose is able to be customized to your business. Remember the software needs to fit your business not you fit the software. In fact this is one of the most important elements that can make or break a deal when it comes to your software choice. Most of the larger more reputable vendors generally offer software that is very flexible and easily adapted to your business environment. In fact Microsoft Dynamics CRM is an excellent example.
Look for a CRM software package that will work with software you already have in place. For example choosing a software package that will work with your Outlook or back office information can create a much better customer service experience for the customer.
Choosing a vendor that has a reputation for being reliable is critical. The past few years have seen more vendors enter the market but you want to make sure that you choose a vendor that's going to be around for awhile. Companies come and go but some companies are in it for the long haul such as Microsoft.
Besides having software that works with your company you also need to make sure it works with your employees. If the CRM solution is really complicated or above the skill level of the employees your employees will become frustrated so you either need to choose a simpler package or have proper training done with your staff.
If you are having a tough time choose a package additional features can help you make that final decision. After all wouldn't that graphing capability be rather handy? Different packages offer different levels of functionality and features so pick your match.
Now that you are up for the CRM challenge what software package will it be?