Choosing A CRM Solution

By , in CRM Solutions.

Choosing A CRM Solution


Customer relationship management software is becoming a necessity for businesses that wants to increase efficiency and improve customer relationship.

Considering its importance, it becomes important for companies to select that software which meets its unique needs. This sometimes becomes a difficult job, but there are ways in which a company can overcome this difficulty.

Hiring a consultant mostly proves to be the best alternative, but companies which have skilled IT personnel can do away with this extra expense. But it becomes important to consider certain things before selecting this software.

Most of the times managers fail to realize that CRM is not a single program. CRM can do a lot of things but it is important for companies to know exactly what is required of the CRM solution. For example a CRM program to create an online workshop, is completely different from a package that creates data base.

Although these two products can work together but fundamentally these are two different products. To get the right product it becomes extremely important to have clear specifications of what is desired from the software.

A detailed inventory of the existing programs is also useful in working as a guide to pick the right software. A detailed knowledge of the existing program can help the management decide if it needs to replace the existing programs or not. It also helps the management to know if integration of the new software with the existing software is required..

While most CRM do not require substantial amount of employee training, but completely new software packages do. In such case it becomes essential to compare the cost benefit from the new software with the increase in employee training expense. Software programs that integrate with the existing programs and are similar to operate do not require staff training and are beneficial to those companies which requires cost cutting.

With a detailed list of what is needed from the software, the next task is to start reviewing the options. The acquired information can either go in to RPF or companies can avoid it and directly start looking for a match by visiting software companies.

When the results of the RPF are back or a few companies have been selected, it is a good idea to get a practical demonstration of what the software can do.

A detailed comparison of the initial requirement and the product in hand can help us know if the correct decision has been made. Choosing the right CRM solution rests mainly on the current business. A clear knowledge of what is required goes a long way in making the right decision and also a detailed analysis of what different companies offer and do not offer is required to make the best choice. Sometimes this entire process becomes very cumbersome; in such a scenario it is always advisable to take the help of a consultant. Good consultants are generally adept at picking the best CRM solution for the company.