Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software can do a lot these days and the options can be a bit overwhelming.  Narrowing down your focus, goals, and what you want to get out of your CRM will make choosing the right solution a little easier.

Here are five questions to ask when looking for a CRM solution.

  1. Do you require integration?  Most business use an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution and add CRM at a later date.  If you have an ERP system in place, it is best to integrate the CRM solution with your ERP.  Integrating will reduce redundant data entry from one solution into the other and give you more insight into your business relationships.  Sage Software offers both ERP and CRM solutions that can be easily integrated.
  2. What is your budget?  Many CRM solutions offer the option to deploy on-premise or as a hosted application.  A Cloud deployment or software-as-a-service (SaaS) may save you up front costs and deployment time.  Special customization and integration with another brand of software may also require additional costs and time.
  3. Speaking of time, what is your timetable?  You will also need to train your team on how to use the new Customer Relationship Management software.  If you choose a solutions from the same line of software as your ERP, then it will be easier and quicker for your team to become familiar with the CRM solution.  A solution from a different software company may be confusing to users and require additional training time.
  4. Do you want social media options?  Not all CRM solutions offer integration with popular social media sites.  If you already have or are planning to use social media as part of your marketing efforts, then integrating CRM can help you monitor and measure the success of those activities.  Sage CRM can be integrated with social media sites and you can monitor links and feeds, as well as respond to prospects and customers faster from the Sage CRM interactive dashboard.
  5. What do you want in a CRM solution?  Sage CRM offers workflow automation, case tracking, mail merge features, lead management, sales forecasting, and much more.  Choose a solution that works the way you work.  You don’t want a solution that is too big or too small.  You do want one that fits your business goals today and is flexible enough to meet your needs in the future.

The right CRM technology will provide insight into your customer relationships, as well as marketing activities.  Contact DWD Technology Group for guidance on choosing the right CRM solution for your business needs today and into the future.  We can also provide tips for CRM implementation success.