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Choosing A CRMDatasheet 3 of 3

D ATA S H E E T / CHOOSING A CRM

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D ATA S H E E T / CHOOSING A CRM

HOW DO I CHOOSE WHICH CRM TO IMPLEMENT?There are a number of factors to consider when choosing which CRM is right for your business; cost, amount of flexibility and business value to name a few. There are many solutions, technologies and vendors to choose from.

Here are some of the key things to consider, and why they’re important:

• Ease of Use:

Like any other technology, you’ll have to train yourself and your employees to use CRM software. There are some CRM systems that are so complicated that they aren’t worth the training time and monetary investment for a small business. Save yourself the headache and frustration by choosing one with a clean, simple user interface that doesn’t have much of a learning curve. Note that while many CRM software products claim to be easy to use, be sure to test or demo them yourself first to get a feel for how each one works and whether it fits for your needs.

• Customization:

As many small business owners told us, there is no one-size-fits-all CRM solution for small businesses. CRM software encompasses so many areas of a business that customization is key to getting the most out of your investment. Choose a CRM software that you can customize according to your business’s unique needs. For instance, some options offer different packages based on the included features, whereas some let you select only the features your business requires. Customization can also take the form of expanding capabilities using extensions, plugins, themes, templates and add-ons to completely tailor the software to your business.

• Third-Party Integration:

CRM software works with all types of third-party solutions so that all your data is streamlined throughout different areas of your business. This means you don’t have to manually export or import data between, for instance, your CRM software and POS system or accounting software, thus saving you time that you would have spent performing repetitive tasks. The key, however, is to make sure that the CRM software you choose is compatible with the apps you already use. Double-check by consulting the vendor’s website or contacting customer support before making a purchase.

• Support Requirements:

How adept is your staff at picking up new applications and new concepts? Unless they’re all early adapters, you’re probably going to need some degree of help with the product, and levels and costs of support can vary from vendor to vendor. Knowing the sophistication level of your staff will give you an idea of the degree of support the vendor should provide in order for your CRM implementation to succeed long term. If you anticipate significant support needs, check with vendors to see what costs are associated with premium support. Also, use your social network to find peers who have employed support from CRM vendors, because these unsolicited references can provide unvarnished opinions about this important area. If you hear that a business with similar technological sophistication has had trouble getting a vendor to answer its pleas for support, or if the cost of that support is exorbitant, eliminate that vendor from consideration.

D ATA S H E E T / CHOOSING A CRM

• Feature Requirements:

The traditional way to pick a CRM application was to sit down with lists of features and start comparing different products in a kind of feature shoot-out. This is not a recommended approach—good CRM solutions all have the same basic features, so the decision then gets pushed onto more exotic and less frequently-used features—meaning that your decision could be driven by a feature you never end up using. Instead, using the problems you identified early on, identify customer approaches your business is taking or wants to take, and identify features that map to those approaches. Your front-line users earn their place on the selection team in this step. Allow them to identify things that would make their jobs easier, and use those ideas to narrow your focus. on those defining features.

• Financial Requirements:

By now, you should have several solutions in mind that tackle the problems you identified at the start of the process. After you’ve figured out the solutions that will work, it’s time to decide which of these is most affordable. This is the time to look for hidden costs; the base cost is almost never the extent of your expenditures with CRM. As stated earlier, there may be expenses for customization, integration and support. Knowing the full cost of your CRM solution up front and projected over the life of the software will prevent you from being over budget later—and anything you find too expensive, short-term or long-term, can be scratched from your shortlist.

D ATA S H E E T / CHOOSING A CRM

HOW DO I IMPLEMENT A CRM SYSTEM? The implementation of a CRM system is not simply installing software, but needs to reflect a change requiring focus and commitment – it cannot be seen as a mere technology investment which is purchased, deployed and then delivers value in itself. Instead, CRM is a concept that must be realized within a company and with the support of all staff.

To be fully effective, a CRM strategy must be deployed to stay in line with and support your company’s business objectives – this means it doesn’t stand still, but evolves along with your business. A phased approach with the implementation of CRM software into one or two departments is recommended before a company-wide roll out and continuous reporting and evaluation is necessary so that enhancements can be made, as and when required, ensuring growth of your business.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL CRM? While CRM technology offers numerous features, it is ultimately the people using it that make the difference. It is, therefore, essential to include key people throughout the company in the CRM comparison, selection and implementa-tion process. If teams who are expected to use CRM technology aren’t involved in the process, it is likely to fail.

You must take time to prioritize requirements and understand which areas in your company will be affected first. Now is the time to re-evaluate all your processes with your customers in mind – don’t just simply automate what you’ve always done if you can improve upon it. It’s natural for employees and managers to resist change and this is where training is imperative; use it as a forum to discuss processes and gain buy-in to show how changes can be of benefit.

Introduced successfully, a CRM system can motivate and train your people as well as improve processes and decision making across your company.

D ATA S H E E T / CHOOSING A CRM

MarketingBoost customer engagement

with every tool for outstanding data-driven

campaigns

SalesClose more deals and visualize

performance using powerful sales tools that adapt to your

processes

Customer ServiceExceed customer

expectations with smarter, faster service tools you can access

from anywhere

Maximizer has been at the cutting edge of simple, affordable and reliable CRM software since 1987.

Our CRM solutions enable over 120,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, to systemize processes and share data more effectively across multiple departments including: Management, Sales, Marketing, Finance and Customer Services.

With Maximizer CRM software you benefit from a large enterprise system built with a Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) focus and price – this complete solution will bring greater clarity and more informed decision making across your entire business.

WHY CHOOSE MAXIMIZER CRM?

D ATA S H E E T / CHOOSING A CRM

CONCLUSION

Customer Relationship Management is not just software. Some businesses would like it to be simply software, but it will never be as simple as that.

Customer Relationship Management is an ongoing learning process. Your company must learn from the customer and change accordingly. The closer you get to your customer, the better. CRM applications and strategies are the methods through which the business can access, analyze, and learn from customer data. Knowing what CRM applications are actually for is a very important step in understanding how to be successful when implementing CRM practices.

“Since 1987, more than 1 million users and over 120,000 companies have trusted us to help boost their bottom line.”

We make enabling your success our top priority. That’s why we’re committed to helping each of our customers achieve outstanding results.

With top-rated tools for contact management, lead management and customer service, Maximizer CRM gives businesses everything they need to grow – all in one place.

Today, Maximizer is a global company with offices in three countries plus an international network of Certified Solution Providers. We constantly innovate to ensure our customers can become more successful.

Time and time again, they tell us that our exceptional service sets us apart as a market leader in CRM. And that feedback keeps us focused on making planning, selling and management ever easier – to help our customers get rapid results.

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