How to choose the right CRM for an effective Digital Transformation.
Effective CRM transformation implies a wholesale strategic overhaul of your processes alongside continued, ongoing refinement. Consequently, the CRM software you choose plays a key role in the long-term success of your initiative. CRMs are essential to effectively empower your employees and manage your customer relationships—which is the true driver of value differentiation.
Yet, according to Forrester, 69% of businesses are looking for a new CRM solution. This means there is a notable disconnect between the promise of relationship-driven value differentiation and the reality companies experience. For those businesses thinking of changing, the question inevitably comes up: how do I choose the right CRM for my needs?
As every company is different, it is not a matter of simply picking a reputable CRM solution because it might not align with your goals. Instead, business leaders need to identify and analyse the reasons they are dissatisfied with their current CRM, choose a solution that solves these issues, and implement the software with expert guidance and ongoing support.
REASONS FOR DISSATISFACTION AND HOW TO OVERCOME THEM
It is important to first recognise the CRM issues that your particular business is facing. According to Forrester, the main causes of user dissatisfaction with their current software are:
- Employees find it difficult to learn or use
- It doesn’t allow all tasks to be completed on a single platform
- It doesn’t reduce task time
- It is too costly
Take the time to identify the reasons behind your organisation’s CRM difficulties. Then, establish whether these issues are related to problems with your current CRM platform itself, or due to a poor implementation strategy. For example, employees struggling to use the current CRM platform could be the result of insufficient training or related to the CRM platform’s poor UX.
Identifying your business’s unique reasons for CRM dissatisfaction is of the utmost importance. This will allow you to look for better features to fix your specific issue, and help you develop a stronger implementation strategy.
Cost vs Value
Another common reason for dissatisfaction with companies’ current solutions is the cost of the CRM. Before addressing this issue, it is important to highlight that ‘cost’ should not be confused with ‘value’. Adequate financial and time investment are essential to make the transformation venture a success. In the end, with sustained, long-term growth driven by strong customer relationships and highly empowered employees, the value of full transformation far outweighs the cost of implementation. When done right, it can help your company become a leader in its market.
That being said, as you conduct your research, keep an eye out for solutions that have a pure price policy, as many CRMs that appear well priced have hidden fees.
