How to choose a cloud CRM system?
Choosing a cloud CRM system is a decision that affects the day-to-day work of the entire organization — and it's easy to make a costly mistake. Before you sign a contract, check out 5 key factors: matching functionality to your processes, openness to integrations, industry experience, ease of use, and actual scaling costs.
Implementing a CRM system in the cloud is a very demanding undertaking. This move can affect almost every aspect of your company's day-to-day operations. In this article, we will consider what factors to consider when choosing a cloud CRM system.
Five tips on how to choose a cloud CRM system
Below you will find five tips on how to choose a cloud CRM system:
1 Determine what functionalities are key for you
Almost every organization is unique in terms of business processes. Two companies from the same region, the same industry, and similar in size and turnover can have a completely different idea of pursuing the same business goals. It is therefore important to draw up a list of expected functionalities of a cloud CRM system as accurately as possible, and then compare it with the functions offered by individual cloud CRM solutions available on the market.
It is worth assigning different weights to the individual functionalities, and then summarize the score for each system separately. In addition, we recommend dividing the list of functionalities into mandatory, secondary and tertiary. It may turn out that a system that achieves a high score will not offer any of the key functionalities.
2 Check if your cloud CRM system is open for integrations
Rarely are companies able to base their business processes on a single IT solution that manages all the elements of daily operations. So make sure that the CRM system you are considering are open to integration with other IT solutions. For example, see if you can connect your future CRM system in the cloud with your ERP software (a common database of contractors, issuing quotes based on indexes and stocks, registering orders and issuing invoices and inventory documents) or with dedicated tools for marketing — a tool for sending emails, SMS or analyzing web traffic.
3 Check if the software works in your industry
If something is for everything, it is for nothing. Look for CRM solutions that are created from the start with companies similar to yours in mind. A CRM system popular in retail companies may not necessarily work in a logistics company or a developer.
However, if the CRM software you are interested in does not advertise as dedicated to a particular industry, check the testimonials. You may find that it is used by many companies similar to yours.
4 Pay attention to ease of use
CRM software can have a large number of functionalities, as well as a rich reference list. However, all this is for nothing at the moment when the system turns out to be difficult to use. The implementation of an incomprehensible information system significantly increases the chance of failure. Employees will use it reluctantly and will make mistakes more often than with modern and ergonomic CRM software in the cloud.
5 Check the price list and the scalability of the CRM system
Analyze the pricing of manufacturers and suppliers of CRM systems in the cloud. Carry out analyzes that take into account the increase in the number of employees and tasks in the future. Calculate how they will affect the operating costs of the system — in other words, how expensive is the scalability of the offered product
