How to choose the best CRM software for your business.

You have a great product, a ton of leads and almost too many customers…..now what? How can you ensure that you are managing your customers and your processes in an effective way? If you are in this position or even close to this then you need a CRM. A CRM is essential for effectively managing the inbound sales process, delighting customers with positive ongoing relationships and measuring and reporting on sales success.

It's more than just a list of contacts. Enterprise CRM software enables sales representatives to manage their pipelines more efficiently — ensuring a seamless customer experience and automate and refine all your processes for an optimally performing organisation. If you are looking for a definitive answer on what CRM you want to use then I’m sorry but it’s a bit more complex than binary answers.

A CRM is about more than just great tech it’s about the people and the destination too. Decision makers for CRM may be short-sighted in this project’s organisational impact, so its your job to help them understand exactly who and what it will directly impact and indirectly impact across their company. So whilst we can’t tell you what CRM is best for you what we can do is show you what questions you need to be asking and what features you need to be looking for.

Ease of Use

Enterprise CRM software is intended to be a fundamental tool for your organisation the home base for sales marketing and operations. It should be as simply to use and vital as a kitchen tap. If the tool is cumbersome, clunky or difficult to use, people will be less likely to use and will start to create workarounds which is the worst possible outcome for business alignment. If they don’t use the system your efficiency, data accuracy and ROI will suffer.

Depending on the complexity of your sales process and the technical acumen of your team, ease of use is going to be a huge factor to consider. To determine the right level of user-friendliness, consider who will be using the CRM, how complex your sales process is and how difficult the software will be to service. Before you start looking for a CRM the first thing you should do is map all the problems each department is having. Once you have this then you should start to map out each of the processes using a tool such as draw.io. We suggest doing these diagrams all on one sheet so that you have the fullest visualisation of the process as a whole and the issues too. Once you have this you can determine what you need to improve.

Integrations

Integrations are a critical component of any enterprise CRM software. Too many integrations and you have a maze on your hands, but too few and your efficiency is affected. Realistically if you don’t have a CRM your team may require and be running on several different systems. If you can't find a CRM software that includes all of them, then you should at least look for one that's compatible with multiple systems.

For example, if your team regularly uses Asana for project management, you'll want to be able to pull that information into your CRM as easily as possible. If you capture signatures using platforms like DocuSign or Panda docs, then these systems should be easily integrated into the CRM as well. All areas of your business should be able to report and learn from the information within your CRM.

Workflows and Approvals

Find an enterprise CRM software that will streamline your workflows and make lead and sales management that much easier. The platform should be intuitive end-to-end, from the moment a deal comes into play to the moment the customer signs the dotted line and nurturing them into repeat business too.

• For sales within the CRM, you should be able to record any calls, emails or other interactions your sales team has with leads and customers.
• For marketing you should be able to nurture leads based on segmentations of data and provide a personalised experience for the team too.
• For operations you should be able to deal with customers issues and tickets in an organised and effective way that can be integrated across departments.

All users regardless of department should be able to easily access any relevant data and reports which can help to improve the business and the customer experience.

Reporting Capabilities

Modern organisations are drowning in data. It’s collected everywhere, from global business operations down to the individual’s mobile device. But without context or purpose, data is like sand in the Sahara - plentiful but lifeless. A CRM is a database at its core — and with any database comes the need to organise, filter, analyse and report on that data. With accurate data and an effective reporting system, you can measure the success of your company and optimise your strategy accordingly.

Choose a CRM with reporting features or integrations that meet your business needs. Ideally, the reporting system will allow you to create custom fields to track and measure specific questions and concerns.

Customisation

Your organisation will have it’s own idiosyncrasies and working processes. Customisation will be a critical consideration in finding the right CRM software for your business. There are different CRM software solutions available for different industries, and even within those industries, each business operates differently. You will need custom filters, fields and reporting capabilities depending on who you are and how you operate.

Consider your internal processes and their complexity and decide the level of customisation you'll need in order to follow that process within the CRM. The more tailored the solution the better the outcome for your users and teams.

Scalability

“Does it scale?” Is one of the questions normally reserved for people who haven’t said something for a while in a meeting but in this case it’s actually relevant. If you're looking to scale, any business decision you make should be made with the future in mind and your enterprise CRM software is no exception. Weigh your current business needs against your long-term vision, and choose a CRM software that will grow with your business, not against it.

Time Constraints

Implementing a CRM is not an easy task. It’s like building a car engine whilst driving down the road. This can’t be rushed if it’s to be done correctly but you also have to think about realistic time frames for your company. If you need a 6-8 week implementation this is possible with some enterprise CRMs such as HubSpot but for a full enterprise roll out with Dynamics you will be looking at 16 weeks minimum and for Salesforce this averages 8 months. You need to be aware of this when factoring in how quickly you need the CRM in place.

In conclusion no right or wrong answer to what CRM is best. There are just solutions that match your preferences.

A comprehensive, integrated CRM software is key to effective sales management, from the moment a visitor hits your site, too long after they become loyal customers. Evaluate your options carefully and you'll be able to make the smartest decision for your needs.