CRM software solutions
I have often wondered whether to call it a CRM solution or CRM software or as the title suggests as CRM software solutions. By whatever name we may choose to call it , an effective CRM implementation will only be possible if we take both software and solution as part of the system. Necessarily, we must consider the business aspects before even venturing towards CRM. The three broad aspects which need closer examination are data collection, classification and deployment. CRM software solution must be able to address all the three aspects effectively. A good CRM software solution would be capable of data mining, data abstraction which would include business intelligence and providing solutions.
In the end, the CRM software solution will only be as effective as the sum of its parts. What surprises me is the level of confusion among industry experts when it comes to implementing a CRM software solution. As a result enterprises land up with solutions which are rather inappropriate to their situation. What’s sauce for the goose may not be sauce for the gander. One has to therefore make a wish list of what exactly they want from their CRM software solution and then hunt for the right one.
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What is the One Thing to Consider When Choosing CRM?
How will I know if the CRM system is successful?
You can't answer this without asking yourself alot of other questions. And in the end, your answer will be different than it is for other companies.
Maybe you feel it will be successful if you can see at any given point in time, how many deals are in the pipeline. Maybe it will be successful only if it allows Marketing to pass better quality leads to sales and to then measure that improvement. In fact, your answer won't likely be that simplistic. It will likely contain many statements like the above.
Thinking about the question this way inevitably leads to a soul searching discussion about why you're doing this and what it is you need it to accomplish. You'll quickly conclude that you can't do this in a vacuum. All departments that have inter-connected processes will need to weigh in. Indeed, the answer you come up with should be your Objective Statement and the driving force behind your CRM evaluation.
To help companies understand the possible uses of a CRM system and the processes they can impact, we created a CRM Software Comparison tool. It evaluates 80 CRM products based on 80 features.
Examining the list of features can help you think about what is important to you, set your priorities, and then determine which products to evaluate. You can access this tool for free at www.smartaboutsales.com