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5 Factors to Consider When Choosing a CRM Solution

Written by Hunter Ricci

Customer Relationship Management enables brands to effectively manage vast swathes of customer data, while also forming meaningful relationships with each individual customer. CRM is an effective solution for business management, offering a whole suite of tools for everything from lead generation to predictive analytics, and more. Almost every organization uses a CRM, but it’s not always the right one for them. To get a better understanding of what makes a specific CRM the right choice for your organization, we constructed a list of five must-haves for any SaaS solution. 

1. Level of Integration

As an entrepreneur, you probably already deal with a relatively high level of stress. Why add to it by adopting a CRM that doesn’t fit your business process? The key to quality software is seamless integration. A quality CRM should include all the necessary tools for business management in one, easy to use platform. It should also be able to integrate with your favorite apps, whether that be an inbox, like Gmail, or a favorite accounting tool, like QuickBooks. Selecting a solution that’s conducive to the easy transferral of information, and that fits your business strategy, will save you thousands of dollars in Total Cost of Ownership.

Complete CRM describes a powerful new class of software which combines the traditional facets of CRM (sales, marketing, and database) with a host of other tools needed for business management. By consolidating the marketing, sales, and operational functions of a business into a single platform, organizations can achieve data fluidity with fewer resources than ever before.

The consolidation and centralization of valuable corporate data improves security, reduces expenditures, and boosts productivity. All relevant data is accessible at your fingertips, if you have the right security credentials. This means you don’t need to waste company resources manually moving data from one location to another. With all of your precious data located in the same place as your business management applications, corporate information can easily be pulled into whatever you’re doing. No need to risk transcription errors from cross referencing.

2. Support

If you have experience with business software, you know that adopting a new solution means a new set of growing pains. Systems that offer a lot of functionality also require time to learn. That’s why it’s important that whatever solution you choose comes with readily accessible customer support. You don’t want to risk data getting trapped or deadlines being missed because the CRM you went with makes you jump through a dozen hoops before you can even talk to someone. When evaluating an organization’s customer support, ask: 

  • Is it live?
  • Is it with a real person?
  • Is it offered 24/7?

GreenRope has been widely recognized as an industry leader in customer support. As your partner in business, we take support very seriously. We offer 24/7, live customer support on a number of channels. Whether you prefer phone calls, emails, or live chat’s, we’ve got you covered.

3. Pricing

Pricing options can be misleading. You may be presented with one number, and then later find out that it doesn’t account for additional users, customer support, all the features you want, or a high messaging capacity. Pay attention to the Total Cost of Ownership, or the entire cost of using a platform, including hidden fees and additional effort on your end.

GreenRope’s subscription fee is predicated on the number of users in your account. There is no paying for extra users or additional add ons. Unlimited users and access to every feature is included in each account, no matter the subscription level

4. Level of Customization

Not all CRMs are built the same. Just because a platform is highly valued, or gets a lot of attention from tech publications, doesn’t mean it’s the right solution for you. Some CRMs are extremely rigid, with features built for very specific use cases. When evaluating the viability of a new solution, the key word is flexibility. You don’t always know how your business is going to grow and expand over the coming years, and just because a solution is a good fit now, doesn’t mean it will be a good fit three years down the road. A quality CRM offers customizability and adapts to changes in your business process. It grows with you, and adapts to your changing needs. 

See how GreenRope has measurably increased productivity for our clients!

5. Full Functionality for the Entire Team

CRM should be intuitive. If you want to get your people on board, you’ll need to find a system built with the end user in mind. Always ask for a live demo, so you can see what you’re getting and how it works, rather than making a purchase based on marketing material you’ve been shown. Next comes the free trial. Avoid companies that don’t offer free trials at all costs! They probably aren’t showing you the system because they have something to hide. 

Conclusion

Just having a CRM isn’t enough. You need the RIGHT CRM! Use these suggestions and do your due diligence. An investment like this is no small ordeal, and requires careful consideration.  

 

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