Although a mature market, at Concentrix TSG we still get a lot of enquires from organisations that are looking in to implementing a CRM solution for the first time. In fact, these are the majority of enquires we get from new clients. Of course we also get enquiries from businesses that have used CRM for some time and approach us for advice on the latest software, to find out what’s changed since they deployed their CRM solution, and what their best options are.
Whether it’s the first time your business has deployed a CRM solution, or you’re looking to review, replace or upgrade an existing system, you need to start doing some background research. But where do you start?
Well, the obvious place is to contact an independent CRM specialist such as Concentrix TSG (many people do!), or you could start approaching vendors and business partners directly. But wherever you choose to start, it certainly won’t hurt to do some research on your own.
With many different CRM solutions, different deployment options, prices and technologies available, it’s not always easy to know where to begin and how to determine which CRM solution or solutions will best fit the requirements of your business. Fortunately there’s quite a lot of help and guidance available, and here are some resources which will make investigating, deciding on and ultimately purchasing a CRM system easier.
Firstly, there’s a knowledge base on the Concentrix TSG website which contains a selection of articles, advice and information about CRM, including a number of guides and downloads. This knowledge base gets updated and added to regularly so is a good first port of call when investigating CRM systems. If there’s a gap in the information, or you have a request or ideas for more content you would like us to include, please let us know.
If you’re not already familiar with focus.com, it’s worth a browse if you have a minute. Focus is a respected community of business experts from all over the globe and a great place to ask questions and find advice on just about any business issue. Recently, Focus published a guide, which is free to download, with advice on some of the top questions buyers should ask before purchasing a CRM solution. We recommend you download the guide and read the full details and explanations which accompany each question, but in summary the experts list of top questions to ask are:
- What are the desired outcomes of the CRM initiative?
- Is management fully on board with the new system?
- How do you characterize your company’s style of selling?
- How will we get quick adoption of the system?
- How will the system perform when executing your processes?
- Will the new system foster productivity?
- What integration and customization needs will you have?
- Is the CRM software available as a cloud-based solution, or on-premise, or both?
- What are the costs – including maintenance?
- Is the support type and level appropriate for your business?
- How reliable is the vendor?
- What references for or case studies of the solution are available?
- How does independent research position the product in the market?
- Will the solution continue to meet your needs in the future?
Please note Concentrix TSG is not in any way affiliated or linked to Focus.com. However we’re pleased to say that we recently had some of our contributions included in the above guide.
Another great resource of information to help you choose CRM software is over at the CRMSoftwareblog. Here, experts provide reviews, comparisons and opinions to professionals to help with the CRM software selection process. Although this blog tends to focus on Microsoft Dynamics CRM, it has new contributions from CRM experts almost daily, and you’ll be hard pushed to find an area of CRM that hasn’t been discussed, commented on or written about. Concentrix TSG also contributes to this blog, and as an example one of our recent posts was specifically designed to help in CRM software evaluation with 10 Questions to Help You Shortlist the Right CRM Solutions.
If you’re investigating CRM solutions and are looking for help and advice, it’s always worthwhile doing some background research and talking to an independent CRM specialist such as Concentrix TSG. Being independent we’re not reliant on any particular product or vendor, we’re able to discuss the various choices with you and help you find a CRM solution best suited to your business strategy, objectives, and requirements. So if you need help choosing a CRM system, or just need some advice on where to start, please don't hesitate to contact us!
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