CRMs: One Solution To Rule Them All?
It is well known that Customer Relationship Management systems have become a popular tool of many companies who are looking for greater success. In the digital age, customers are savvier than ever and every company is working twice as hard to keep them. Yes, CRM systems can help you organize, automate, and integrate most of your business processes for current customers, however some others find themselves sinking a lot of money into a project that isn’t producing results.
An important fact to remember is that no matter how perfectly designed a CRM system might seem, if it doesn’t interface and get adopted by the users at your company, it isn’t going to be much help. People struggle with changes and adapting to any new system, particularly one like a CRM, and if the transition isn’t handled correctly money will go to waste on underutilized technology. Too many CRM companies fail to help their customers develop real solutions to this problem, touting their technology and features without offering the sort of support that would truly be the most helpful.
Another issue with CRMs is the way companies fail to properly define success. Before pursuing anything as expensive and labor intensive as a CRM, a company should know and understand well the current status of its CRM efforts and have specific ideas about how it wants to change them for the future. Any company considering a CRM should take the time to figure out what they have and what they want. In many cases, there are more judicious, cost-effective methods, like a Lead Management System, that will be more effective in addressing your company’s needs.
CRMs are not a simple solution to a simple problem; they are a complicated solution that only makes sense for the largest companies with enough resources to make them work. Before any company can seriously expect a CRM to offer any solid results, they need to take stock of what they already have and what they really need. More often than not, you’ll find that CRM isn’t the most effective possible solution. If all you’re looking to do is automate and track your sales system, there’s a real chance that other less complicated solutions than CRM will help you find the results you need with a much smaller investment of money and manpower. Lead Management Systems can often give you the sales automation and lead tracking you need at a fraction of the cost and with none of the headaches.
If your company is seriously considering a CRM, it’s probably a good idea to stop and consider the alternatives as well. While CRM is clearly a strong solution for the right companies, it’s important to remember that for every functioning, successful one out there, there’s another company with a CRM that inefficient and hemorrhaging money. Before making a decision this big, take the time to seriously consider your options and determine whether a CRM is right for you.
