CRM Evaluation Criteria - 6 Things You Must Consider for CRM Selection

CRM Evaluation Criteria – 6 Things You Must Consider for CRM Selection | Determining just which CRM solution is best for your company can be difficult given the variety of options available. Should you select the option that is most popular and mainstream? Or would you rather choose a smaller platform that might be more suited to your unique business goals?

Have you ever questioned what aspects you should prioritize while conducting a CRM review and speaking with various CRM vendors? What queries should you and your team be asking, and what topics ought to be raised in the conversation with vendors? What matters most for your company, industry, and team when comparing different CRM systems? What features, functionalities, platform strengths, and security issues should be taken into account?

An evaluation of a new (or replacement) system is never simple or quick. It requires patience, careful consideration, and a lot of work from your staff. But everything need not be a grueling uphill struggle. Also see:- A Quick Handy CRM Selection Checklist

6 CRM Evaluation Criteria to Focus on While Choosing Your CRM

1. Integrations

How successfully does your CRM software interface with your primary email, social media, and mobile customer data sources? Only 22% of sales representatives who remained with non-mobile CRM systems met their sales quotas, compared to 65% of those who used mobile CRM software.

In 2023, mobile integration will be crucial or you risk losing out on crucial client information. Not to mention your personal capability of using a phone or tablet to access your CRM. A decent CRM will also enable SMS communication with your contacts, removing any potential downtime when they might not be available for email.

Given that social media offers a wealth of customer intelligence that can be used to identify, nurture, and convert prospects, social CRM integration is equally important. You should be able to post and interact with customers on numerous sites thanks to your CRM’s ability to access contact activity on social media platforms.

And finally, email integration is a must-have. You will need to be able to sync calendars to send reminders and set appointments, as well as track every discussion your sales and marketing teams, have with prospects and contacts. If you’re utilizing the proper CRM software, all of these interfaces may be completed with a few straightforward plugins, providing smooth communication.

2. Accessibility

Only 12% of organizations used cloud-based CRM software in 2008; by 2017, that number has risen to 87 % and it keeps growing when we are talking today. What caused that enormous jump? tablets, smartphones, and the growing quantity of business conducted through mobile devices. As was already mentioned, cloud-based solutions are much more affordable and accessible than installed ones.

3. Data Excellence

When it comes to CRM software dependability, data quality is a deciding issue. Your customer communications’ success is based on the data that powers the machine. It ought to be original, current, and based on reliable sources.

Inaccurate information produced by incomplete data or erroneous fields is a time and energy waster for everyone. Check to see if your CRM program is operating like the well-tuned machine you need to drive your sales and marketing.

4. Reporting

Effective reporting will guarantee that you can accurately monitor the effectiveness of your CRM software and that you are acting on data that is accurate, reliable, and timely.

The ability to easily export data from your CRM in your preferred format, complete with appropriate filtering and charting, should be available. It should be simple for you to build a report that provides you with the information you require when you need to focus on a specific buyer profile or identify potential problems with a specific lead.

You should also be able to acquire deep insight into your sales pipeline, the status of opportunities in the pipeline, and a wide range of other indicators that are important to you and enable you to make data-driven decisions.

5. Security

Security is crucial when working with detailed client data profiles, such as those provided by a robust CRM solution. Contact information, payment information, and purchase history must all stay private and only be available to authorized users.

Since cloud security has significantly improved over time, you may be sure that data is secure even if it isn’t kept in an onsite repository. To prevent data breaches, your CRM software should have adequate security safeguards in place. This makes sure that your lead-tracking tools continue to work as intended.

When comparing CRMs, look into their data security procedures. Inquire about certificates in data security. Data from your clients should be handled delicately, with white gloves, just like a delicate flower.

6. Support and Service

The service that supports any CRM you are considering is only as good as the CRM itself. For assistance with the onboarding procedure, including data migration, staff training, frequent check-ins, and continuing support, your CRM vendor should offer you real-time support personnel. It ought to be clear that your seller has a stake in your success with their product.

Wrapping It Up

If you want to see your sales increase, you must invest some time in evaluating your CRM options and selecting a new provider because doing so quickly becomes a pressing issue. Even if your data is disorganized, you can still organize it with the right customer data management tools and strategy. It’s also much simpler than you may expect.