It can be overwhelming to discover the best CRM for your company. Numerous technologies and solutions exist, but that is not the only challenge. Before making a choice, you must also consider deployment alternatives, customizability, pricing, scalability, and business value. If that sounds like a lot, worry not—we’ll do our best to reduce your stress by providing some helpful advice on how to pick the ideal CRM system for your company.
Cloud vs. on-premise
You don’t need a server or technical know-how to use a cloud (Software-as-a-Service/ SaaS) solution. You log into the cloud-based construction CRM using your web browser to use it. The vendor’s server is where all the data is kept. You must, however, constantly be connected online, and you won’t access your data if your Internet connection drops out.
On the other hand, with an on-premise option, you own the program, which is physically hosted at your place. So, if you want to integrate with other client applications, you will have direct access to the servers. Additionally, you won’t need to worry about ongoing subscription fees. However, you must hire internal IT staff, buy the required hardware and software, and cover maintenance costs.
Identify the characteristics and capabilities you require
Your company is distinctive in its operations, clientele, and growth patterns. Therefore, committing to a set of standard, fundamental, or rigid functions is not a good idea. You require a flexible CRM solution, and your requirement for CRM will increase as your firm expands. Therefore, you must ensure that you can rapidly upgrade the CRM solution to a newer, more advanced version whenever need be. Avoid “one-size-fits-all” solutions at all costs and go with a CRM that can change to match your needs instead.
Make that the system is compatible with other programs.
You do not purchase a CRM to add to your collection of various work systems; you buy it to make your business operations more efficient. Therefore, you must confirm that the CRM system can interface with other existing programs you use. Similarly, ensure you can quickly import your clients’ contact information into your new CRM program.
Inquire about a demonstration and use a free trial
Never trust a CRM system blindly! A test run is always a sound idea. It is best to start with a personalized, live (or online) demonstration before moving on to a free trial. A salesperson talks you through the product and demonstrates how to use it during a live demo. After that, you can ask specific inquiries concerning your needs.
Evaluate the user experience.
Your feelings and impressions of a CRM system are among the most important factors to evaluate while making your decision. You could ask the seller to demonstrate the number of clicks required for a particular operation. Consider the following: How useful (and entertaining) is the user interface? Are the labels on the buttons legible? Is the action sequence logical? All this is to evaluate the user experience and make an informed choice.
