Before You Buy
Let us go now, you and I, to a fantasy realm where marketers have blank purchase-authorization slips in their hands. Vendor Guru has outlined five pre-purchase considerations that put functionality and long-term planning first, and leave the discussion of price-based shopping for later.
- Know your business
A request-for-proposal process starts not with vendors, but with every department that will use the CRM system. Find out their requirements, pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, and determine how the system might help.
- Remember the customer
A well-designed CRM platform puts customer needs above all else. Whether it’s intended for a firm’s sales, marketing or support functions, the key question is who’s going to benefit. If the answer isn’t the customer, move on to another system.
- Plan to scale
The two major forms of scalability are the number of individuals a system can support and the additional functions that can be easily incorporated. A vendor should be willing to provide training and upgrades beyond the initial installation.
- Find the right fit
Some CRM platforms are designed with particular industries in mind. Others come with features far beyond the needs of the purchasing company. Even on-demand software should be available in pared-down versions that offer basic sales force management and marketing automation, and little else.
- Consider user friendliness
Marketers looking into CRM technology should ensure that the software is designed for average users, not the office egghead. If every employee can’t access essential dashboard and templates intuitively, it’s not a well-designed system.
