How to Choose the Right CRM Platform for Your Business
This article was recently published on Smartbug Media.
Selecting the right customer relationship management (CRM) platform for your business is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Your CRM has the power to make or break how well your organization functions as a whole.
It will come as no surprise that there are a number of excellent platforms on the market today, and two standouts continue to be HubSpot and Salesforce. Both have outstanding (and long-standing) reputations, and they have truly helped move the needle for businesses of all sizes.
In this article, we’ll break down the benefits you should consider when comparing HubSpot versus Salesforce, so you can more easily make the business case for the best-fit platform within your organization.
Considerations When Selecting a CRM Platform
As you’re working through the process of choosing the right CRM platform for your organization, it’s important to think about the following factors.
Use Case
Will this system be used solely by sales, a mix of sales and marketing, or will this be the “system of choice” for many facets of your organization, including customer service? Think about this as you review the feature breadth of a given CRM.
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Opportunities for Process Improvements
Selecting a CRM provides a good opportunity to reflect on what may be “breaking down” within your organization. Use this time to consider how handoffs between given departments are handled and where there are disconnects, so you can find a system that will streamline and mitigate your friction points.
Capability for Integration
Companies are always better off when they can utilize one system as a single source of truth. That said, depending on your business needs, you will likely need to pull (or push) data from one system into another. Be sure to look out for the types of integrations available with a given system, and how easily you can develop custom integrations if need be.
Tech-Savviness of Your Team Members
Many times, CRM implementations and new systems “flop” because they are not set up or maintained properly. Think about who on your team will be using a given system and what their technical capabilities are. If you have a less tech-savvy team with a steeper learning curve, you may want to opt for a system that ranks higher on ease of use, with solid support and training.
Cost
When you consider how many team members will be leveraging the system, you’ll also want to think about present and future costs associated with the software. Also, if you plan on scaling your business over the coming years, think about the cost implications of what the CRM will be as you add more users, contacts, and features.
Reflect on Your Company’s Needs
Above all, think about what matters most to your organization. For example, some organizations value one comprehensive system to eliminate data silos in exchange for a few “sub-par” features. On the flip side, other companies have very specific needs where one feature or benefit outweighs the rest. Be sure to have multiple conversations with key stakeholders in your organization as you deep dive into the process of finding a CRM that will work best for you.