How To Choose a CRM System: A Quick Guide

This article explains what a CRM platform does and reveals the key elements that make this software the best friend you didn’t know you needed.

CRM software is all about helping businesses guarantee exceptional customer experiences, and it does this via several methods:

• Storing customer data: All details gathered on customers are stored within the system, giving sales teams a 360-degree view of each client. Communication is then personalized, making interactions meaningful and more likely to be well received.
• Tracking sales: From generating leads to client segmentation and follow-up, the entire sales process is tracked, and metrics can be analyzed.
• Automating marketing tasks: One of CRM software’s main selling points is its ability to let users create email campaigns and social media posts entirely from scratch and then automate them. It can also automatically target ads by leveraging customer data.
• Streamlining customer service: The software makes tracking and responding to customer requests infinitely easier and faster. It incorporates ticket systems, logs customer queries, and monitors their status.
• Reports: CRM software collates all the information it gathers on customers, leads, and sales into insights that can be easily analyzed. With an impressive array of metrics, teams can easily identify weak spots, repeated customer behaviors, and sales performance, among many other patterns.

Choosing CRM software can be a stressful task as it will become such a vital cog in the day-to-day running of your business. One top tip is to take advantage of free trials and freemium subscriptions that some companies, like Nutshell, offer. This can help you quickly get a feel for what’s out there.

However, before jumping into a commitment, there are some key factors to consider:

It’s crucial to know exactly what you need a CRM system for. For instance, some companies offer fantastic customer service tools but only basic pipeline management. Not all platforms provide every CRM feature, so know your priorities.

Your chosen platform should be intuitive and straightforward to use for everyone, regardless of tech proficiency. However, your team may not get on with all CRM software, so it’s always a good idea to try before you buy.

A small company with a limited budget will likely opt for a CRM platform with basic features. When the business becomes more profitable and expands, it shouldn’t have to switch providers to accommodate more users and access advanced tools. Make sure you choose CRM software that can be scaled up as your team and needs grow.

Each business has its own way of doing things. It’s important that your CRM platform can be customized to seamlessly mesh with your existing processes. You may even want to create custom fields that collect industry-specific data.

The best CRM platforms take customization to another level, automating tasks, setting up user roles and permissions, and tailoring reports to monitor KPIs. Some even let users fully customize the platform and templates to their brand’s identity.

Although most CRM providers are moving towards the cloud-based model, which is hosted by a server and accessed only via the internet, on-premise CRM software is still a viable option.

For businesses with specific regulatory requirements, on-premise CRM is a smart choice as you have complete control over data and hardware – nothing is in the hands of a software provider.

For most companies without specific security measures, cloud-based CRM software is the way to go. Encryption and firewalls are taken care of; it’s accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, and the initial cost is lower as no hardware or infrastructure needs to be purchased and configured.

Many providers offer free versions, but these will always be limited in their features and user allowance. Weigh up your company’s budget and determine which elements will be most helpful in carrying out tasks and strengthening customer relationships. It may be worth paying a little bit more but being rewarded with time-saving features in return.

The likelihood is that you already have digital tools implemented into your business workflows, and there’s no need to start again when you choose a new CRM provider. Plenty integrate with tons of other solutions – but watch out because this may come at a cost.

Some services stagger their integrations across pricing tiers, so don’t forget to check whether integrations are included in the package you want and that the tools you currently use are listed.

Plenty of companies have employees working all over the place. For these types of businesses, choosing a CRM provider with an intuitive mobile app is key.

Much like when making any other purchase, there are pitfalls to avoid when choosing a CRM provider.

1. Bypassing user feedback: Investing in CRM software isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. To guarantee long-term success, it’s best to check out user reviews (such as in our Best CRM Software guide) and even scout out forums like Reddit for users’ first-hand experiences.
2. Failing to test the product: Free trials and versions exist for a reason. They’re the perfect way to see whether the software will improve your workflow. Various teams may use CRM, so get members from different teams to test your top picks before taking the plunge.
3. Underestimating scalability and costs: Your business may be small now, but think long term. Are your proposed costs for CRM software sustainable? Is there space to add more users or features as your organization grows?
4. Overpaying for features: Paying top dollar for a top-tier CRM service may result in an overcomplex, over-expensive, and overwhelming experience for a small newcomer business. Conversely, signing up for an extremely basic service could throw a spanner in the works for a growing company needing comprehensive tools.

CRM software is one of the giants in digital business tools. When shopping for this kind of service, getting lost among the many options is easy – but be careful about making a snap decision.

We advise looking for a provider that offers features catering specifically to your business type or industry. By paying close attention to the guidelines and steps provided by this article, you can successfully find and implement the perfect software.

But don’t worry if you’re still feeling a little overwhelmed, as there are many platforms your company can try out before spending a single dime. Nutshell's 14-day free trial is a great place to start, especially for any small business.