{"id":16213,"date":"2018-07-12T07:00:48","date_gmt":"2018-07-12T05:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/?p=16213"},"modified":"2023-10-23T13:10:58","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T11:10:58","slug":"guide-choosing-right-crm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/guide-choosing-right-crm\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complete Guide To Choosing The Right CRM"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div align=\"center\">\n<div class=\"mw650\">\n\n\n\n<p>Last year the Customer Relationship Management software (CRM) market grew 15% compared to a year before. This is very logical. Customers and new laws expect companies to manage, collect and use their customer data well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your business doesn\u2019t currently use a CRM, it\u2019s definitely time to make the move.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>We want to know how to start selecting the right CRM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are the big guns, of course: Salesforce, Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP combine to corner 75% of the market. There are industry-specific CRMs for freelancers, multi-level marketing, and attorneys\u2019 offices. Then you have CRMs that focus on one feature like automation or email marketing and others that claim to do it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All that leaves us asking the same question that you are: <strong>which CRM should a business choose?<\/strong> That\u2019s what this guide is looking to find out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<style>\r\nh5 {\r\n    text-align: center;\r\n    padding-top: 10px;\r\n    font-size: 20px;\r\n    font-weight: 600;\r\n \t}\r\n\r\n.sponsortext {\r\n    text-align: center;\r\n    color: gray;\r\nfont-size:12px;\r\n    margin-bottom: 5px !important;\r\n\r\n \t}\r\n\r\n.featuredcardtext {\r\n    font-size: 13px;\r\n    text-align: center;\r\n    margin-bottom: 5px !important;\r\n \t}\r\n    \r\n.cardBox {\r\n    max-width: 880px;\r\n    background-color: #f5eae2;\r\n    margin: auto;\r\n    padding: 10px 20px 20px 20px;\r\n    display: table;\r\n    align: center;\r\n\r\n  }\r\n\r\n\r\n.sw-logo {\r\n\tmargin-top: 10px;\r\n\tdisplay: block;\r\n\tmargin-left: auto;\r\n\tmargin-right: auto;\r\n\twidth:60px;\r\n\theight:60px;\r\n  border-radius: 100px;\r\n     }\r\n    \r\n.fullCard {\r\n    max-width: 200px;\r\n    min-height: 320px;\r\n    background-color: #fff;\r\n    border-radius: 10px;\r\n    margin: 5px 5px;\r\n    padding: 5px;\r\n    float: left;\r\n  }\r\n  \r\n.cardContent {\r\n    padding: 5px;\r\n  }\r\n  \r\n.buttonCTAfeaturedcard {\r\n    background: #ff3f33;\r\n    border-top-left-radius: 10px;\r\n    border-top-right-radius: 10px;\r\n    border-bottom-right-radius: 10px;\r\n    border-bottom-left-radius: 10px;\r\n    text-indent: 0;\r\n    display: block;\r\n    margin: 10px;\r\n    padding: 0 15px;\r\n    font-family: Arial;\r\n    font-size: 15px;\r\n    font-weight: 700;\r\n    font-style: normal;\r\n    color: white;\r\n    height: 43px;\r\n    line-height: 43px;\r\n    text-decoration: none;\r\n    text-align: center;\r\n}\r\n\r\n.buttonCTAfeaturedcard:hover {\r\n    background: #ff6f66;\r\n    color: white;\r\n}\r\n\r\n.reviewURLfeaturedcard {\r\n    text-indent: 0;\r\n    display: block;\r\n    font-family: Arial;\r\n    color: gray;\r\n    font-size: 13px;\r\n    font-weight: 500;\r\n    font-style: normal;\r\n    text-decoration: none;\r\n    text-align: center;\r\n \t}  \r\n<\/style>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"cardBox\">\r\n<p class=\"sponsortext\">Featured CRM sponsors for your business<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"fullCard\">\r\n<div class=\"cardContent\">\r\n\r\n<a class=\"linktrack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/go\/monday-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sw-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/monday.png\" alt=\"Hubspot logo\"><\/a>\r\n<h5>monday.com<\/h5>\r\n<p class=\"featuredcardtext\">Work OS with a lightweight CRM built-in. Manage everything from sales and marketing to IT and software development.<\/p>\r\n<a class=\"buttonCTAfeaturedcard linktrack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/go\/monday-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Go to site<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"fullCard\">\r\n<div class=\"cardContent\">\r\n\r\n<a class=\"linktrack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/go\/pipedrive-aw-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sw-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/pipedrive.jpeg\" alt=\"Hubspot logo\"><\/a>\r\n<h5>Pipedrive<\/h5>\r\n<p class=\"featuredcardtext\">Sales CRM that's easy to set up and use. With powerful sales automation, task management, lead qualification and tracking.<\/p>\r\n<a class=\"buttonCTAfeaturedcard linktrack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/go\/pipedrive-aw-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Go to site<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n  \r\n    <div class=\"fullCard\">\r\n<div class=\"cardContent\">\r\n\r\n<a class=\"linktrack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/go\/engagebay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sw-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/engagebay.jpeg\" alt=\"EngageBay logo\"><\/a>\r\n<h5>EngageBay<\/h5>\r\n<p class=\"featuredcardtext\">All-in-one CRM platform with marketing, sales, and service tools including automation at affordable prices. Free for up to 15 users.<\/p>\r\n<a class=\"buttonCTAfeaturedcard linktrack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/go\/engagebay\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Go to site<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"fullCard\">\r\n<div class=\"cardContent\">\r\n\r\n<a class=\"linktrack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/go\/benchmarkone\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sw-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/benchmarkONE.png\" alt=\"Hubspot logo\"><\/a>\r\n<h5>BenchmarkONE<\/h5>\r\n<p class=\"featuredcardtext\">Convenient all-in-one sales CRM and marketing software. It\u2019s great value and has an impressive \u2018free forever\u2019 plan with 250 contacts. <\/p>\r\n<a class=\"buttonCTAfeaturedcard linktrack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/go\/benchmarkone\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Go to site<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"fullCard\">\r\n<div class=\"cardContent\">\r\n\r\n<a class=\"linktrack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/go\/salesforce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sw-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/salesforce-logo.png\" alt=\"Salesforce logo\"><\/a>\r\n<h5>Salesforce<\/h5>\r\n<p class=\"featuredcardtext\">Sales CRM platform for small business to enterprise with pipelines and automation. 30-day free trial available.<\/p>\r\n<a class=\"buttonCTAfeaturedcard linktrack\" href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/go\/salesforce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Go to site<\/a>\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>  \r\n  \r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\">\n<div class=\"mw650\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Choose_Your_CRM\"><\/span><br>How To Choose Your CRM<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I have been exactly where you are, right now. Choosing a CRM is a daunting task, regardless of whether you are an SMB or an enterprise business. It\u2019s difficult to know where to start. And you want to know you\u2019ve got everything covered. If you don\u2019t research it will probably to choosing the wrong CRM. This is down to functionality or simple user-experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"413\" src=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/choosing-a-crm-questions.jpg\" alt=\"choosing crm questions\" class=\"wp-image-16215\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Choosing a CRM doesn\u2019t have to be complex or difficult though. The reason for implementing your CRM is key. What do you want it to do for you? There are three ways of identifying why you need a CRM. Let\u2019s take a look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_biggest_benefits_of_CRM\"><\/span>The biggest benefits of CRM<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In a nutshell, if you\u2019re not using a CRM you&#8217;re likely to be doing some or a combination of the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Managing your customer data in spreadsheets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Managing your customer data with paper files<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sending out email campaigns one by one<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using \/ creating a written task list (on paper)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trying to remember your todo\u2019s in your head<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trusting employees with time management<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2026 And the list goes on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what you didn\u2019t realise is that a CRM has so many benefits to your business. <b>Time saving<\/b> and <b>more potential revenue<\/b> are the two biggest benefits of CRM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here are more benefits of using CRM:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Keep your customer data in one place (no more paper files)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Setup repeating reminders for task so you have minimal chance that you will forget<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep track of your staff goals, targets and track their time<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Setup automated staff reports to identify performance. This will show areas performing well for your business. Also areas which you need to further train staff should appear too.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Setup <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/how-email-automation-is-the-way-forward-for-your-business\/\">automated email campaigns<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Analyse your marketing data (including ROI) all through one central hub<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A CRM will help you to develop your customer relationship and your staff performance. Two elements of business that have a significant impact on your bottom line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_6_core_CRM_uses_that_matter_most\"><\/span>The 6 core CRM uses that matter most<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You will find a CRM can have a sheer bewildering list of features. That is quite intimidating. Most users would want a simple and easy-to-use CRM. But not all users want the same features. Let\u2019s take a look at <strong>the six core uses of CRMs<\/strong>, and you can pick the most important to you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1) Lead Management.<\/strong> This is how you guide a lead from one end of your sales pipeline to the other. All the way through your sales pipeline, you keep data on the lead. How many times you contacted the prospect, how you contacted them, how likely they are to buy (lead scoring) and so on. There is a big <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/crm-vs-marketing-automation-what-are-the-differences\/\">difference between Marketing automation and CRM<\/a> though, Marketing Automation focusses more on the top of the funnel.<br><em>Purpose:<\/em> This helps your sales team targets and convert leads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2) Contact Management.<\/strong> Contact management is where you store any and all data on your customers or clients. Every detail that you have (age, demographic etc) is in one place where any user department can access it at any time.<br><em>Purpose<\/em>: To make everybody\u2019s work more efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3) Social Media Management.<\/strong> Tracking the social media activity of your audience in relation to your content.<br><em>Purpose<\/em>: To get a much better idea of how effective your social media content is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4) Campaign Management.<\/strong> With campaign management, you handle your marketing campaigns from start to finish. You can do <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/solid-cross-channel-campaign-management\/\">campaign management<\/a> through the CRM. Setting up target customers\/groups and collecting data on success rates afterwards.<br><em>Purpose:<\/em> Making your marketing efforts uniform, testable and more effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5) Email Tracking<\/strong>. With email tracking, you can track email opens, read, or clicks-through.<br><em>Purpose:<\/em> To get a much better idea of how effective your email campaigns are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6) Reports and Analysis.<\/strong> You can collate and analyse your marketing data in one place using a CRM. You can compare and contrast data streams, and even track customers\/clients in real time.<br><em>Purpose:<\/em> This is where you analyse your business performance. Reports can show where you are doing well and improvement areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you know which of the features above are most useful to you and your business &#8211; do a little research into how other businesses use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CRM_uses_Department_by_Department\"><\/span>CRM uses Department by Department<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If yours is a big business, then your CRM isn\u2019t just relevant to Sales and Marketing. You also have to think about Accounting, maybe even HR. The CRM Industry User Report from Capterra found that <strong>80% of businesses use a CRM in Sales and just under 50% in both Marketing and Customer Service<\/strong>. So when you\u2019re picking your CRM, the best place to start is by figuring out how each department could benefit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"325\" src=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/crm-department-use-bar.png\" alt=\"crm-department-use-bar\" class=\"wp-image-16217\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>For Sales<\/strong>, you need to be able to track where sales are in the pipeline;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Marketing<\/strong> will want to know where each lead came from, how likely they are to buy, and any other information they can use in their advertising;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Accounting\/Finance<\/strong> will want to be able to work with invoices within the CRM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HR<\/strong> will want to know who spoke with whom in the event of a complaint for potential discipline issues. Then you might also have to think of other departments like Legal, IT and Customer Service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Find_the_Right_CRM_Functionality\"><\/span>How To Find the Right CRM Functionality<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by looking at every department you have. If you\u2019re a small business look at the whole business. Look at all of the issues \/ problems \/ snags you\u2019ve faced across the last 12 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also think about things which might not be a problem now, but when you\u2019re business grows it\u2019s most likely to become more important! These can be to do with customers, staff, marketing or a combination of all. One example might be your receptionist has to manually update all records via spreadsheets. Currently you only have 20 customers so this isn\u2019t a problem but in the future this could be a massive time swamp!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use this list as a testing phase to see which CRM features will help you to either resolve a problem or reduce the chances of a problem happening in future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"One_Important_Factor\"><\/span>One Important Factor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are looking for an all round performance from a CRM, here are the biggest benefits to check out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Boost falling sales figures<\/strong>. Lead tracking makes sales more efficient, and effective email marketing campaigns help you make repeat sales too.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Generate all sorts of useful data<\/strong>. Data from marketing, sales, and inventory can all come together to help you generate genuine insights into how your business works.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Generate more complete, more accurate customer profiles<\/strong>. With all your data in one place, you can learn and remember more about each customer than ever before.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Help you make more accurate forecasts<\/strong>. With your pipeline laid out clearly, you can see who\u2019s where and who\u2019s likely to become a sale in the near future.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\u2018Bring everybody together\u2019 by having each department working within the same CRM<\/strong>. Everyone has access to the same data, the same workstreams and more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If any one of these concerns is one that you\u2019re familiar with, then <strong>pick a CRM that addresses those concerns first<\/strong>. Don\u2019t get distracted by any other flashy features, apart from the ones you really need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CRM_Examples_of_businesses_you_know\"><\/span>CRM Examples of businesses you know<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Five industries use CRMs the most. Retail, business services, technology, manufacturing, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/email-marketing-financial-services-banks\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"banking and finance (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">banking and finance<\/a>. Let\u2019s take a look at some examples of how CRMs are used different industries, you can find some inspiration on how CRM can deliver value to<strong> your business and your customers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Healthcare: Valley Surgical<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A great example is US small business Valley Surgical, which buys and redistributes excess medical supplies. They were only founded about 10 years ago. Their CRM is helping them corner their niche market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>David Johnson, the Vice President of Valley Surgical, described what he liked most about using a CRM:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would say bringing all of the sales process under one roof, meaning I didn\u2019t have multiple systems. I now have everything in one place so streamlining it makes it more efficient. I\u2019m able to track all my data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We have been able to customize it to fit us perfectly. The campaigns section in the marketing module allows you to add members, so good strong data in means good strong data out. This allows us to be able to really drill down on certain contacts and accounts and be able to home in on them much more.\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reallysimplesystems.com\/success-stories\/valley-surgical\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">source<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>That\u2019s what it\u2019s all about<\/strong>: being able to tailor your CRM to fit your business and your needs. It\u2019s vital for Valley Surgical to \u2018drill down\u2019 into their data, because knowing when to buy and who to buy from is part of their business model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>IT and Computing: 848 Group<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>848 group is a small business that helps others with their IT. For instance, transitions to new systems, learning about cloud tech, that sort of thing. 848 Group combine their CRM with a email marketing software plugin to build targeted email marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is really important in a crowded sector like IT, where there\u2019s so much competition already, that you have to use a CRM to make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They also use time-tracking to see how much time they work on each client. To generate accurate invoices. Time tracking really saves on time for small businesses, and even freelancers. They can rely on their CRM to track hours and send ready-made invoices for them. Check out this review of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/freelance-marketing-websites\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"the best freelance marketing websites (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">the best freelance marketing websites<\/a> to hire freelancers for marketing or sales. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CRM in Banking\/Finance: Wells Fargo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is a good idea to see how big companies are using CRM to improve how they do business. Because they do a lot with it. Wells Fargo has many uses for CRM, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Setting and gradually increasing call targets for their sales teams<br>Managing social media<br>Using data from their CRMs to give messages to customers through ATMs [<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.americanbanker.com\/news\/wells-fargo-ties-customer-relationship-management-to-its-atms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">source<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, it was their sales targets that actually got them in hot water not long ago. With a lack of foresight, management continually upped the sales team&#8217;s quotas. Not just for general sales, but for cross-selling new accounts to existing customers. (<a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.campaignlive.co.uk\/article\/wells-fargo-debacle-crm-runs-amok\/1410958\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ek-link\">source<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a great example of how CRMs do work and can\u2019t work, all in one. They can help you sell more effectively, but if you push quotas without thinking them through, it can\u2019t save you from your own bad decision-making!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>CRM in Travel: British Airways<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Airline British Airways is a very early adopter of CRM tools. They were so early to the game that they created their own bespoke CRM system (T-CRM), which they implemented in 2002. (<a style=\"color: #000000;\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mycustomer.com\/marketing\/strategy\/british-airways-crm-case-study\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ek-link\">source)<\/a> They centralised all of their data for both marketing and sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With T-CRM, British Airways was one of the first businesses to integrate email, direct mail, and call centre data in one platform. They use it to send targeted email campaigns to their executive clients and boost sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But most important of all was that their data is centralised. This meant they can quickly analyse the data and directly see the impact on ROI. Much easier to make sound decisions based on factual data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>T-CRM was key for BA to come out of their 90\u2019s and early 00\u2019s slump. A focus on their high-value travel customers. These days all businesses can take advantage of ready-made, proven Saas CRM. Definitely preferable to commissioning your own data centre, your own CRM platform, and hoping it works!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Selecting_the_best_CRM_%E2%80%93_a_recap\"><\/span>Selecting the best CRM &#8211; a recap<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In CRM there is a plugin for anything, and by extension, a CRM for everyone. The key to success isn\u2019t only in goal-setting. It\u2019s not just about encouraging more sales. It&#8217;s about using CRM to encourage natural growth. Pick a CRM that\u2019s right for your industry, and your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To recap, what are the appropriate steps for CRM selection?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Analyse your business needs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify any common problems \/ issues you\u2019ve experienced in past years<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Try to pre-empt any future problems your business is likely to face<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Look at CRM providers and assess them based on how they would help your business to solve your problems<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re looking at choosing a CRM, it\u2019s probably because you have come to the point where it is important for your business success. Of course, your time is extremely precious and you\u2019re probably keen to jump right in and quickly choose a CRM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But make sure you take the time to research the right CRM platform. Good luck and happy CRM hunting!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last year the Customer Relationship Management software (CRM) market grew 15% compared to a year before. This is very logical. Customers and new laws expect companies to manage, collect and use their customer data well. If your business doesn\u2019t currently use a CRM, it\u2019s definitely time to make the move.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":33112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":9,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[38],"dealstore":[],"coauthors":[651],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16213"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16213"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16213\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80245,"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16213\/revisions\/80245"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16213"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16213"},{"taxonomy":"dealstore","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dealstore?post=16213"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=16213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}