Defining sales CRM that the company will use is a strategic moment: mistakes are not allowed. After all, the tool will be the fuel for your team to increase productivity, optimize routine and, of course, sell more and better. To make the right choice, however, some care is needed.
When it comes to defining CRM that will be used by teams, companies sometimes miss a few important points.
Either because they rely too much on comparison matrices between systems or because they don’t exactly understand the pains and needs they have.
And that’s why, also, not having a clear, defined sales process that exposes the problems of not having the technology present in the routine.
Here, another element can cause confusion. You should not choose the tool that has the greatest number of features.
This doesn’t always make sense for your process. Likewise, the more expensive (or foreign) does not have to be better.
In this article, we share what to consider when making that decision.
In the end, we hope you’ll ask the right questions to get the answers that really make sense right now.
Stay with us.
Good reading!
7 points to consider before setting up CRM for the business
Some elements are essential for those who want to choose CRM accurately and make the best decision for everyone.
Here, everything needs to be considered: both internal (company) and external (supplier and economic context) factors.
But the fact is: digital transformation is essential to drive the growth of any company.
In reality, it is necessary to take a step back. It is an indispensable element for businesses that want to compete and remain relevant.
These CRM statistics, by the way, better prove these lines above. Open a new tab and read later!?
That said, let’s go to the 7 points of attention for those who want to choose CRM in the best way possible:
1 – Consume cases
Customer success stories are important when defining sales CRM to be hired. Therefore: consume them.
Read testimonials from companies that have experienced similar (or the same) problems you are currently experiencing.
And understand what their experience and journey to overcome them was like.
This is very helpful in the evaluation process. Think of some questions and look for answers in the cases:
- Which cases are directly related to your company?
- Are the pains that customers reported similar to yours today?
- The supplier is able to serve customers from different segments (does yours, in particular, serve?);
- How did customers respond that CRM was implemented?
- What features do they use the most? Do these make sense for your needs today?
- What rating do they give the platform overall?
Take a little time to read these testimonials and put yourself in their shoes to understand if the intended CRM really makes sense for you and your team.
2 – Ease of implementation and integration
CRM alone offers little value to companies if it is not implemented correctly, strategically, and within a reasonable amount of time.
In addition, it needs to have the integrations that are essential to the companies’ sales process.
Otherwise, it will be a tool for customer registrations only. And a CRM is much more than that.
It is essential, therefore, that the supplier has a very clear and defined onboarding and implementation process.
That the steps of the customer success team are focused on your success with the tool.
Implementing it and accompanying you in the challenges you have to really understand the platform and make it a true ally.
3 – Multiple funnels for multiple processes
For many companies, CRM serves as a source of truth for all customer relationships at various stages.
When they are leads, when they qualify and become prospects, and then they buy and actually become customers.
Therefore, when defining CRM, it is necessary to understand if the intended platform allows the creation of various types of funnels to manage various types of processes.
Are important:
- a marketing funnel, so you can nurture leads with integration with the marketing automation platform;
- pre-sales funnel , to qualify leads that “raised their hand”;
- a sales funnel , to negotiate the best offer for the customer;
- After-sales (or success) funnel to ensure the customer’s success with the purchase made.
4 – Excellent support
One of the benefits of an online CRM is the opportunity to receive accurate and immediate support from the experts your supplier has.
Of course, you will only know what the support is, in fact, when you have problems with the platform. If there is.
Here, however, two elements should be noted.
- The agility and helpfulness in answering the tickets you open during the trial period ;
- If the company has a structured help content area with all kinds of tutorials.
Another point to take into account when defining CRM: does support vary according to the contracted plan?
If so, does the plan you want have the support you think you need?
Finally, another key factor. Is the support offered in Portuguese?
Here, it’s not just the fact of calling and being assisted by a Portuguese-speaking specialist.
But yes, the entire support area: chats, help center, tutorial videos, ebooks.
If that’s not the case, well… that could create a problem later on.
5 – Use the free trial
The free trial period – or trial – is essential to start solving doubts about the platform.
This trial period is a great way to familiarize yourself with the system and identify clearer problems and benefits of the software.
Also from and understand your resources; usability; integrations; side dish; help contents. All.
It’s important to really take advantage of this period, extract as much of the CRM as possible and have all the information to make a decision.
Notice whether during the test the company was concerned about providing content that will help you better understand the platform and its features. And, of course: consume the contents!
If so, it’s a positive point and it signals that setting up a meeting with the seller can help you take the next step in the buying journey.
6 – Talk to the seller
Consuming information from cases and review sites will lead you to a good understanding of the tool. But it’s not enough to take you further.
So, during the free trial period, it’s critical to talk to the CRM sales rep to understand how the relationship can be built.
So when you start interacting with the seller, keep a few questions in mind.
- Does the sales demo follow a memorized script or does it focus on the pains you’ve already listed for it (or pre-sales)?
- Was your entire journey accompanied by one person (or more than one) or was it “robotized”?
- Has the pre-salesperson been consultative with you? In other words, did you listen to your challenges or did you simply “force” an agenda with the salesperson?
- Do you feel pressured to make a decision with incoming emails and calls or are they really valuable to you?
A good CRM, with good sellers and that intends to give a good user experience, will listen more than they will talk.
And whenever I approach you, it will be in a consultative way, generating value. In other words, it will solve any problem, doubt or deliver some relevant content.
7 – Cost that makes sense
This is a mandatory topic. As much as the focus is on the pains of the process, the chosen CRM price needs to be fair and within the sales budget.
But here is a question: what is expensive? Simply pay a high price (in real money)?
Or hire a cheaper tool that won’t meet the company’s needs?
Price is relative here. But, of course: it cannot compromise the company’s finances.
That is to say, especially in times of exchange rate instability, does it really make sense to hire a dollar-denominated tool?
The account will not close monthly, basically. A Brazilian CRM, thought of the needs and challenges of the national entrepreneur, makes more sense.
Provided, of course that it has the features and integrations to optimize and accelerate processes and people.
Bonus: Check online review sites
Sites that evaluate CRMs are important to have a parameter of which ones, at least, do not consider as your company’s sales CRM.
In Brazil, the B2B Stack ranks – with testimonials – the main CRMs operating in the national territory.
There it is also possible to see positive and negative points of the tools evaluated by customers.
Take the opportunity and, if you want, approach some of these customers via LinkedIn to have an even more complete and faithful account of their experience with CRM targeted.
So, how can we help you?
Enjoy and read two articles that will help you make the right decision to define CRM.
The first one clearly addresses the benefits that technology in sales brings to companies.
The second talks about the importance of automating business processes in organizations.
Good sales!
