CRM best practices to keep in mind during requirements gathering

Best practice means the same, whether you are relating it to a CRM or something else.  In simple words, it is the most appropriate technique to achieve a certain goal. This is because it is seen to produce results that are far better than those you could achieve if you continued in some other standard way.

Why should best practice impact requirements gathering decisions?

By keeping CRM industry’s best practice in mind whilst gathering requirements, you are far more likely to be efficient and in touch with what your business needs. A good starting place for gathering decisions is to attribute responsibility and role requirements to the project manager.  It will then be up to them to follow through on the needs of the project, taking into account the requests of the end users. At the same time, by following the dictates of best practice, the decision gathering process will be far more successful.

Here are some key CRM best practices and trends you should keep in mind during the requirements gathering process.

Your CRM strategy needs to fit your needs

Know what you need before making a buying decision.  Not all CRM systems are the same so if you pick one out without researching its pros and cons, you may end up with something that is a bad fit for your business.  Ask yourself whether it needs to operate via the cloud or on-site. Do you want something basic or a system that can be highly customized? What about accommodating for growth?  

Training your team

Do you need your chosen vendor to provide suitable training as part of the package?

If your staff doesn’t know how to use the CRM, then it could become an unused piece of equipment and a waste of money.  Whilst gathering requirements focus on how employees will understand what to do.

Using automation to your advantage

Consider which tasks need to be automated and make sure that the system can deal with them.  Tasks that used to eat up the hours, like data entry, can be automated. Errors can be minimized and time saved.  Employees can focus on selling and providing great customer service rather than indulging in boring and repetitive tasks.  

Collaborating

You should make the most of cooperation by ensuring that the same information is available to all the relevant departments.  Sales, marketing and customer service should all be looking at the same information. Customers should be given the same narrative and not be transferred from department to department aimlessly, resulting in frustration and damage to your professional reputation.  Again, be absolutely certain that your chosen CRM will allow this.

If you keep in mind these best practices during your CRM requirements gathering, once the system is in place, it should provide you with exactly what your business needs.  This way, your final purchase will be a sure-fire success.