Four tell-tale signs you should bring in a CRM consultant

Hiring a CRM consultant can do a lot to simplify the implementation process, but it can also be costly - a mid-sized company can expect to spend between $20,000 and $40,000 on an independent consultant.

Luckily, not every organization needs the help of a software consultant to implement a CRM solution. What about you? It’s important to know the answer to this question before you begin implementation, so you don’t end up scrambling for one later on.

Here are some signs you might need the help of a consultant:

1. You don’t know if your implementation plan is comprehensive

If you have a plan to implement a CRM solution on your own, but are unsure if it addresses all of your organization’s needs, you probably need a consultant.

2. Your in-house IT staff is too busy to handle the job

Your organization may have great IT people, but if they’re preoccupied with day-to-day tasks, a CRM consultant is a must. Your in-house staff will still need to work with the consultant, but it wouldn’t impact their workload as much.

Implement new CRM software as efficiently as possible using our step-by-step guide to CRM implementation

3. Your customer databases are kept in different silos

Plenty of organizations still store data in different silos that don’t communicate with each other. If yours is one of them, you have some complex restructuring to do during the implementation phase. A CRM consultant will have experience in this.

4. You have little knowledge of your customers’ engagement channels

If you can’t retrieve basic information about your customer, and can’t identify their engagement channels, then you need help with tactical practices as well as software implementation. A worthwhile software consultant will offer this as part of their service.

10 questions to help you choose the right software consultant

If you think your organization could use the expertise of a software consultant, you need to make the most out of the investment. Make sure you thoroughly vet your potential consultant to make sure they’re the best fit for your organization’s needs.

Here are some questions you should ask to see if they’re a good fit:

1. Have you worked with organizations our size before?
2. What knowledge do you have of our industry? 
3. What implementation approach(es) do you recommend? Why?
4. What issues do you think our organization is likely to face during implementation? How can you help mitigate them? 
5. How do you plan to train our IT staff to use the system? 
6. What certifications do you have? 
7. How much experience do you have?
8. Have you ever dropped a client? Why?
9. Has a client ever fired you? Why? 
10. What sets you apart from from other CRM consultancies?

Even if the first CRM consultant you interview has great answers to all the questions, take the time to meet with several others. This way, you’re sure you find the right consultant for your needs, so you can get the best return on investment (ROI) from hiring them.