How can you select CRM software that is scalable for future growth?

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Choosing the right CRM software for your sales team is not only a matter of finding the best features and functionalities for your current needs, but also of ensuring that it can adapt and grow with your business in the future. Scalability is a key factor to consider when evaluating CRM options, as it can affect your performance, costs, and customer satisfaction. In this article, we will discuss how you can select CRM software that is scalable for future growth, and what aspects you should look for in a scalable CRM solution.

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Raluca Avram

Driving Results | Leadership Influence | SaaS Presales

1 Define your growth goals

Before you start looking for CRM software, you need to have a clear vision of your growth goals and how you plan to achieve them. How many customers do you expect to have in the next year, three years, or five years? How many sales reps will you need to hire and train? How will you expand your product or service offerings, markets, or channels? How will you measure and improve your sales performance and customer retention? These are some of the questions that can help you define your growth goals and the CRM requirements that support them.

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Raluca Avram

Driving Results | Leadership Influence | SaaS Presales
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In my experience, the data insights your CRM of choice will bring back to you will only be as valuable as the processes you have in place to capture it. This means that although art of the possible and exploration of innovative capabilities should be on your list for the CRM selection, what is really important is that you have a clear picture of what you want to achieve in terms of business growth / results. The HOW is really important here: the processes or the science of sales that you will be relying on. What the CRM capabilities will then do for you is allow you to leverage the data to execute against those goals based on the processes you have defined.

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2 Compare cloud-based vs on-premise CRM

One of the main decisions you need to make when choosing CRM software is whether to opt for a cloud-based or an on-premise solution. Cloud-based CRM, also known as SaaS (software as a service), is hosted and managed by a third-party provider, while on-premise CRM is installed and maintained on your own servers. Cloud-based CRM tends to be more scalable than on-premise CRM, as it offers more flexibility, accessibility, security, and integration options. You can easily add or remove users, features, or storage as your business grows, without worrying about hardware, software, or maintenance costs. You can also access your CRM data from anywhere, anytime, and on any device, which is crucial for remote or mobile sales teams. Moreover, you can benefit from regular updates, backups, and support from your CRM provider, as well as integrate your CRM with other cloud-based tools and platforms.

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Raluca Avram

Driving Results | Leadership Influence | SaaS Presales
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I recommend everyone to make the decision between on-premise and cloud before they start shopping around for a solution based on the capabilities they need. Comparing a SaaS-based offering and an on-premise one within the same project will not help you make the right choice. It’s as if contemplating adding either sugar or salt in your desert - yes, they both enhance flavours but in different ways and for different parts of the meal. Yes, sometimes salt is added to deserts but those are exceptions for acquired taste. Once you have answered questions about having access to the source code, how much you are willing to pay in yearly maintenance, what data management needs do you have etc. and made a decision OP or SaaS, then you go for the CRM.

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3 Evaluate customization and automation capabilities

Another aspect to consider when selecting CRM software that is scalable for future growth is how customizable and automated it is. Customization refers to the ability to tailor your CRM to your specific business processes, workflows, and preferences. Automation refers to the ability to streamline and optimize your sales tasks, activities, and communications. A scalable CRM software should allow you to customize and automate your CRM according to your changing needs and goals, without compromising its functionality or usability. For example, you should be able to create custom fields, forms, reports, dashboards, and pipelines that reflect your sales stages, metrics, and KPIs. You should also be able to automate your lead generation, qualification, nurturing, follow-up, and closing processes, as well as your email marketing, invoicing, and customer service activities.

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Raluca Avram

Driving Results | Leadership Influence | SaaS Presales
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Having helped many customers evaluate their software choices throughout the years, I would first recommend to look at automation that matters. What activities will the CRM automate and what value that brings to you? What KPIs are being increased / decreased by this automation ? Ask the vendor for a ROI case for your industry. Any CRM works its salt will have the main KPIs as part of standard. If they don’t, then either a.not the right took for you or b. You are not looking for the relevant KPIs. Anything can be custom built, but why should you pay for it when you can follow the modern best practices of the market ? What you need to look for is extensive configuration capabilities to quickly retune your CRM to your business at minimum cost.

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4 Check data management and analytics features

Data is the lifeblood of any sales organization, and a scalable CRM software should enable you to manage and analyze your data effectively and efficiently. Data management refers to the ability to store, organize, access, and update your CRM data, such as contacts, accounts, opportunities, deals, and transactions. Data analytics refers to the ability to extract, visualize, and interpret insights from your CRM data, such as trends, patterns, and predictions. A scalable CRM software should offer you enough data storage capacity, security, and backup options to accommodate your growing data volume and complexity. It should also provide you with advanced data analytics tools, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive analytics, to help you make smarter and faster decisions based on your data.

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5 Ask for a free trial or demo

Finally, one of the best ways to select CRM software that is scalable for future growth is to test it out yourself before you commit to a purchase. Most CRM providers offer free trials or demos that allow you to explore their features, functionalities, and user interface, and see how they fit your needs and expectations. A free trial or demo can help you evaluate the scalability of the CRM software, as well as its performance, reliability, and compatibility with your existing systems and tools. You can also ask for feedback from your sales team, as they are the ones who will be using the CRM software on a daily basis. By trying out different CRM options, you can compare and contrast their pros and cons, and choose the one that best suits your current and future growth goals.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you select CRM software that is scalable for future growth?

1

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3

4

5

6

1 Define your growth goals

2 Compare cloud-based vs on-premise CRM

3 Evaluate customization and automation capabilities

4 Check data management and analytics features

5 Ask for a free trial or demo

6 Here’s what else to consider

Sales Management

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How can you select CRM software that is scalable for future growth?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Define your growth goals

2 Compare cloud-based vs on-premise CRM

3 Evaluate customization and automation capabilities

4 Check data management and analytics features

5 Ask for a free trial or demo

6 Here’s what else to consider

Sales Management

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