Choosing The Right System To Use For Your Business

Choosing the right system to use for your business is probably one of the most important choices you will have to make.

Getting it wrong can lead to wasted time, money and worst of all, you start to hate what you do!

But getting it right can really make your business (and your revenue) soar!

One of the main things that we’ve noticed with a lot of our clients is that they either are using a system that is completely unfit for their work, or the?way?they work. Or, that they have no system in place at all, other than maybe a spreadsheet and a note pad.

Whilst you could have a perfectly manageable business using these tools as your business is growing, what happens when you are at the point of taking on employees? Or what happens if your notebook flies off the table into a bonfire? I know that the latter is fairly far fetched but with the cost of living crisis, we could all be having office bonfires before we know it to keep warm ??

CHOOSE WISELY!…

Using a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system can save you so much time, but only if you use the correct one!

We had a client who had a CRM in place, he’d spent lots of money on it and it was all singing, all dancing… But it was also completely unfit for his industry and as he wasn’t particularly technical he was only using about 10% of what it could do! This meant he wasn’t really using it and as a result, had ￡12000 of unpaid invoices in there that he hadn’t chased.

It’s so easy with the likes of Google to type in ‘CRM’ and then just pick the first one in the list to sign up to.

Fundamentally, most CRM’s have the same foundation. They store your clients information and you can set up reminders, different views, automations and integrations. And there really are some absolutely fantastic CRM’s on the market and many with free versions you can use to get you started.

But before you even start looking, you should ensure that you have it clear in your mind what YOU want from it. After all, you will be the driver behind the engine. A lot of companies are sneaky and will only show you the highlights of their system which is all very well until you suddenly realise (after signing up) that they don’t send automated reminders which is one of the main reasons you thought a CRM would help.

Stebbington’s CRM Criteria List

Since Stebbington began, we have always wanted to help businesses gain back more time so that the business owner can do what they do best. One of the best ways to gain back time is AuToMaTiOn and InTeGrAtiOn and using a CRM is the first step to this.

We’ve helped so many clients become digitalised and throughout that time, we have developed the following check list of things to think about BEFORE you go shopping… If you try to shop for a CRM before you do this, it ends up being like when you go shopping when you’re hungry. Yeah, it’s all fun and games when you get home and tuck into all the treats.. But an hour later, you’re left with a headache and wondering how you’re going to make use of the 50 packs of chocolate in the fridge!?

Here are a few pointers of things you need to think about to ensure you are choosing the right system to use for your business. The full download has more pointers you need to cover, you can get a digital copy by clicking on the below..

For even more tips, click here for your digital copy of the Stebbington Criteria List

Some Things To Consider..

Below are just a few things to think about to get you started. Downloading our Criteria List will provide you with more things to think about, all in a fillable PDF. Click on the button above or below to get your copy!

Data Management– What data are you hoping to keep? How would you like it to be organised so everything is at your fingertips?

Mobile app??– Will you need a mobile app for the system? If so, what

features are important for your business when you are out and about

Visuals?– How would you like it to look? Are you a visual learner, or prefer things more clean and structured?

Growth?– Will the CRM be able to grow with you? Some CRMS have limitations and are more suitable for smaller businesses only

Cost Analysis?– Always check out the monthly/yearly subscription cost.. Most CRM’s will provide a month or so of a free trial. The free trial usually has all the features available, but then they restrict them at the end of the period. If you only want to use the free version, ensure you are aware of the restrictions!

Users?– Is it just you? Do you have different departments which may impact the number of users you need to log in? Does it have a hierarchial structure? Not everyone needs to see everything, especially with sensitive data. Do you need to provide different access for your team depending on their roles?

Collaboration?–?Will your team be able to easily collaborate?

Automation/Integration?– Do you want/need automation within the software to keep your operations running efficiently? (If there’s no built in automation available, you can use third party software such as Zapier or Make instead). Integrating all your different systems will save you time.. But some CRM’s may not allow integration directly

For even more tips, click here for your digital copy of the Stebbington Criteria List

I know that this seems like a lot of things to think about. But imagine it being a bit like a dating profile. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with the system you pick. Make sure you answer those questions before you start looking to give you the best chance of finding the LURVE OF YOUR LIIIFE ??

Stebbington is also here to help, think of us as like a matchmaker for you! Choosing the right system to use for your business is a lot easier when you know what you’re looking for!

GOOD LUCK! x

Want to know more? Why not contact us here