A client of mine recently asked me about a CRM tool. What did I think was best for their firm? There are many factors to consider before choosing a CRM, including:
- Cloud vs. On-premise
- Define features and functionality you need
- Ensure the system integrates with other apps
- Request a demonstration, test drive, and free trial
- Choose an industry-specific vendor with local partners
- Ask if customization and training are available
- Is it intuitive?
- Require GDPR, CCPA, and CPRA privacy features
Once you have your list created, also ask yourself these questions SuperOffice posted.
- What are the most inefficient processes in our business and what do we want to improve with a CRM system?
- What operational processes and workflows do we lack and need to add?
- Who in our company is going to use CRM? How many users do we need?
- What other software do we want to integrate with a CRM system?
- What is our budget?
I then turned to the Association for Accounting Marketing member forum, because this topic has been coming up each year for about five years. Below is a list of the top 10 CRM members have mentioned.
- HubSpot
- SalesForce
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM
- ABLE
- ContactEase
- SugarCRM
- Interaction
- ZoHo
- Deltek Vision
- Redtail CRM
U.S. News has a list of top 10 CRM platforms as well there is some overlap.
Before choosing a CRM, keep in mind that the most popular may not be the right fit for your firm. Do your research, ask around, and test drive a couple before making that final decision.