how to choose a crm system - ismism.co.at/analyses/crm/choose_system.pdf · choose a specific crm...

How to Choose a CRM System

How to Choose a CRM SystemWhen it comes to customer relationship management (CRM), it’s important to

understand all the benefits of an integrated CRM system before beginning your

selection process. That’s why we created this guide – to provide you with the

essential information you need to make the best decision possible.

This guide is designed to help you build the business case for a CRM system,

form an effective project team, ask the right questions, identify the challenges

involved and much more.

You may be wondering, “Why would a software company like ACCPAC® distribute

a booklet that doesn’t promote its own products?” We know how important it is

to have great information before making great decisions. What’s more, we’re

confident that the more you know about CRM systems, the more likely you are

to seriously consider – and ultimately choose – ACCPAC software. In other

words, our software stands up to the most stringent selection criteria.

We at ACCPAC look forward to helping you succeed in choosing the CRM system

that’s best for your organization.

Understanding CRMCRM is more than just software or a set ofprocesses – it’s a business culture solidly focused onwinning and keeping the right customers. A goodCRM system builds value for your business byopening up vital communication channels andcreating a common client-focused knowledgebaseto better serve your clients.

CRM is about understanding the buying habits and preferences of your customers and prospects,so you can:

n Build and strengthen customer relationships to keep them coming back.

n Provide value-added services that are difficult for competitors to duplicate.

n Improve your product development and service delivery processes.

n Increase your staff’s awareness of customer needs.

n Reduce customer frustration by not asking the same questions over and over.

By effectively integrating your marketing, sales andcustomer service functions, a good CRM systemmakes it easier for everyone inside your companyto work together and share critical information.

An effective CRM system empowers yourcustomers and prospects to do business with you –the way they choose. Imagine connecting yourcustomers to your employees and business partnersacross any department, through any process andvia any communication device – phone, fax, e-mail,text chat and the Web.

A properly installed and implemented CRM systemcan contribute many benefits to your organization,including:

n New sales opportunities

The more you know about your customers andtheir buying habits, the better prepared you’ll bewhen they’re ready to make a purchase. A goodCRM system will classify your prospects andhelp identify your best customers. With detailedinformation about your customers, you canaccurately project and respond to their buyingneeds throughout the sales cycle. A good systemalso acts as a sales assistant to help you automate

routine sales tasks – allowing you to spend moretime focusing on strategic sales issues.

n Improved customer service

Customer satisfaction is a critical success factor forall businesses. The right system allows your team to take a proactive approach to customer service.With up-to-date customer information at theirfingertips, your employees can resolve customerissues more quickly and successfully. Improvedcustomer service also opens doors for revenue-generating loyalty campaigns and long-lastingrelationships with your customers.

n Better decision-making

CRM systems provide a single view of thecustomer across all touch points and channels, as well as delivering comprehensive reports ofcustomer behaviors, marketing campaign resultsand sales activity. Each of these elements arenecessary for smart decision-making and long-termstrategic planning.

n Greater efficiency

With an integrated CRM system, you can gainimmediate access to your organization’s criticalcustomer information. A good CRM system also creates internal efficiencies by automatingworkflow processes, reducing human error,decreasing process time and providing consistencythroughout the entire organization.

n A foundation for growth

The right CRM system can help you manage the growth of your organization. Effective CRMsystems allow for additional users and modules,and provide the option to integrate with othercrucial business systems.

Getting StartedMost companies require that you justify the needfor a new system before you make a purchase.That’s why it’s important to determine all thedifferent ways your company will benefit from aCRM system. Building a case for CRM providesthe necessary background information to help youdefine the need, justify the cost and demonstratethe value of the investment. For best results, get thekey people in your company to agree on and sharea unified vision for customer relationshipmanagement – from executives to programmers

2 How to Choose a CRM System

to customer care personnel. Everyone should have the same goalin mind and agree to work to that end. This is, of course, alwayseasier said than done!

Set your goalsYour team should have a shared understanding of your CRMgoals. To achieve this, the core group should identify yourorganization’s objectives, focus on processes that requirereengineering and discuss the appropriate courses of action.

Examine your current processesAnalyze your existing business processes from many viewpoints,both internal and external, to find out how they impact both yourorganization and your customers. Ask your sales force, marketingand customer service teams to identify and document bestpractices. By evaluating your processes now, you can identifywhat’s working and what’s not, and prepare to implement a newCRM system that emulates the most effective strategies forachieving success.

Ask questionsIt’s important to ask questions, especially if you’re finding thatyour organization is not as productive as it can be. Think aboutthe challenges your organization is currently facing in marketing,sales and customer support. Here are some questions you maywant to address:

n How are inaccuracies negatively impacting your organization?

n What do you need to accurately track your marketing campaigns?

n What information or reports are being requested that currently cannot be generated or delivered?

n Which reports are produced that include information that exists “somewhere” and needs to be manually completed?

n How can your current system integrate with your e-business initiatives?

n What information do you need to make strategic decisions?

You may want the help of an experienced consultant during the analysis. Refer to page 5 for more information aboutchoosing a consultant.

Involve the Right People A true CRM strategy involves the collaboration and support ofmultiple groups throughout the organization. The decision tochoose a specific CRM system should be delegated to a core team of individuals to serve and represent the functional needs of various departments throughout the organization.

How to Choose a CRM System 3

Understanding the Core Components of CRMCRM helps to increase productivity across yourmarketing, sales and support functions. By understandingthe many ways CRM can improve your company’seffectiveness, you can better communicate those benefitsto key decision makers.

Marketing Automation In order to build lasting – and more profitable – customerrelationships, you need to identify, execute and replicateeffective marketing initiatives across all your saleschannels. An automated CRM system provides the toolsfor marketing teams to:

n Develop, target and implement campaigns.n Manage and analyze marketing budgets.n Maintain lists and track responses.n Track collateral distribution.n Analyze campaign results.

Sales Force Automation (SFA)SFA enables you to analyze the entire sales cycle andsuccessfully manage your sales pipeline – from firstcontact to final sale. SFA systems provide the tools forsales teams to:

n Perform analysis to ensure time and energy are spenton the deals most likely to close.

n Improve lead distribution and tracking.n Analyze training and performance.n Centralize contact and interaction management.n Effectively process quotes and orders.n Provide remote sales staff with instant access to

corporate information.

Customer Support AutomationYour customer support department must develop therelationships that create customer loyalty and generaterepeat sales. Automated CRM provides customer supportteams with the tools to:

n Increase call center efficiency.n Create cross-sell and up-sell opportunities.n Better manage interactions and call escalation.n Deliver higher levels of customer service.

For a smooth process, you’ll want to involve and interview the people that will be directly andindirectly affected by the new system. This requiresfull cooperation and collaboration among thefollowing five groups:

System usersThis group interacts with the system most often,typically dealing directly with your customers. Afew examples of system users are customer serviceagents, field and inside sales representatives andmarketing associates.

System managersSystem managers oversee activities for theirdepartments and provide business analysis andreports to upper management. System managerssupervise and direct (and sometimes train) systemusers how to effectively use the system.

System integratorsResponsible for all technical considerations, system integrators oversee and contribute to theimplementation and integration of your CRMsystem and provide regular maintenance. They are usually IT staff; however, you may want your system programmers and system architectsinvolved in the process. In some cases, the softwarereseller may perform the bulk of the work tointegrate a CRM system.

System customers Any person who requires information supplied bythe CRM software is a system customer. This grouprelies on reports, summaries, account status andother data generated by the system. Systemcustomers can be found inside the organization, inmarketing, sales, customer service, accounting andhuman resources – as well as outside the organ-ization, such as your business partners. To gain aclearer picture of the capabilities your new systemshould include, find out during your internalinterviews what data your system customers usemost and how they use it.

System signoffsThese individuals make the final purchasingdecision. Usually, system signoffs are the samepeople to whom you presented your initial businesscase for the project, and can include senior manage-ment and directors, board members or otheradvisors.

8 Helpful Hints for Promoting CRM as a Business Culture:1. Build a case for change. Think about the impact of the CRM

strategy on people – the benefits and consequences of changing,

or not changing.

2. Hold regular meetings across all departments to communicate

project progress, problems encountered and resolutions for any

outstanding issues.

3. Keep employees in the loop by providing information and clarity

about what is happening, when changes will take place and how

they will be impacted.

4. Encourage employees to speak up about the changes and listen

to what they have to say.

5. Give employees time to make the transition and adjust to the

new approach.

6. Support the managers who are leading the CRM march. Do your

best to provide them with the necessary tools to successfully

implement the strategy.

7. Understand that effective implementation of CRM is a cultural

process; it will take time for everyone to adjust to new ways of

doing business.

8. Inform customers about the company’s vision for a customer-

centric organization. Ask for customer feedback and then use that

information to improve your customer interactions.


Choose a ConsultantConsultants offer specialized expertise inevaluating and implementing CRM systems –bringing considerable value to your organization.These experts can help your organization in threeimportant ways:

n Evaluate your needs and suggest the best CRM system for your specific situation.

n Save your company time and money during system install and subsequent training.

n Help you get the most out of your CRM implementation, based on your organization’s requirements.

Even if your internal staff have the time toimplement your new CRM system, you still maywant to seek an outside expert who can focus on analyzing, installing and maintaining yoursystem.

Some of the best CRM consultants are softwareresellers. Software resellers have a valid stake inyour organization’s success – they want to be thecompany you turn to for additional services in the future. Many resellers also offer a range ofservices, including strategy development, businessprocess management, technology implementationand training.

For larger CRM systems, resellers often have theadditional consulting support of their softwarevendors to help manage the complexities of theimplementation. A good software vendor will havea highly experienced professional services groupwhose focus is on education, training and systemsimplementation.

Narrow the FieldThe best CRM systems are those that go beyondfulfilling the basic CRM functions. Look for asystem that integrates your back-office accountingsoftware and other business systems – so customerinformation can be updated in real-time whilebeing shared and employed effectively across theentire organization. Be sure that your system isrobust and versatile enough to:

n Be accessed from any location – from headquarters to remote locations and mobile workers.

n Seamlessly integrate with your back-office accounting system.

n Integrate with a wide range of third-party software, or other internal systems.

Systems with these capabilities will enable yourorganization to operate more efficiently andrealize greater economies of scale.

Increase communication channelsThe ideal CRM system will integrate your multiplebusiness channels and provide your users withseamless, remote access to up-to-date customerinformation.

Look for a system that supports multiplecommunication devices (such as Web browsers,handheld computing devices and WAP-enabledphones) to let users access customer data anytime,anywhere. Choose one that will meet thefunctional needs of your system users.

Keep a global perspectiveThe ability to support a global reach, even if not essential now, is a vital investment in yourcompany’s future.

When reviewing CRM features, find out if:

n The company sells and supports products in the countries in which you do business.

n The software provides multicurrency support.

n The software is available concurrently in languages other than English.

Look for maximum flexibilityEvaluating the architecture of a CRM system iscritical. Choose a system that is built specificallyfor the Web so it can be accessed using a wirelessdevice or PDA.

Advantages of Web-based systems include low-cost, rapid and global deployment, and effectiveremote administration of software, configurationsand security. A key benefit is a Web-basedarchitecture requires only a single-serverinstallation, allowing you to make changes to thesoftware on the server just once, and then simplyrefresh the browser for the changes to take effectsystem-wide.

In contrast, a client/server-based architecturerequires changes to every client machine each time


you upgrade, customize or maintainyour system – taking additional time andusing valuable resources.

Consider implementation timeTo be successful in today’s competitivemarket, you need your business systemsup and running smoothly and rapidly.The less upfront customization yoursystem requires, the more quickly theimplementation process can becompleted. Ask your reseller whatfactors may increase or decrease theamount of time needed.

Deploy Your SystemToday, there are more ways than ever todeploy a CRM system. Before you makea decision, be sure to evaluate youralternatives carefully and consult withyour reseller to determine which methodof deployment is best for yourorganization.

n Build it

If you run a large enterprise and requirecomplex customization and integration,you’ll probably need more than a basicCRM package. Many times, companieswill purchase CRM systems and hireconsultants to build on the corefunctionality, customizing the systems to serve their unique needs.

n Purchase it

Not all organizations require extensivecustomization to implement a successful,high-performance CRM system. Today,there are many off-the-shelf CRMpackages to choose from – all supportingand fulfilling the sales, marketing andsupport functions of an organization. Ifyou’re tight on cash and can do withoutthe bells and whistles, you may be betteroff with a packaged application.

Some systems also include back-officeintegration capabilities and built-incustomization tools so you can modifythe system to suit your unique require-ments. These systems are usually readyto install and use right out of the box –saving you time and reducingimplementation costs.

n Outsource it

From an Application Service Provider(ASP), you can purchase a hostedservice. ASPs host and manageapplications and coordinate the support,maintenance, upgrades andadministration of your CRM system in a secure data center, allowing youremployees to access the system remotely.In return, you pay a subscription fee ona per-month, per user basis.


What to Look for in a CRM ResellerWhen evaluating a software reseller,

ask yourself these questions:

Can the reseller provide a complete service package?

Critical elements of any software

implementation are training,

technical support, and future

maintenance and upgrades. Find a

reseller who can assist you with the

immediate sale and installation and

with longer-term training and service.

Does the reseller listen effectively?

To make the best recommendations

for your organization, a reseller

must learn about its current

capabilities and what is still needed.

Has the reseller attempted to learn

as much as possible about your

organization?

Does the reseller communicate clearly?

Be wary of resellers who spend their

time discussing the features of a

program. Your reseller should focus

on the benefits a CRM system can

bring to your organization.

Can I work with the reseller?

You will be working closely with the

reseller over a period of days, weeks

and maybe even months. That’s why

it’s important to find a reseller who

fits with your company’s philosophy

and culture, and who you feel will

provide professional expertise and

consultation.

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

1 9 17 25 33 41

Purchased

Hosted (ASP)

Do

llars

Months

Fig. 1 – Cost Comparison Between Purchasing and Hostingr

49 57

A 15-user implementation

Source: Joel Scott, President, CRMworldclass LLC

Weigh Your OptionsHow you decide to deploy your CRMsystem will depend on many factors; forexample, the size of your organization,your timeframe and your budget.

For example, using a hosting service has a wide range of financial benefits thatinclude:

n Minimal upfront investment.

n Lower total cost of ownership.

n Faster implementation schedule.

n Predictable cost model.

Other benefits of outsourcing includeguaranteed uptime, regular data backupsand maintenance, software upgrades andcustomer support. The hosting model isparticularly beneficial for businesses thatneed to conserve capital or need to get upand running quickly.

However, keep in mind that all hostingservices are not created equal. Knowwhat services you are paying for beforeyou commit to a provider. For the samefee, some providers may offer only thetraditional sales force automationmodules, while others may provide amuch more comprehensive CRM systemthat is better suited to your organization’sneeds.

Consider the big pictureThe two graphs show the monthlyrunning total expenditures from twodifferent size CRM implementations.Figure 1 represents a basic 15-usersystem. Figure 2 represents a larger 60-user implementation. Considering a hypothetical five-year snapshot, theoption of purchasing becomes moreattractive to the larger sample organ-ization, all other factors remaining equal.Conversely, a smaller organization mayprefer the reduced monthly payments thata hosting service provides.

While using a hosted service allows youto test the system and determine whetheror not it meets your needs before makinga large capital commitment, not allservice providers offer their hostedsystems as full systems. Likewise, not all full systems are offered as hostedversions. If you are in the market for a hosted system, be sure that youunderstand the migration path shouldyou decide down the road to purchaseand implement the system within yourorganization. Understand the fee scheduleand how your data will or will not beaffected by the migration.

Top 10 Features to Look for in a CRM System1. Sales cycle analysis

2. Integration to your back-office

accounting system

3. Scalability to accommodate

future business growth

4. Flexible licensing

5. Seamless flow of information

between corporate systems and

remote employees

6. Real-time reporting and analysis

7. Automated workflow

8. Contact and campaign

management

9. Multiple language and

multicurrency capabilities to

support global business

10. Ability to easily customize your

system to fit your business needs

Remember – The customer is why

CRM exists. As you choose a system,

think about the impact each feature

will have on your customers!


0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

Purchased

Hosted (ASP)

Do

llars

Months

Fig. 2 – Cost Comparison Between Purchasing and Hostingr

300,000

1 9 17 25 33 41 49 57

A 60-user implementation

Source: Joel Scott, President, CRMworldclass LLC

Select a System That’s Right for YouNow that you’ve done your homework andevaluated a number of possible systems, it’s timeto make a decision. Remember that you’re not justselecting a CRM system – you’re also choosing abusiness partner.

Consider the following when selecting a softwarevendor:

Interview resellers before the demo Familiarize yourself with the various CRMsystems available on the market so you can beconfident about your top picks when you short-list the best options for your company. Byinterviewing as many software resellers as possiblein advance, you can avoid time wasted by sittingthrough lengthy, irrelevant demonstrations.

Pick the best three systems and ask each reseller to provide the following information:

n Estimated license costs for your implementation.

n Estimated build-out costs to adapt the system to your requirements.

n Timeframe for implementation.

n Annual support and maintenance costs.

n Training methodology and training costs.

n A plan for integrating your back-office systems, as required.

Get to know the software manufacturerAre you familiar with the company that makes thesoftware? Is it a respected name in the softwareindustry? How long has it been in business? Whatis its vision for the future – for its products and forthe company? These are just some of the questionsabout the manufacturer you want to address whenevaluating CRM systems. Clearly, you don’t wanta “here today, gone tomorrow” organization.

Insist on user-friendly softwareRegardless of the number of features your systempromises, if your system is not user-friendly, yourstaff won’t be able to maximize the full benefits.Make sure you select a system that’s logical andeasy to use. Ask these questions during yourinterview process:

How to Prepare for ProductDemonstrationsThe software demonstration is an excellent time for your team tounderstand the features and capabilities of a particular system. Take full advantage of this opportunity by following these guidelines:

n Inform software resellers about your specific needs in advance. A software demo is a reseller’s opportunity to profile products andservices. By informing your reseller of your specific needs ahead oftime, you direct the demonstrator’s attention to your interests, notyour reseller’s.

n Make sure your core team is able to attend the demos. Make it apriority to keep your core team up to date about their appointments.Since each team member has a different area of expertise, it’simportant for everyone on the team to be at the demonstrations inorder to get the most out of each demo. Encourage team membersto remain in the room through the entire demo; shared concerns canbe flagged more effectively if everyone is present to hear questionsraised by others on the team.

n Plan your questions. Have the core team come up with questionsfor each product demonstrator. You may also want to plan thesequence in which the questions will be asked, to ensure thateveryone stays on topic during each demonstration.

n Establish a system for scoring each issue addressed by thedemonstrator. Keeping tally for individual issues makes the entirescoring process efficient. It prevents situations in which someonefrom your team forgets how a particular demonstrator addressed anissue. The scores will also come in handy when it’s time to decidewhich of the short-listed systems is best suited for yourorganization.

n Ask the reseller to follow up on issues not fully addressed. Thereseller may need to consult with colleagues or the softwaremanufacturer before providing answers to more in-depth questions.Be sure someone on your team follows up on any unansweredquestions after the demo.


n How easy to use is the software interface – the primary screens where data is entered or otherwise managed?

n Can the interface be modified to more closely match the needs of my organization?

n How easy is it to navigate between modules of the software?

n What type of software documentation and training will be provided?

Evaluate the technical supportYour consultant will be a good resource regardingtechnical questions or other issues that arise. Butyou may still need to rely on the software vendor’stechnical support team as well.

Here are some questions to ask regarding thevendor’s support team:

n How quickly are calls taken from customers?

n What are the hours of operation?

n What options are available for after-hours questions or concerns?

n What charges or service plans are involved?

Inquire about the customer service departmentDoes the software developer have a team devotedto non-technical inquiries? Look for a companythat is dedicated to regularly providing high-qualityservice to customers and has the resources to dealwith product questions, customer feedback, ordertracking and software registration.

Get flexible reportingLook for a system with the capability to producethe reports your organization requires. Whenreviewing your options, find out if customizedreports can be created with a minimum of time andeffort. Also see if the system will allow you tomanipulate the data any way you choose.

Ask about customizabilityDoes the software allow you to modify all aspectsof the system? Are customization tools easy to use?Do you have the ability to create and modify fields,screens, tables, views, scripts and security settingson the fly?

Look for e-business strengthDoes the CRM vendor sell other e-businessapplications that complement and integrate with

the CRM system? Can the vendor extend thecapabilities of the system to connect your existingback-office functions with advanced capabilitiessuch as electronic commerce and automatedwarehouse management?

If the company offers a line of e-business products,it’s a good indication that it is committed to itscustomers by developing products that can furtherenhance and expand its customers’ e-businesscapabilities.

Ensure options for growthA good software company invests heavily inengineering and develops new product features andenhancements regularly. It stays abreast of newtechnologies and makes sure that its customers do,too. Often, software upgrades cost far less than theretail price of the full program. Some vendors evenprovide upgrades within their support programs. Agood software manufacturer will provide productupgrades at reasonable prices or as part of a yearlyservice agreement.

Does it fit your budget? Remember that your CRM system is a businessinvestment. As such, your return on investment(ROI) should be a major component indetermining which CRM system you select andhow you choose to deploy it. Spending too littlecould result in an inadequate system that does notmeet the needs of your customers or yourorganization, while overspending may put yourbusiness at risk. If you are honest with your resellerabout the factors that will ultimately influence yourdecision, you should be able to make an informeddecision that fits comfortably within your budget.

Justify the investment Once your evaluation team has reached anagreement about which product to purchase, you may find it helpful to create a document or presentation to explain your choice. Thisdocument needs to clearly detail the features of the system, the direct fiscal benefits of thesefeatures and the resulting long-term benefit to thecompany. It should also outline the total cost forinitial implementation, training and ongoingmaintenance. You can use this type of summarydocument to help you get final approval and buy-in from upper management.


Implementing Your SystemOnce you have chosen the vendor and product, and purchased the software, it’s time to install thesystem. It will take time to adequately install thenew software without compromising or otherwiseinvalidating your existing system. Inevitably, therewill also be a few kinks to work out.

What is the best way to make the implementationprocess a smooth and successful one? Consider thefollowing guidelines:

Create a blueprintTo smooth the implementation process, create a “blueprint” of your CRM-related businessprocesses with your consultant and/or softwarereseller. This document gives the team a pre-determined plan and a set of guidelines to reachyour CRM goals. This process allows you and yourconsultant to draw on past experience to determinethe best plan for you. The expectation is that theplan itself may change, but if the goal andguidelines remain the same you will have a shortand successful installation.

Appoint a primary contactAnother way you can help speed implementation is to appoint someone from your core team to be the primary contact for any questions theconsultant may have. Providing a single contact for questions not only saves time getting the rightanswers to the consultant; it also keeps members ofthe implementation team from being interruptedwith questions for which they don’t have answers.

Prepare for modifications Each organization has very different businessprocesses. Consequently, no “vanilla” CRMpackage can address all of your needs. One of themost common mistakes companies make is tryingtoo hard to limit modifications to the selectedpackaged software. CRM software generally comeswith some core functionality and toolboxes foradapting to your organization’s requirements. SomeCRM systems also offer additional feature sets thatcan expand system capabilities. So, if you needsoftware that can meet the unique requirements ofyour business, be prepared to make modificationsafter installing the “out-of-the-box” system.

Get everyone involvedGetting employees to understand and support the new CRM system is an important step inthe implementation process. It’s safe to say thatemployees who don’t feel confident using the newsystem won’t use it. You can avoid this situation bycontinuing to get everyone involved. Communicatethe CRM vision and progress to your staff, explainthe advantages for the organization and thefunctional benefits for the users. Also, reassurethem that proper training will be provided. This isa sensitive and crucial step involving the heart ofyour organization – your employees. Consider howthe changes will negatively and positively impactyour staff, and plan to resolve anticipated problemsearly-on to ensure a smooth and favorable culturaladjustment.

Provide good trainingPeople are key to the success of any CRM system.Good training is essential and provides theinformation, practice and involvement needed foryour staff to get the most out of the software.

Keep in mind that your employees will havedifferent skill sets and levels of computerexperience. One training class will probably not be right for every system user. You’ll want tofamiliarize computer novices as early as possible,rather than waiting until your system is ready to be rolled out.

Bring people up to speedRegular review meetings during the implemen-tation stage will also help people become familiarwith the new system. Keep your users informed –let them know when changes will occur. As well,encourage the management team to stay involvedduring the implementation process by attendingmeetings and training sessions.

Test before you launchWhen it comes to something as valuable as yourcustomer data, you will want to beta test everysystem component and make certain it isfunctioning properly before you take the systemlive. For example, you can have your fieldsalespeople enter mock customer data and see how well the system receives and processes theinformation.


Integrate the back-officeDirect your efforts toward integrating your newCRM system with your back-office accountingdata. Most organizations want the ability to pushtransaction data from their accounting databases totheir CRM systems and vice versa. You will need tohave this critical piece completed and tested beforelaunching the CRM system.

Find a good rollout timeSchedule an appropriate time to roll out your new system. It may be difficult to schedule a “right time” to do this, but at the very least, planto install your new software as close as possible to your organization’s slowest time of year, tominimize business interruptions. You may evenconsider executing the new system on anincremental or feature-by-feature basis.

Plan for ongoing evaluationPlan to regularly review and evaluate the systembased on desired criteria, such as one monthfollowing implementation, three months, sixmonths, etc. Be sure to inform your consultant andvendor of any challenges you encounter along theway. Keep in mind that your CRM system willalways be evolving. As a result, implementationnever completely stops. Ongoing evaluation ofyour business processes will help you maximize the benefits CRM can bring to your organization.


Hot Tip! Before launching your new system, perform a trial conversion of your existing data into

your new database. Then ask your employees to explore the database. Since they will

already be familiar with the customer information, this exercise will help them to better

learn the new system. It will also help you to identify potential conversion problems.


About ACCPAC For more than 25 years, ACCPAC® has provideddependable software applications optimized to takeadvantage of new technologies and meet the uniquerequirements of companies like yours. Integratingpowerful front-office Web and wireless capabilitieswith back-office accounting and operations,ACCPAC helps you enhance competitive advantageand increase profitability.

Look to ACCPAC for fully integrated businessmanagement applications that deliver highperformance, advanced functionality, cross-productintegration and unmatched freedom of choice.

ACCPAC delivers the software applications thatwork best for your business today, with the abilityto upgrade and modify your system as yourbusiness expands in the future – which means an investment in ACCPAC is an investment thatstands the test of time.

With a global network of more than 6,500 well-trained and experienced Business Partners andmore than 590,000 registered clients, ACCPAC hashelped companies around the world take businesseslike yours confidently into the future.

Corporate Headquarters

ACCPAC International, Inc.6700 Koll Center ParkwayThird FloorPleasanton, CA 94566925-461-2625800-873-7282www.accpac.com

Regional Offices

AustraliaMelbourneSydney

CanadaMississauga (Toronto)MontrealRichmond (Vancouver)

IndiaBangalore

IrelandDublin

MexicoMexico D.F.

NetherlandsArnhem

SingaporeSingapore

South AfricaClaremont (Cape Town)DurbanRivonia (Johannesburg)

United Arab EmiratesDubai

United KingdomUxbridge

United StatesAtlantaSanta Rosa

Copyright © 2004 ACCPAC International, Inc. All rights reserved. ACCPAC, the ACCPAC logo and the ACCPAC product names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or trademarks of ACCPAC International, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other marks are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.

COEWDM100204

ACCPAC International, Inc.6700 Koll Center ParkwayThird FloorPleasanton, CA 94566925-461-2625800-873-7282Corporate: www.accpac.com

How to Choose a CRM System

how to choose a crm system - ismism.co.at/analyses/crm/choose_system.pdf · choose a specific crm...

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