When strategizing a CRM implementation, the system’s built-in technical tools and capabilities are undoubtedly of critical importance—ensuring the system you select is capable of meeting your organization’s functional requirements is a must. But of equal value is selecting a CRM partner whose vision for your deployment is aligned with yours, and one who is equipped to provide the long-term support required to keep your system up and running long past initial implementation.
As we wrap up our “Considerations for CRM Success” blog series, today we’re taking a look at how the leadership and skill of a quality partner can make all the difference in a successful integration, and what to look for when choosing your team. The reality is that even the most seamless integration can lead to new challenges or needs, where the guidance of a trusted, industry-experienced partner can help to ensure the project’s success. Having the right resources on your side is not only comforting—it’s essential to maximize the ROI on your CRM investment and ensure systems are optimized for top performance.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when selecting your partner:
The Right Partner is Flexible to Meet Your Specific Support Needs
Depending on your unique needs, you might simply want help thinking through your CRM strategy and navigating the options to find a system mapped to your expectations, or you might require more substantial support to guide you through implementation, deployment, and even into ongoing maintenance services and troubleshooting. From weeks of on-site support to remote ad-hoc assistance, regardless of the level of assistance you’re looking for, teaming up with a qualified and knowledgeable partner means you’re covered, with the tools you need for effective deployment.
The Right Partner Can Help Relieve In-House Resources
To keep internal staffing requirements low, consider CRM vendors who offer remote systems management services and are equipped with the skill sets and tools required to manage and support your solution from afar, so your IT staff can focus on core business activities without the headaches and risks associated with traditional application management.
The Right Partner Knows Your Industry
In addition to CRM integration expertise, finding a qualified service provider that has a hands-on background in your industry can prove invaluable in saving costly training time, as they are already familiar working within your unique business environment and understanding your objectives for system performance.
Often, these partners can even apply their own past experience working in your industry to help you find new best practices or benchmarks that can be used to enhance your CRM solution. Be sure to examine your partner’s credentials, references, and past successes to find one best matched to your industry’s unique requirements.
There’s no doubt that deciding to implement a CRM solution is an investment, and one that should be entered into with careful consideration and planning. With the right partner at your side, you can focus on getting back to work more quickly, with the confidence that your system is supported—and so is your organization. To learn more about how our seasoned CRM consultants can deliver this functionality to your business, please contact any member of our consulting team at [email protected]. We also encourage you to contact Tokara’s VP of Business Development, Mark Fillingim, directly at +1 972-719-0213.
Source:
Aptean, “CRM: The Essential Guide: Five Principles for CRM Success,” http://www.aptean.com/assets/pdfs/resources/documents/APT_CRMP_GBWP_CRMTheEssentialGuide_US.pdf
NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
