Implementing any form of CRM software can be overwhelming, to say the least. There is so much information on different custom CRM solutions, different vendors, features, consultants, automation promises, best practices, etc. Rather than getting ahead of yourself, the first thing that you need to do is determine the right profile of people who should be on your Customer Relationship Management implementation team.
This is no easy task! Making the wrong decision will heavily impact your company's workflow in the short and long term. Your ultimate goal should be to streamline customer data, automate certain business operations, integrate good practices, and achieve ultimate customer satisfaction. Let's get into it!
With custom CRM development services at your disposal, you will have full control over your CRM platform. Take a look at the top three benefits of having a CRM software development team.
With a CRM team, you will know exactly how your CRM practices evolve over time. You can request custom features that will perfectly align with your business needs, giving your sales team the right tools to manage customers.
The CRM support team will be on hand at all times, offering the option to integrate your custom CRM software with other systems and fix issues as soon as they arise. This will give you a huge edge over your competitors.
CRM developers monitor security closely. Working with other teams, they can develop, maintain, and update your security systems, giving peace of mind to your employees and customers and leading to better team productivity.
With all the benefits in mind, let's move forward with the meat of the article. After you go through the following section, you will be well on your way to building a CRM development company, let alone an in-house team.
When you're hiring anyone, you should carefully consider your options. You don't want too many cooks in the kitchen, as they say, but you also want to avoid leaving out key players. One of the tasks your CRM team will be working on is monitoring customer behavior. With the right datasets, you will improve customer interactions and contact management, and you can use CRM data to make better, more data-driven decisions.
Take a look at our suggestions on the roles you need to fill if you want to establish a custom CRM development company within your business.
The ultimate goal of your CRM executive sponsor is successful CRM Implementation. This person provides a strategic vision, and their job is to assemble your custom CRM software development team. They should have the authority to make decisions regarding project finances and other business processes to make sure that the tailored CRM functionalities are working well across all sectors. They will have the final say in choosing CRM software features to work on. It would be good if this person were also an expert CRM developer to facilitate easy team communication. This is an executive function.
Since the CRM system is primarily for the sales organization, someone who understands customer needs has to be on the team. Sales management plays a key role in streamlining customer management, and this person can also offer lucrative customer engagement ideas. A good sales manager will understand the "ins and outs" of their department and be very active in the day-to-day activities. They can work with the executive sponsor to discuss CRM automation features that will directly improve customer acquisition and retention. This person should have experience working with CRM experts.
Certainly, you don't want your entire company to be included in the implementation team. This would hinder development times and create a mess. Nevertheless, you will want a few. These should be users who are likely to be the first adopters of the system. Alternatively, you can also select a sales operations administrator or someone with a similar role, who can serve as a functional administrator for CRM deployment. These people will be using the CRM tool the most, so they are the most critical. They can provide real-time feedback, which is very helpful when implementing a CRM.
If you want to use a traditional CRM that runs on an internal server, you need someone who understands the requirements of the new CRM infrastructure. They will determine the system requirements concerning storage, back-up, and disaster recovery. Even if you want to use a simple Cloud CRM app, an IT expert should be involved. Naturally, with a cloud-based CRM mobile app, the demands on your IT staff are considerably less, but you still need someone who understands cloud security, back-ups, etc. This is your technical systems administrator, and they are essential in CRM customization.
A CRM Project Manager is responsible for scheduling all team tasks. This person works closely with the executive sponsor, and their role is essential when customizing your CRM. Even if you simply want to replace your existing CRM, the manager will help facilitate the project, monitor all project milestones and budget, and attend all the planned meetings. The project manager also understands your product and their role; if they do it right, it leads to an overall better customer experience. The CRM team will have different projects, and you need someone to manage them efficiently and effortlessly.
Most CRM implementations begin with sales, but eventually, an efficient CRM team will start working on improving the workflow of your marketing and support departments. If you have the option, you should find a way to include someone from both departments in your CRM team. Your developers might not be able to implement all their ideas initially, but they will have an insight into their internal processes, and they will keep that in mind for future updates. If you want to create the ultimate Customer Relationship Management software for your company, it has to work for everyone.
That pretty much covers it. With all these experts by your side, you can expect a leading custom CRM solution at your fingertips.
Last but not least, after you have selected your internal team, you will need to start thinking about outside resources to help with the heavy lifting. We know that selecting a CRM consultant is a task in and of itself, but this idea is certainly worth considering. Such a person would be a valuable resource who can always keep you in the loop regarding the best practices in your industry, which, in turn, saves time and money in the long run.
Think of it this way! You hire specialists in other areas of your life, like a mechanic, hair stylist, roofer, etc. Why wouldn't you hire someone to implement your CRM correctly? After all, your business is important, and a CRM is not just simple software. It's a business strategy. On the surface, selecting a CRM Implementation Team seems like an easy task, but you should give it the attention it deserves. Don't rush through this task. Selecting the right players is your first step towards success!