There are many ways to move into a new home. You can purchase a brand new home that has just been built or you could opt for buying an existing home. Either way, you may find that you want to add-on to your new home – adding a new garage or patio. Maybe some landscaping so your new home has that great look as you pull in the driveway.
Or you could build your own home from scratch. Not for the faint of heart or those with little spare time but you will end up with the home you want. Along the way you will meet your architect, contractors, various engineers and assorted inspectors.
And that is not so much different from acquiring Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software for your business. And just like you need to work closely with your spouse in selecting just the right home, you will need to bring in the key people in your organization on your CRM project.
We have all heard that real estate is all about “location, location, location’. When selecting CRM software it’s all about “objectives, objectives, objectives”. You and your team will have need to have written goals and guidelines on what you plan to achieve and how you will measure the success of your CRM deployment.
After all the time and effort you and your family have put into finding, financing and finally moving into your new home you probably expect to be there for quite some time. At least until something happens like a relocation, children leave home or your financial situation changes.
Again, it’s very similar with your CRM system — new offices are opened overseas, reduction-in-force occurs or winning that dream contract that will quadruple the size of your company overnight. You can’t predict the future but you can plan for it by choosing a CRM system that can grow with your company and choosing one that has the flexibility to change with your business. Remember, CRM is a journey, not a destination.
Well, suppose I just want to rent for awhile to see if I like the neighborhood? You can do the same thing with CRM software. It’s called SaaS – Software as a Service. Make sure to get all the costs and small print covered up front. Calculate the true cost of ownership before you make a final decision. And don’t forget to ask about getting access to your data should you choose to stop renting and move to a new system.
I could go on much longer about the similarities of home ownership and selecting a CRM system but I’m pretty sure you get the basic idea by now. Both are major decisions that can a definite impact on your future. Do your homework and don’t hesitate to bring in experts when needed
