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Top 5 Things To Ask Your CRM Vendor

"The world is a global village". Now, before you call me a boomer, I know that's an oft-repeated cliche. A cliche' that can spell success for your business, though, since it means an ever-expanding customer base. Even a small, out-of-home business can have customers on the other side of the world, thanks to the internet! This is a huge opportunity for every business to interact and create personal relationships with their customers.

This is where CRMs come in, CRM is a Customer Relationship Management tool that every business should invest in. It's a handy tool that will store current and prospective customers' contact information, record any complaints or issues, and help organize and build a marketing campaign calendar for the fiscal year. There are many CRMs to choose from, it all comes down to your business' specific requirements. Here are some key points to keep in mind if you're in the market for a spiffy new CRM:

On Cloud 9 Or Down-To-Earth?

Do you want the CRM to be on the cloud or on-premise? On the cloud would mean you won't need a resident IT person. You won't need extra hard disk space to store all the information. If the internet is on the fritz, though, then you'll lose access to all your data.

On-premise will necessitate hiring an in-house IT expert, but your data will be yours and you won't have to pay any monthly access fees.

Scale It!

You understand the needs of your business. Like a proud parent, you have invested your sweat, blood, and tears into it, and as you watch it grow, those needs may change. Your CRM should be flexible and scalable so that it can change and adapt to the needs of an ever-growing business.

Can't We All Just Get Along?

It's important to ensure that your CRM can seamlessly integrate with all your other software, email platform, social media, etc. This also includes your website, your HR and ERM software, accounting, etc. Your CRM should be able to import and export data from and to all these portals.

Buy Local:

A smart idea not just for patriots. Buying from a local vendor means, if and when issues arise, a customer service rep will be only minutes away. Also, ask for a demo of basic functions, sign up for an introductory workshop, if available. The more comfortable you are using it, the easier the transition will be later.

GDPR- Ready, Set, Go:

Another question to ask is about the availability of the GDPR function. This function ensures that your customer information will be stored in a convenient and accessible way so that you can manage it easily. If a customer wants to be deleted from a list, it will be a one-click process. easy-peasy!