10. Multi-channel access is the only way to go.

To be truly effective, a CRM solution needs to support customers on their own terms. This means delivering the information into the hands of agents who respond to customer inquiries over the telephone, fax, e-mail, or written letters. And, of course, in this Internet age, the CRM solution should also support interactive Web chat with customers and make a wide range of information available to them over robust Web sites. For internal staff, such as field service employees and sales staff, the solution should also support all standard wireless devices; solutions that are restricted to a single device or operating system will become too limiting as this technology evolves. With support for PDAs, for example, sales reps can get updates about the prospects or customers they are about to visit —before they walk through the door.

11. Look for true platform flexibility.

Look for a CRM solution that provides the capability to seamlessly move to or from an on-site system—one that provides true platform flexibility. Perhaps you’re not prepared to take on the technical aspects of implementing and supporting an on-site CRM solution. Your organization may favor the predictable pricing of an on-demand model. Or perhaps you want complete control and ownership of your CRM application so you can make your own configurations and customizations: an on-site deployment might be your best choice. Finally, you may want the option to choose an on-demand model today and migrate to an in-house system tomorrow. Most growing businesses eventually do migrate to an in-house CRM system to satisfy the need for sophisticated, end-to-end process integration. To ensure you have freedom of choice, invest in a CRM vendor with solutions that provide different methods of deployment. A good CRM solution should be flexible enough to accommodate what’s best for your business in the present as well as in the future.

12. High cost does not necessarily mean high value.

Some vendors work very hard to propagate the myth that if a software package costs more, it offers more features. Savvy companies need to evaluate this statement with healthy skepticism. Are the features being sold features you really need—or do they come as part of a so-called enterprise solution that was built for very large global companies? Pricing can also be completely unrelated to feature set and more a function of market presence. Many CRM vendors often get away with charging higher prices for solutions that are no more functional than those from lesser-known or smaller vendors. The bottom line on pricing is that if you find a solution that provides the feature set you’re looking for and can grow with your business over time, you’re likely making a wise investment.

A Smooth Implementation Ensures Success

13. CRM is not for any single department; it’s for the whole company.

Often, the Sales department will be motivated to implement CRM long before other groups get on board. And it can be a great strategy to implement the new software one department at a time. But don’t lose sight of your overall goal, which should be to implement CRM throughout the company. You’ll get immediate results by putting CRM into Sales, Customer Service, or Support departments. But when you have everyone in the company connected to CRM—when everyone has instant access to the critical information they need to keep driving business forward — that’s when you’ll see the most exciting benefits of CRM. It’s great to start your implementation with a departmental focus, but keep your larger goals in mind.