I recently set up HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management) System & Marketing Automation for New Generation. The decision was actually years in the making. We came at it from a marketing angle, but a CRM can offer so much more in terms of sales, service and automation tools.

If you’ve thought you might need a CRM system, here are 5 questions to consider before you make the leap.

1. How much data do you have and how easy is it to sort ?

You know you could benefit from a CRM system when you know you have loads of client data, but you aren’t able to use it to its best ability. Perhaps it’s really unorganized, sitting in various systems. If you aren’t able to leverage it to create more personalised comms or accidentally send that email to someone who shouldn’t have received it - this might be your first sign you need a CRM system.

2. Can you technically get it set up with your current systems in place?

Or are you willing to leave them behind fully?

In terms of storing customer data, you are likely in one of three positions depending on the size and age of your business.

The spreadsheet stage - If you are a small business, you could be storing your client data in spreadsheets, possibly alongside documents and/or email communication. At this stage, you likely don’t have too much data, and could easily move all of this into a CRM system and leave your spreadsheet days behind.
New software / cloud system - If you are using a newer booking system or out-of-the-box client data system. Your system might be lacking the full functionality of a CRM and be solely sales / purchase focused.
Custom or older system - If you have an old or custom system that you want to continue using, you need to determine if you can get an API set up. What is an API? An API is a simply the way one systems talks to the other. It is coding that links the two together and sends information back and forth in the way in which you’d like it to. So you need to ensure that you can get a custom API built so that your old / custom system will integrate with a modern CRM system.

Once you’ve confirmed you can definitely make it happy technically, then you need to move onto business need.

3. What are your current needs as a business?

Where are you trying to go and what are you trying to achieve currently? What do you value as a company? Getting really clear on this will help you determine what type of system is best for you.

Do you want to gain new clients? Optimize your sales funnel? Get more SQLs or MQLs? Have a better understanding of the clients’ booking journey? Leverage the client database you already have (think up-selling & refer-a-friend campaigns)? Or get more granular with audience segmentation?

Likely it’s a combination of the above. Getting clarity on this will help determine not only if you need a CRM but what functionality to look for in the system you chose.

4. Is your communication getting crossed?

This could be your number one motivator for moving to a centralized CRM. My experience in setting up a CRM, this was one of the key benefits from a customer experience point of a view, and an internal operations point of view.

All customer communications from all channels can be linked together in one centralized location. This not only helps the company but provides a better customer experience too.

5. Are you doing too much manual work?

Are you or your team performing tasks that you know can be done by a machine, yet you just don’t have the tool? Something as simple as tracking your time spent on these types of projects can show you how many hours you can gain if you set can leverage a CRM system to automate these tasks.

Getting a CRM system set up is not for the faint of heart.

So it’s key to ensure that it’s right for your company and it’s objectives before you dive in.

But once you do, you’ll open up a whole new world of CX marketing, sales and service opportunities.