Things to Consider When Choosing a New CRM
- Guided Sky
- Oct 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 19
A CRM is the core of your business. Choosing the right one is one of the most important technology decisions you’ll make, because chances are you’ll be using it for the next five years or more. Industry research suggests the average CRM lifespan is between 5 - 7 years before companies consider replacement or significant reconfiguration. That means you need to get it right from the start.
Here are the key factors to consider when selecting your new CRM:
1. Which Teams Will Be Using the System?
A CRM isn’t just for sales anymore. Modern systems touch Marketing, Customer Service, Operations, Finance, and even Project Delivery.
Ask yourself:
Which teams will be logging in daily?
Do they need visibility into other departments to provide a seamless, customer-centric experience?
Will managers need dashboards that cut across multiple teams?
For example, if Customer Service agents can’t see a customer’s recent sales activity or open projects, the experience feels fragmented. A CRM should remove silos, not create new ones.
2. What Are Your Goals for the Business?
Your business goals should directly influence your CRM choice. Common goals include:
Scaling the business: Supporting more customers without adding headcount.
Reducing operational costs (Opex): Automating manual tasks to save time and money.
Improving customer experience: Personalising communications, faster response times, and better self-service options.
Increasing visibility:
Leadership wants clear reporting and forecasting to make data-driven decisions.
Different CRMs are optimised for different outcomes. For example, some excel at marketing automation, others at service management, and others (like Salesforce) are built to scale with complex organisations. Matching your CRM to your goals is critical to ensuring long-term value.
3. Budget
Budget isn’t just about license costs. You need to consider the total cost of ownership:
Annual license fees
Ongoing development and enhancements
Training and adoption support
Integration with other systems
Choosing a CRM with high license fees but no room left in the budget for enhancements is a common mistake. Your business will evolve, and your CRM needs to evolve with it. A balanced budget ensures you can keep investing in improvements, rather than getting stuck with a system that quickly feels outdated.
4. Security
Security is a non-negotiable factor, especially for enterprise businesses or those handling sensitive data. Consider:
Data encryption: Is encryption at rest and in transit included?
User permissions: Can you restrict access to sensitive fields or records?
Audit trails: Can you track who accessed or changed data?
Compliance: Does the platform align with GDPR, HIPAA, or other relevant regulations?
For Salesforce customers, additional security can be provided through Salesforce Shield, which offers features like field audit trail, platform encryption, and event monitoring - crucial for industries such as financial services and healthcare.
5. Connectivity
Your CRM shouldn’t live in isolation. In most cases, it needs to connect with:
ERP systems (for stock, orders, and finance)
Accounting platforms
Marketing automation tools
Customer support platforms
Business intelligence and reporting tools
Seamless integration creates a single source of truth, enabling teams to work from the same data and eliminating duplication or conflicting information. Without this, you risk inefficiencies and inconsistent customer experiences.
6. Other Considerations
Ease of use & adoption: Even the most powerful CRM will fail if your team doesn’t use it. Choose a system that’s intuitive and supported with training.
Scalability: Can the system grow as your business grows, both in terms of users and functionality?
Customisation vs. out-of-the-box: Some businesses need deep customisation, others can thrive on standard features. Striking the right balance is key.
Vendor ecosystem: Consider the availability of certified partners, app marketplaces, and community support.
Making the Right Choice
Selecting a CRM is about more than just software, it’s about aligning technology with your business strategy, people, and processes.
Want expert guidance to make the right decision?
👉 Get in touch today to talk through your CRM options.
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