The Challenges of Moving to a New CRM

Top three issues to be aware of

Just because you are frustrated with your current CRM does not mean it is time to move to the next shiny new thing. There are important, and costly, issues to consider.

The primary challenge will be data migration; ensuring that all customer data, including contacts, interactions, and historical records, is accurately transferred without loss is critical. In my experience, this accounts for about 80% of the cost and effort of a transition. If you can make the switch at the end of a calendar or fiscal year and keep the old data available in an archive for reference, that is often much more cost effective.

Additionally, employee training plays a vital role in a successful transition. Staff must adapt to new workflows and functionalities, which can lead to temporary declines in productivity. This process will take several months, but if you can present it as an opportunity for your staff to re-think business processes and allow them to take ownership and streamline processes, they will approach the project with more enthusiasm.

Finally, ongoing modifications and troubleshooting after the transition phase are necessary to address unforeseen issues that may arise; there are always some! With any new system your use of it will evolve as you get past the basics and start asking if it can solve other, more advanced issues. There will be no date when it is all complete and after which no changes should be made!