The primary purpose of a CRM software in a corporate context is to have a database complete with customer information, invoices, contact details, etc. The software is automated to carry out functions like allocating purchase details, automate sales transactions among many other applications that are crucial to the service provider. 

However, choosing or designing a CRM that synchronizes smoothly with your daily office functions requires a lot of homework to be done at your end first. However, there are several myths and misconceptions regarding CRM software that may deter businesses from investing in them altogether or have the wrong expectations from it. 

The realities of the CRM software can offer us a better understanding of what is feasible and what is not.

Myth 1 – CRM implementation requires a one-time crash course only:

Providing employees training with CRM software is not a one-time expenditure. Before you give your employees the tools to minimize button-crunching, you must account for the continuous training required to be provided as the CRM software is regularly updated with new features. 

Therefore, the employees need proper supervision in leveraging the software to the best of its abilities. Also, there is an inevitable, recurring cost to that, besides developing the software itself. The employees themselves will be a valuable source of feedback on how the CRM software can be further fine-tuned for maximum throughput. 

Myth 2 – Expensive software equals more productivity:

CRM software does not become an all-round, go-to company application because of its price tag. The question here is whether the end justifies the means or the means justify the end. Experience says that the latter is more-cost effective. Therefore, an expensive application does not automatically equal more streamlining. 

The application must suit your unique needs as a business. Without that, it would be an exercise in futility. The basic idea behind CRM software is to retain data that is indelible by natural means. However, expensive CRM software does not guarantee better retention or security of the database either. 

Myth 3 – One CRM software serves all:

This would be the most unfair myth of the lot. It would be frugal to invest in a single CRM software that serves all the aspects of your business. Not all of the departments in your business may even need the assistance of CRM software automation. It is more prudent to identify first which departments benefit the most from the CRM software. 

Hence, after introduction, the CRM software needs time before it eventually serves all the divisions of your business. It is a slow process. Therefore, it cannot be accomplished right away. 
As much as that is an inconvenience, it is more prudent than forcing the application to a group of employees who will require further company resources for the sake of compliance. 

Myth 4 – UX sophistication is unimportant:

The Windows OS would not be the popular OS it is today if it retained the teal gray VGA hues of ’98. The same applies to your CRM software. Another reason why the CRM software needs continuous upgrades is so that the user experience or UX becomes more sophisticated. Tasks should get accomplished with minimal interaction. Parameters should come with pre-sets.

Akin to the building of Rome, your CRM software will also not achieve this build in a day. It would take a continuous feedback implementation to turn it into a well-oiled machine. 

ExactllyCRM allows their customers to obtain a robust CRM application, specific to their business needs.

Myth 5 – The client-base comes first:

The myth of ALWAYS keeping the customer first will defeat the purpose of having a CRM software because the client’s requirements can benefit your business functions only to an extent.

Tackling the UX point yet again, it would take feedback from all the departments in your business as to how their roles can be streamlined into the software to make it a gradual success. Sure, the more data you retain and can provide at the customer’s beck and call, the greater the merit. But the customer will not prefer speaking to an automated machine operating the CRM software. 
Thus, the fact that the automated software will be fed information by regular employees with regular, human needs must be kept in mind. 

Myth 6 – Data cleaning and redundancy removal are imperative:

Hogging your valuable productivity hours by toiling over your CRM software can be a wastage of time. It is essential that the importance of this data and the importance of their accuracy be accounted for first. There has to be a ranking system maintained for assignment to the accuracy a data cluster has. 

Going through the entire CRM software database, delineating between good data and bad data is a time-consuming feat. It is more feasible for a CRM software to sort through data by its rank rather than wait for the user to fix the value of the data manually. An easy functionality which is provided in the ExactllyCRM product suite specifically made for your business functions.

Myth 7 – A fool proof ROI cannot be expected:

The software process cycle models dictate that producing a good software is not a one-time effort but a continuous one. Expecting, a return on investment immediately would be unreasonable. 

It would be a waste of time to invest in a software with various modules for the whole business if only a few of the divisions are going to from it. Some foresight would be required into the matter of which departments need the assistance of the CRM software. The functions the CRM software should perform with depending on this.

Some would argue that having a custom-made CRM software is equivalent to an ROI, but that is also untrue. A customized CRM software again involves the challenge of fine tuning it. Only this time you are focusing on what to integrate further rather than what to dismantle. 

Conclusion

Choosing or building a CRM software from scratch is a challenge that most business owners are slow to take on. However, with just the right amount of insight and collaboration with exactllyCRM, you can give your business the enterprise suite that ushers in a new benchmark for the industry.