3 hidden costs of a CRM that WILL impact your work.

In the world of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), there are more costs to consider beyond the initial price tag. Hidden costs can lurk beneath the surface, impacting your work and hindering your success. In this blog post, we delve into three often-overlooked expenses that can arise from using a CRM:

By uncovering these hidden costs and understanding their impact, you can make informed decisions, optimize your CRM strategy, and ensure that your investment aligns with your goals. Don't let these hidden costs catch you off guard - read on to learn how to navigate them effectively.

Hidden cost #1 - Support

Customer support is a crucial but often overlooked aspect of a CRM that can significantly impact its effectiveness and your future work. Choosing a CRM platform with comprehensive and reliable support can lead to improved efficiency and overall success in your operations. Responsive support can address issues promptly, provide guidance, and ensure smooth implementation and usage. By prioritizing support as a key criterion in your CRM selection, you can maximize the value and ROI of your investment, while minimizing the risk of hidden costs and potential disruptions to your business.

Examples of comprehensive and reliable CRM support:

• Knowledge Base and Documentation: Access to a comprehensive knowledge base, FAQs, user guides, and documentation provides self-service resources for users to find answers to common questions and learn how to effectively use the CRM platform.
• Multiple channels of communication: By offering diverse communication channels (such as email, phone, and chat), CRM platforms ensure that users have options to connect with support teams in the most convenient and efficient way for them, enhancing the overall support experience and ensuring prompt assistance.
• Community Forums and User Groups: A vibrant community of CRM users, forums, and user groups allows for knowledge sharing, best practices, and peer-to-peer support, fostering collaboration and providing additional resources for troubleshooting and learning from other users' experiences.

Hidden cost #2 - Implementation

Platform implementation by solution partners can be a hidden cost that significantly impacts the success of your CRM and future work. Choosing a CRM provider with a strong network of solution partners ensures better and more extensive implementation support. These partners possess the expertise to tailor the CRM to your specific needs, optimize processes, and provide ongoing guidance. With their assistance, you can achieve higher efficiency, maximize the value of your CRM investment, and pave the way for long-term success. Prioritizing solution partner support during the CRM selection process can mitigate implementation challenges and set your operations on the path to success.

Examples of a well-done CRM implementation:

• Audit, Analysis, and Planning: A well-done CRM implementation begins with a thorough analysis of the organization's requirements and goals. This includes understanding specific business processes, data management needs, and user expectations to tailor the CRM platform accordingly.
• Customization and Configuration: Implementing a CRM involves customizing and configuring the platform to align with the organization's unique workflows and processes. This includes setting up custom fields, data structures, automation rules, and user permissions to ensure the CRM meets the specific needs of the business.
• User Training and Onboarding: Training and onboarding programs are crucial for ensuring user adoption and maximizing the benefits of the CRM platform. Providing comprehensive training resources, workshops, and user-friendly documentation helps users understand the platform's features, increasing their confidence and proficiency.

Hidden cost #3 - Maintenance

Platform maintenance over time is a hidden cost that significantly impacts the performance and success of your CRM and future work. A diligent approach to maintenance, including systematic data cleanup, ensures a well-maintained CRM that operates efficiently and delivers optimal value. Regular updates, bug fixes, and ongoing support from the CRM provider contribute to improved system performance and user experience. By prioritizing comprehensive maintenance and investing in reliable support, you can maximize the efficiency of your operations, enhance data integrity, and pave the way for long-term success with your CRM investment.

Examples of a well-done CRM implementation:

• Regular Data Cleanup: Conducting routine data cleanup exercises to remove duplicate or outdated records, ensuring data integrity and maintaining a high-quality database.
• Performance Monitoring and Optimization: Regularly monitoring the CRM system's performance, identifying potential bottlenecks or areas for optimization, and implementing necessary improvements to ensure smooth and efficient operation.
• User Access and Security Management: Managing user access rights and permissions, adding or removing user accounts as needed, and implementing security measures such as multi-factor authentication and data encryption to protect sensitive customer information.

Why HubSpot as your CRM?

1. Reliable support: HubSpot stands out among other CRMs due to its unmatched reliable customer support, offering 24/7 assistance to address user queries and ensure a smooth experience.
2. Easy and fast implementation: The platform's ease of implementation is further enhanced by its extensive network of solution partners, providing expert guidance and customization.
3. Automated maintenance: HubSpot excels in systematic maintenance with automated processes, allowing for seamless updates, data management, and system optimization. 

These factors combine to deliver a CRM solution that consistently exceeds expectations, empowering businesses with efficient implementation, ongoing support, and streamlined maintenance for sustained success.

So, are you really ready to consider the hidden costs?

By choosing HubSpot over Salesforce, you can save up to $161,800 a year in CRM costs. Your company may qualify for such savings. 

Get in touch with us to see if we can help you reduce your costs.