Is CRM a DIY Project? What’s At Stake?

Factors to consider: expertise, time commitment, and the long-term impact on your CRM’s success. We all like the appeal of DIY, primarily for the ✅ cost savings, and the second reason is usually design, i.e., “The way I want it.”

Is DIY Really Cheaper?

If you have the in-house expertise, you can, potentially, save some money. What seems like an initial savings, however, can become your worst fear. If your team is unfamiliar with CRM, mistakes can lead to delays, data loss, and/or functionality issues that require costly repairs later.

Yes, professional implementation usually comes with a higher upfront cost, but with a tremendous savings realized in the long run.

Experienced consultants and/or implementation partners understand the nuances of CRM platforms. Mistakes, if there are any, are the consultants responsibility. Consequently, they will strive for perfection from the start.

✅ CRM Costs

Expertise and Experience: Getting It Right the First Time

Does your team understand the nuances of—data migration, customization, and workflow design?

Keeping in mind the intensive planning required, a lack of familiarity will greatly impact the system’s effectiveness and your team’s productivity in a number of ways. Using professional consulting gives you access to specialized knowledge that can make a significant difference in cost savings, time, performance quality, and longevity of the system.

Besides freeing your in-house team to take care of day-to-day business, implementation experts ✅tailor the CRM system to your specific business needs. When they complete implementation, training begins, and if you wish, on-going support is also an option.

Time ⏲ Commitment of DIY

DIY most often involves “learning as you go,” a very time consuming prospect. Attempting to implement a CRM may take your team’s focus away from many other core responsibilities, essentially costing more in the long run.

Another drawback of DIY: By splitting the attention of your team, your core functionality suffers, meaning it will take much more time to get your CRM System on line.

✅ Although Professional implementation is more costly on the front end, you keep your team focused on daily business operations, thereby reducing downtime, and a quicker ROI for your new CRM system.

Long-Term: Setting Up for Success or Struggling to Keep Up?

Some systems will install right out of the box. The installation part, however, is not the issue. What matters is the configuration, implementation, and what follows.

Let’s say, however, that the installation seems to be fine, is that the end of it? No, it is not. CRM is an✅ ongoing and ever growing process.

Also, what happens when changes need made or issue arise? Quite frankly, the expansion of your business could easily require an entire system replacement? All of these depend on correct choices and initial implementation of the CRM platform.

With external assistance, you avoid long-term issues like data inaccuracies, integration challenges, or the poor user adoption encountered through DIY. A CRM system is only truly effective if it is configured, implemented, and maintained precisely.

Support and Troubleshooting

As mentioned in the beginning: unless you have a competent and trained in-house I.T. department with expertise in CRM, ✅you could be wasting a lot of time and money.

After the installation and deployment, troubleshooting and system maintenance rests on your team’s shoulders, which can lead to further delays and disruptions. Additionally, ongoing maintenance and updates require a level of expertise that your team may not possess.

Professional implementation with ongoing support, can come directly from the vendor or through a consulting partner like SMB Dynamics. This means you’ll have access to help when you need it. When your team has immediate POC assistance, it minimizes disruption to your work-flows. So, budget for ongoing support, it will pay for itself in the long run.

Making the Right Choice for Your Business 

So, now we’re back to thinking about it again, and there is a lot to think about. If you have an in-house I.T. team with experience and the time take on such an expansive DIY project, it can be a cost-saving option. Just bear in mind that CRM implementation is about more than just the initial cost.

Expertise, time, and long-term and effective support of each module are all part of ensuring that you’re getting the most out of your CRM investment.

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