{"id":1548,"date":"2022-06-01T20:45:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-04T20:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=1548"},"modified":"2024-04-04T18:15:00","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T18:15:00","slug":"choosing-your-crm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/choosing-your-crm\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Questions to Ask When Choosing a CRM System"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It used to be a challenge for SMEs to compete with big corporations and large enterprises. But new technology and digitisation have enabled today\u2019s SMEs to not only hold their own but become market disruptors<\/a>, challenging bigger businesses that may have difficulty adapting to rapidly changing market conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s SME is innovative and forward-thinking. It uses its size to its advantage by prioritising agility and flexibility. It\u2019s more data-centric than ever, leveraging information to not only drive sales, boost productivity<\/a> and improve service, but to make business-critical decisions. And most of all, today\u2019s SME puts its customer at the heart of its operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s no surprise, then, that the use of CRM<\/a> (Customer Relationship Management) systems is increasing. Our Small and Medium Business Trends report<\/a> reveals that 56% of SMEs now have a CRM system. Growing SMEs are especially likely to leverage CRM tools, as 67% of growing SMEs now use a CRM, compared to less than 50% of stagnant\/declining SMEs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These growing SMEs are using CRM systems to redefine customer expectations, reimagine their EX (employee experience) and keep up in a competitive climate. They\u2019re turbocharging their sales pipeline, providing personal service at scale, and using AI<\/a> to automate routine tasks to free their workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of CRM are clear. But when choosing a CRM system, how do you find the right fit for your SME? Here are five important questions to consider when choosing a CRM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The SMB Trends Report 5th Edition<\/span><\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Discover what’s driving today’s small businesses – and see where they might be headed next.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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1) Should the CRM be on-premise or cloud-based?<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When choosing a CRM, there are essentially two main options to choose between:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On-premise is a CRM system that is housed on a server at your place of business. You’ll need to buy and maintain the server it is installed and run on, as well as have the technical expertise to keep it updated and secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A cloud-based solution gives you access to CRM software in an online environment hosted by a provider, like Salesforce<\/a>. It is sometimes known as software as a service (SaaS)<\/a>. The provider runs and maintains the cloud-based<\/a> system: you just log in and start using it. You can also integrate it with other apps and tools if you\u2019re using platform as a service (PaaS)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advantages (and disadvantages) of a cloud CRM for small businesses<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cloud-based CRM<\/a> gives you complete control and flexibility. Staff can access the system anywhere and everywhere using any internet-connected device. You can change and upgrade packages, and add more users as your business grows, without costly set-up and maintenance overheads. Because everything is kept secure and up to date by your provider, you don\u2019t have to dedicate staff resources to changing or maintaining the system \u2013 and you\u2019ll never be using obsolete software. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cloud-based CRM for small business<\/a>:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n