6 Quick Questions to Ask Before Renewing Your Legacy CRM

 

Every week, we speak to countless companies across Europe who are still running on a legacy CRM solution. While some are ready for change, other remain more hesitant. What they all have in common, however, are these two things:

1. They’re not using their CRM to its full capabilities
2. They have invested thousands of pounds into their legacy solution

Despite the fact that user adoption is extremely low, many boards are still hesitant about replacing a legacy software. After all, it has had so much time and money invested into it over the years. Should you really throw all these investments out the window and replace your legacy CRM?

Let’s take a closer look at why it might be about time for a change…

 

What is a legacy CRM?

 

A legacy CRM can come in many shapes and sizes. The majority of legacy systems, however, are early generation browser-based solutions running on your own in-house servers. 

Unfortunately, many of these solutions are so dated that they often run on old browser versions, such as for example Internet Explorer 6, which is no longer receiving security patches and updates. By using such dated software, you leave yourself vulnerable to cyber-attacks. 

Another clear downside of legacy CRM is that most required system updates end up being a costly affair. To make matters worse, many dated legacy solutions struggle to perfectly integrate with necessary third-party applications, such as business intelligence tools or marketing automation platforms. 

Often, legacy solutions – especially the dated ones – appear to have a built-in resistance to anything resembling modernisation and seamless integration. This means that they often limp alongside your business year after year – costing you much, but not really contributing with anything besides the bare minimum. 

 

6 Questions to Ask Before You Renew Your Legacy CRM Contract

The time has come when you must choose whether to renew or cancel your CRM contract. Before you decide, you should consider these 6 important questions.

 

Do you consider your CRM vendor to be a valued business partner?

Is your CRM provider just another expense – someone you occasionally think about when paying their bills? Or do you see your vendor as a valued business partner – someone who brings extra resources, knowledge and insights to the table and ensures that you get the most value from your system? 

If you wish to use your CRM in the best way possible, you will benefit greatly from engaging with the provider’s recommendations, resources and best practices. After all, no one knows the system better than your vendor! This is, of course, only possible to achieve if the vendor is willing to meet you halfway. 

 

How often do you communicate with your CRM vendor?

Communication is key to success. Do you have a dedicated vendor contact who regularly asks for feedback regarding your user experience with the CRM? 

Or do you only hear from the company when it’s time to renew your contract?

Do your sales and marketing teams find it easy to use the CRM solution?

Usability is alpha and omega when it comes to software systems. If the system is too complicated or not good enough, people will simply stop using it.

Is your CRM quick and easy to navigate? Or is it a slow and cumbersome process that most of your employees tend to avoid? 

Either way, a good CRM provider should always be willing to go the extra mile and provide proper support and adoption training to ensure that all your employees are using the system in the best way possible.

Can you CRM be accessed from mobile devices?

With modern employees spending more and more time out of the office, it’s imperative that they can easily access and use the CRM from their mobile devices – no matter where in the world they might be. 

Many legacy solutions will be too dated and complicated to properly work on mobile devices. 

However, just because your legacy CRM belongs in the Dark Ages, doesn’t mean your business should remain there with it.

 

Does your CRM increase sales?

… or does it complicate customer communication and user experiences? 

Ideally, your CRM should be the best investment you have ever made – a proper sales powerhouse! If this is not the case, there’s really no point in paying for the solution.. 

Are there any hidden costs?

There should never be any hidden and costly surprises after implementing a CRM solution. If your vendor turned out to be the RyanAir of CRM solutions, then it’s about time you bugger off and find something new and better. 

 

Your CRM should be the powerhouse of your business. If it’s not, it’s a clear sign that things need to be changed – fast. Today’s CRM market is filled to the brim with great and affordable CRM solutions that can skyrocket your business growth. Why settle for something that’s not good enough?

 

Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash