CRM Software Consultant Benefits: Why and How to Hire One

What is a CRM Consultant?

CRM consultants are responsible for providing customers with operation services that include application management, custom development, and business process outsourcing. 

Your CRM specialist will help you set up the best CRM system for your company. He or she will guide you through the difficulties of using and improving your CRM. To speed up employee onboarding and finish the software setup, a CRM consultant will work even more closely with your team. He or she can help you in optimizing your CRM without the stress or challenges that many organizations have when implementing a new system.

• HubSpot
  
• Salesforce
  
• Zoho
  
• Pipedrive

What is a Functional CRM Consultant?

The CRM solution's functional design is the responsibility of CRM functional consultants. During the various CRM implementation phases, they define and collect the functional and non-functional business requirements. CRM systems are analyzed by functional consultants to keep them compliant with these business needs.

CRM consultants create, set up, and modify system capabilities to meet business requirements. To make sure that functional requirements are understood and built as required, they create functional specifications and communicate with the technical team.

Furthermore, CRM functional consultants organize training for main users and document all implementation and configuration. They also help the client during user acceptance testing.

To effectively manage client relationships and optimize business operations, consultants need to choose the best CRM for consultants that meets their unique needs and provides features like contact management, project tracking, and invoicing.

What is a Technical CRM Consultant?

The technical analysis of the customer's system needs is the responsibility of technical CRM consultants. They engage in technical conversations about issues with pre-sales and functional staff. Additionally, based on the functional requirements of the client, CRM professionals take part in developing, testing, and installing CRM solutions.

Technical CRM consultants help create the design, technical specifications, and data models for complex CRM implementation projects. They also provide integration development to external systems and web services.

Furthermore, CRM specialists can mentor young members of your team in addition to advising clients and helping them with technical issues.

CRM Consulting Options: In-House, Outsourced, and Freelance Professionals

CRM consultants can do both functional and technical tasks at the same time. In addition, there are three main ways to work with a CRM advisor.

You can either hire an in-house CRM consultant or outsource it to external CRM consulting companies or freelance consultants.

If the roles of in-house and freelance CRM advisers are more or less clear, let's clarify the functions of consulting partners.

Types of CRM Consulting Partners

CRM system providers like Microsoft Dynamics 365 or SAP certify consulting firms as CRM Consulting Partners.

All certified consulting firms must meet the requirements of CRM vendor standards, including certified full-time staff and a portfolio of successfully completed projects.

Furthermore, these CRM consulting firms can offer other technology services, such as a custom app or CRM development, in addition to  MS Dynamics consulting and development.

There are many different CRM programs. As a result, many CRM experts may help your company. When choosing a platform, it's best to work with a consultant who is knowledgeable about that platform.

Here are the several types of CRM consultants.

1. Dynamics CRM Consultant

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is an enterprise cloud suite that includes ERP and CRM functionalities and provides businesses with complete knowledge of their clients and business operations.

Applications for businesses exist to automate operations, finance, customer support, marketing, and sales. They can be integrated with already installed programs as well as Excel and Outlook.

The main benefit of Dynamics 365 is that you can use it as a subscription, buy subscriptions based on your role, and scale it up as your company grows. Additionally, enterprises can get actionable insights based on Power BI, Machine Learning, and Predictive Analytics.

Small and medium-sized organizations and corporations in various industries can benefit from the great potential of Dynamics 365 with the assistance of a skilled Dynamics CRM consultant.

2. SAP CRM Consultant

Using SAP CRM, businesses can anticipate and proactively address their customers' needs to provide a seamless and personalized customer experience across multiple channels.

Cloud-based SAP CRM solution offers technologies based on machine learning and big data insights to provide a real-time customer experience in addition to core CRM features.

Your SAP CRM consultant will be familiar with the SAP business suite and how it supports functions like marketing, sales, and customer service.

3. Zoho CRM Consultant

Zoho CRM is an integrated solution for managing sales, marketing, and customer support. It includes different powerful features, including a user-friendly interface, sales pipeline management, an AI sales assistant, workflow automation, detailed reporting, email marketing tools, analytics, social media tools, etc.

Additionally, it has a reasonable price that is excellent for SMBs.

Hiring an experienced and certified Zoho CRM consultant is the best way to ensure that your project is managed and implemented professionally.

4. Quickbase CRM Consultant

Quickbase is a completely customizable cloud-based CRM system that needs little technical training from end users. You can use the native drag-and-drop interface and form builders to create custom CRM solutions quickly and efficiently based on the demands of your business.

Apps can be created either from scratch or by starting with a template and adding modules. The Quickbase platform may be used on any mobile device and is scalable.

You can seek the help of a CRM specialist who knows about developing and managing QuickBase applications to plan, create, and extend the functionality of your CRM system.

[Related Article:  5 Benefits of a Using a Software Consultant]

How a CRM Advisor Supports Off-the-Shelf Implementations

One of the most difficult tasks for any company is implementing a CRM system. You can't just purchase a new CRM platform with a ton of amazing features, install it, and expect that your client relationships will immediately improve and you will close more deals.

CRM implementation is actually a quite complex process, so you'll need to do a lot of planning before you begin. If you don't come up with an effective strategy, your CRM installation could end up becoming a complete failure, costing you money and losing productivity.

But customer relationships are what make or break any company, so CRM is a crucial part of any business.

In most situations, it makes sense to think about hiring an experienced external CRM consultant experten that can advise the best solution for your unique needs and offer suggestions on CRM implementation.

Consultants often take an active role in the implementation process and can support you in many phases, such as business process mapping, selecting an appropriate configuration, and developing system integration strategies.

Your consultant can offer advice on how to secure the application and improve its performance. Additionally, they will help you choose the appropriate ways to gather, extract, transfer, and analyze your company data.

In What Ways Do CRM Consultants Support Customized Implementations?

Are you unsure whether to start by purchasing a quick and inexpensive canned solution or investing in the development of custom software?

Think about the following:

• Although off-the-shelf software is less expensive, as your business expands, the lack of customization may result in ineffective manual processes, and you'll eventually need to invest a significant amount of money in the proprietary software so you could scale successfully.
• Building custom software is a wise choice if you want to scale effectively, and the return on investment may be more than worth the initial costs.

Why a Custom CRM Solution Is Necessary

Your business may become more scalable if you develop your own software that is customized to the unique requirements of your organization. Here are some advantages of having a customized CRM:

• It can provide you with a significant advantage and enable you to outperform competitors who use off-the-shelf software.
• For quicker, more accurate reporting, you can create an integrated platform that maintains all of your data in one place.
• With a custom system in place instead of having to rely on a disorganized collection of various programs, your team will be able to work more quickly and thoughtfully.
• You will be able to modify technological strategies quickly and succeed in the market as your business develops and its requirements change to stay competitive.
• You will get the unique features you require to meet the needs of your customers and business, giving you the power to build the best version of your business.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Hiring A CRM Consultant

To help you understand the possible benefits a CRM consultant may have for your company, we'll discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of hiring one.

Benefits of CRM Consultants

Optimizations and Business improvements

As was already mentioned, a CRM software consultant may help you manage the company internally and your CRM more effectively.

CRM consultants can help you improve your business operations by analyzing the data in your CRM.

Because of this, CRM consultancy is a measurable way to improve your business from the inside out.

Implementation Speed

The rate at which you can actually put ideas or strategies into practice is known as the speed of implementation.

A CRM consultant serves as a guide, holding you and your team accountable for quickly implementing the right strategies into action.

The implementation of a strategy could represent the difference between a successful or a non-profitable month because business changes very quickly.

The speed of implementation CRM consultants provide is very important for larger businesses.Since big businesses naturally have more hierarchical structures, more decisions must be made before they can be implemented.

Smaller businesses typically do not experience this undesirable slowness. (Smaller businesses may adapt to changes much more quickly than larger ones because the approval process for changes is often faster.)

Implementation speed works as a measure of how quickly a business grows.

Access to a Qualified Expert

When it comes to systems, CRM consultants are typically specialized professionals.

In addition to giving you advice on your campaigns and client retention goals, they are also accessible, making it simple for you to schedule meetings as needed.

For instance, the American President doesn't actually govern the nation by himself. He has a competent cabinet of very smart people who give him recommendations on which laws to sign.

Therefore, access to qualified professionals is always an important element for allowing you to consider new and better ideas.

[Related Article:  5 Steps of Effective CRM Implementation Strategy]

Drawbacks of CRM Consultants

Costly Price

Despite how useful CRM consultants can be, the cost is frequently very high. Yes, CRM consultants may be expensive, so if you run a small- to medium-sized business, creating a budget for one is essential.

Many CRM consulting companies charge per task that is required while consulting.

For example: 

• Project management 
• User training 
• Data migration 
• Opportunity configuration 
• General system configuration and user setup

It's just a few tasks.

According to research, medium-sized CRM projects with a duration of 5–100 days generally cost between $750 and $1250 per consultant each day. Therefore, it's crucial to determine the amount of the required task and outline it in writing. To make sure that everyone is on the same page, it should be a top priority to talk about goal KPIs.

Again, it would be a good idea to dedicate a part of the company budget to just CRM consultancy to reduce risk (inadequate solutions, flawed system setups, and more.).

Disconnect In The Company Culture

It is a well-known fact that every business has its own culture.

It's ideal if your CRM consultant fits seamlessly into your company, but this isn't always the case. It could happen that a consultant's personality or goals don't match well with the team's. Perhaps there are hidden motives that benefit their company over yours.

You need to analyze how well the person you're working with would fit in the corporate culture, just as in any other industry.

Therefore, it is necessary to:

• The first step is to request case studies from clients they have worked with in your sector.
• In addition, it is recommended that you meet with each other twice before cooperating.

Possibility of Only Getting Temporary Solutions

It's possible that the solutions your CRM implementation consultant finds are just temporary fixes to a more significant problem.

For instance, let's imagine your consultant regularly trains your reps, but they still don't seem to customize their pipeline stages in a way that reflects your business’s unique real-world pipeline. 

Additionally, your reps miss other aspects of their sales deals. The hiring of unqualified reps may be the main issue in this case.

Although it may seem that there has been long-lasting improvement (i.e., through training), this is only a temporary phase because the reps aren't using what they are learning.

4 Steps to Follow Before Hiring CRM Consultants

Do your homework and be ready to talk about the difficulties you hope to overcome as well as what you miss about your present CRM system.

Step 1: Determine Who Will Make Decisions

Determine who makes decisions for each department. If you have multiple offices, then from each one. It is essential because they frequently work and face issues differently. 

Step 2: Collect and Record Requirements 

It is preferable to define the needs as quickly as possible. Before considering choosing a CRM system, make carefully consider your long-term goals.

For instance, you might not now use your CRM system for email marketing and you may not require lead scoring. However, the time pass quickly, your marketing team will start producing more leads, and your sales team will need to prioritize them. Not every CRM system will offer this feature, or even just seamless integration with any tools you might require in the future.

In the future, implementing this request can be rather expensive, or you might even need to switch to a different CRM system.

You should allocate enough time to determine your needs, including those for your future growth. A qualified CRM consultant should assist you in creating clear requirements.

But!

Ideally, you ought to pick a CRM expert who has previously overcome similar problems several times. Therefore, you should have a list of the main tasks that the future CRM software will enable you to complete.

Look for a CRM consultant who can meet your needs effectively and has the necessary skills.  

Step 3: Create a list of CRM Consulting Companies to Contact 

Every time you need to choose a vendor, you can look at their social media profiles in addition to their websites.

Start with LinkedIn, the largest professional network in the world with over 660 million users in more than 200 countries and territories. Here, you may quickly view corporate employees as well as their professional skills. Even though not everyone has a LinkedIn page, it is still a great place to start.

Then prepare your questions for the CRM consultants you shortlisted. 

Step 4: Review Independent Platforms for CRM Consultancy Reviews

Review websites like Clutch. co that is a great resource for finding the best CRM consulting company. There, you can get a clear view of the consultancies' advantages and disadvantages as well as their areas of specialization and target markets.

For instance, Ascendix regularly appears at the top of the Clutch. co and the Manifest rankings as a Top Global CRM Consulting Firm and B2B Company.

[Related Article: What is Customer Service? Definition, Types, and Benefits]

Conclusion

A software implementation program can create uncertainties that could damage your investment and your goal if you do it alone. 

You can stop worrying about your data and operations after you've hired a CRM consultant. Therefore, it is usually more beneficial to select a professional CRM consultant that can help you throughout the overall process whenever you decide to design custom software. 

A CRM business consultant can help you by developing objectivity, professional expertise, strategic planning, and effective use of CRM technology. 

This will enable you to give your customers better reliable service and close more deals. A CRM implementation expert evaluates the client's capabilities and offers the best CRM option to suit your company's needs.

Find the best inexpensive CRM!