Are CRM software options and features a good thing or a bad thing?
You might think that having more choices is generally a good thing. But...
Too many choices leads to too many decisions and too little time to do what is really important.
In the 2004 book (The Paradox of Choice - Why More Is Less), American psychologist Barry Schwartz argues that eliminating consumer choices can greatly reduce anxiety for shoppers.
Alvin Tofler, in his 1970 book Future Shock, described a similar cognitive process he termed "Overchoice" (also referred to a choice overload) in which people have a difficult time making a decision when faced with many options.
The Risks of Too Many CRM Software Options
So while an abundance of choice among CRM software options might be a good thing, one has to ask if the selection of a marketing automation platform is made any easier when more features are available?
If you’re considering implementing CRM for the first time or upgrading your current system, it’s important to create a software selection plan that facilitates success. Here are some risks of “too much” software and other common CRM implementation mistakes.
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The truth is, having too many CRM software options and features can actually increase risks and lead to failed CRM projects.
How to Choose (the Right CRM Software for Your Business)
Certainly, no choices are a bad thing. And, we've seen that too many choices can (and does) lead to analysis paralysis.
So, how do you decide on the best CRM software platform when the features list goes up.
Here's our take...
Know your Goal (or Goals)
The process of goal-setting and decision making begins with the question: "What do you want?"
When faced with the choice picking a CRM software platform, you'd ideally make your choice based upon the expected utility.
If you've worked with a particular solution in the past, or if you know someone who has, your choice will be influenced by this.
Evaluate the Importance of Each Goal
Some goals will be more important than others. When it comes to evaluating a set of features, it would be important to know how those features meet your most important goals.
Categorise CRM Software Options and Features
Individual features of the CRM software can be categorised into broader categories.
For example, features such as personalised communication, email opens and clicks might all be categorised as customer engagement.
On the other hand, tasks, appointments, pipelines and automated followup could be categorised as sales automation.
These categories, once listed, will make it easier easier to consolidate the features so that they are aligned to your specific goals.
Evaluate how Likely Each of the Features will Meet Your Goals.
People often talk about how "creative accountants can make a corporate balance sheet look as good or bad as they want it to look."
In many ways Schwartz views most people as "creative accountants" when it comes to keeping their own psychological balance sheet.
Make an objective assessment of each of the features and feature categories against the goals you established.
Picking the Winning Solution
The winning solution has to be CRM software platform that fits best to your goals.
Need help in selecting the right CRM software platform for your business?
We promise it will be one of your most valuable assets when dealing with the plethora of CRM software options.
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