Avoid CRM promises: ensure you get the functionality you require
By Mike Richardson, Managing Director – Maximizer Software EMEA
Recently I published a blog titled ‘Are you getting what you asked for?’ in which I reviewed the importance of understanding which functionalities you require and then researching and trialling different products. In the article I even encouraged readers to avoid ‘free’ online options because they usually lead to extortionate implementation and integration fees – but I’ve now discovered you lose more than money with ‘free’ options!
Like most Managing Directors, I spent the last week of March locked up in the conference room with my Heads of Sales, Marketing & Business Development reviewing our Q1 stats. Yet like any good Managing Director, I always expect more, so I decided to undertake some desk research to see what my competitors are up to.
In doing so, I was pleased to find that our marketing efforts provide customers and prospects alike, with detailed information to help them make an informed decision. In short, at Maximizer, we are practising what I was preaching in my previous article. But unfortunately I cannot say the same for some of our competitors.
Don’t be tricked By CRM (Covert misRepresentation Marketing)
Now I have strong views with regard to berating the competition to win a sale. In my opinion a good product should be able to sell itself, which I believe Maximizer does. However, I do feel it is important to highlight some of the marketing traps that are being set to ensure companies get the CRM they want and need.
What I am referring to is false advertising. As a part of my research I signed up for a free trial of a competitor’s system and I have to admit, I liked it! Good functionality, usability, multi-access etc etc. In fact, I was puzzled as to how this solution could be offered ‘free’ when the product development costs would have been significant. So I began to investigate…
After nearly an hour of clicking through the website, an email to customer services and finally a phone call it turned out what I trialled was the fully-functional premier edition, but what was available ‘free to download’ was the significantly limited version, in which over two-thirds of the functionality had been removed.
I went back to the website and read through everything relating to the trial and the free download and there was nothing to state that the trial product was different to the ‘free download’. In fact, if it hadn’t been for my industry experience and digging, I would have assumed that what I was trialling was what I could download!
How to avoid such marketing ploys
In a world of instant gratification, 24/7 customer service desks and online trials, what I suggest may seem a little old-fashioned but my advice to avoid such traps is to slow down. More than half of the investment in a CRM project is hidden in the time it takes to train you and your staff, so don’t waste time in the initial decision-process by purchasing an unsuitable solution, follow these four steps.
1. Identify your must-have functionalities.
2. Then, once you have identified the edition you require, call back and ask for a trial of that edition, if it is not available ask for a 1-2-1 demo so you can review what you will receive
3. And finally, if there is a ‘free’ online version that meets all your requirements, call the Provider again and double-check the costs associated with implementation and integration.
4. It is true that nothing in life is truly ‘free’ so avoid test driving a Ferrari but driving away in a Fiat by following the simple steps above.
