Customer relationship management software helps businesses streamline their interactions with customers. But developing a CRM system is challenging, and there isn’t one universal methodology that works for every organization. Every CRM project is unique, and the development team must tailor the process to suit each case. CRM software development involves separate but interrelated tasks, all of which are necessary to create a functional product. You can’t just assemble prebuilt components and expect them to work together as a single system. Each phase of the process adds value by producing an outcome that serves your company’s unique needs. With the right mix of people and processes, you can accelerate your implementation while still meeting your long-term goals.
Know your business requirements
Before you start developing any software, you must understand who will use the system and what they need to achieve. Business requirements define the desired outcome, including the project’s scope, the target budget, and the timeline. This data helps the CRM Software for Small Businesses team understand the project’s goals, including the specific functionality that you expect from the system. You also must understand the CRM software’s place within your organization. You may want to integrate the system with other solutions, or your stakeholders may want to use the application to automate existing processes. You can’t just assume that everyone on the project understands your requirements. You must clearly articulate them so that every stakeholder has the same information. Document your business requirements, and use them to create a project charter. This provides a framework for the CRM development team to follow.
Install a test environment
The CRM software company process is long, and you may not have time to build a test environment near the end of the project. Even though you can integrate the completed software with your existing infrastructure, it’s better to start testing while the code is still in an early stage. Most organizations have a staging environment where they can install CRM software. This is a virtual or physical replica of your production environment that allows the end-users to test the new system with real data. A test environment lets you evaluate the user experience and uncover potential issues before the CRM goes live. It also lets you conduct parallel development and quality assurance (QA) testing so that you can complete your project on time.
Choose the right CRM platform
Choosing the right CRM Software system platform is crucial to the success of your project. Ideally, you want to select a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) system that supports your business objectives. But not all systems are created equal, so you must evaluate each solution before you pick one. The CRM system you select should align with your business goals and the people who will use it. If the stakeholders want to customize the functionality, you should select a system that supports customizations. You also should consider factors like scalability and relative cost, as well as the reputation of the vendor. You also should evaluate several systems and select the one that best complements your organization. This helps you avoid vendor lock-in and provides you with maximum flexibility and value.
Estimate resource requirements
Before you start developing the CRM system, you must have some idea of the amount of time and money required to complete the project. You don’t want to vastly underestimate these figures and set unrealistic expectations. But you also don’t want to set goals that are too ambitious and fall behind schedule. Depending on your organization, you may have a general idea of how long similar projects have taken. You can also talk to other companies that have implemented CRM systems to get an idea of their costs. And don’t forget to factor in the costs associated with training and testing the system once it’s been built. You need to know the total amount of resources so that you can create a realistic timeline and provide stakeholders with an accurate cost estimate.
Develop the data center infrastructure
You may not be able to build the CRM application from scratch. If you’re using an existing COTS system, you must integrate it with your current infrastructure. You also must plan the storage capacity, compute power, and system reliability requirements. You may want to deploy the application in multiple regions to improve system uptime, or you may need to implement automation to reduce human error. Whatever infrastructure changes you make must be scalable, reliable, and secure. The software components must be highly available, and any fault-tolerant solutions must conform to industry best practices. The infrastructure must be scalable so that you can add capacity as needed or remove components when they’re not needed. It must use industry-standard protocols, and it must be securely managed with an appropriate level of user access.
Develop the user interface
The user interface is the front end of the CRM application. It lets customers interact with the system and guides them through the workflow. You can create a custom interface, or you can modify the interface that comes with the vendor’s software. The interface should match your customers’ expectations and conform to established usability principles. It should also be intuitive so that even inexperienced users can navigate the system with ease. A good interface lets customers quickly find the information they need and take action without assistance. It also should provide feedback to help users understand their progress through the workflow.
Test and train end-users
Even if you’ve done everything right, users may not be able to navigate the new system or understand how to use it. They may be unfamiliar with the interface and the available functionality, or they may struggle to find the data they need. You need to test the system with real customers and capture any feedback or issues they encounter. You can do this in the staging environment or with a subset of your end-users. Ideally, you want to conduct this testing before the system goes live so that you can make any necessary adjustments. You also want to train end-users on the new system so that they’re comfortable using it before it goes live. Ideally, you should provide them with hands-on training so that they gain a real understanding of the system.
Summing up
A successful CRM implementation requires careful planning and execution. You can speed up the process by implementing a well-planned methodology, selecting the right CRM platform, installing a test environment, estimating resource requirements, developing the data center infrastructure, developing the user interface, and testing and training end-users. With the right approach, you can design and deploy a system that delights customers and empowers employees.