Having the right customer relationship management (CRM) system in place is a game changer for any business.
From streamlining how your employees manage customer information to enhancing your marketing, sales and even software development processes, CRM systems can make a big difference in how you reach your customers and make each interaction with them effective, personalized and value-generating.
Choosing the right CRM system for your business is complex enough on its own, but testing it before implementation can also be complicated without the right support in place.
So how can your business choose the right testing company to maximize the potential of your CRM system implementation? Here are our key tips to ensure you make the right decision.
CRM systems touch many elements across your business. From sales and marketing to finance and customer service, these systems have interfaces in many active business processes.
This is why it’s vital to get buy-in from stakeholders on the plan to bring in a test company and elevate your configurations, integrations and workflows. Your stakeholders can also refine the timeline and objectives of your testing efforts.
From there, build your vendor selection team with representatives from each of the core business functions to ensure their perspectives and priorities are woven into the selection criteria and process.
The market for service providers can be crowded and confusing to navigate without the right preparation—especially once the sales tactics begin. That’s why it is important to have your selection criteria locked in before you meet with potential software testing companies, as well as the objective qualities that you will rate them on.
Many items can be included in your selection criteria, but some of the most important include:
Another key component that should not be overlooked is your preference for where the service provider will be physically conducting their work on your engagement. Do you want them to have testing staff come on-site and meet with your team? Is it acceptable for the service provider to have a global service delivery model where some meetings and work is conducted remotely? Is it possible to have testers conduct work on-site or remotely?
Thinking through your expectations across all of these domains will not only help your team get on the same page, but also help the right potential service providers get in front of your selection team.
As you begin to narrow down the potential vendors into a short list, you can use targeted questions to separate a good testing company from a great one.
For example, ask some of the following questions and see if their responses fit with your organization’s culture, expectations and testing goals:
In addition to the answers themselves, how professionally and confidently the potential test company answers these questions demonstrates their strengths as a potential partner.
Selecting the right company for your CRM testing requires an investment of both time and effort. However, this is an investment that not only establishes a long-term, productive relationship, but also strengthens the foundational elements of your business.
Whether you are just beginning the search for a test company or are looking to take your CRM testing to the next level, the experienced professionals at Qualitest would love to speak with you.
Click here to connect with a Qualitest CRM expert now.
