CRM Insights Blog

Implementation of CRM: 5 Best Practices for a Cloud Solution

Implementation of CRM using a cloud solution requires careful consideration. Done correctly, your business will save money and improve results. Done wrong, and you could jeopardize the very existence of your business. Here are some suggestions to get it done right.

Mobility

One reason to turn to the cloud is mobility – cloud solutions are inherently mobile. While your marketing department may be stationary, chances are your sales force will be on the go. Your cloud solution needs to be able to travel along. The key is to find a solution compatible with the mobile platform you want to use. Will it be company issued laptops or individually acquired smartphones? You need too decide the method of mobility and select a solution able to accommodate your choice (or choices).

Security

While the cloud is inherently more mobile, it is also inherently less secure. Learn from your vendor how your solution ensures security. Confirm your vendor meets industry certifications such as ISO27001 and SAS 70 Type II. Create a security policy and enforce it with your personnel. This should include password protection and device access and usage at a minimum.

Restricting access to authorized users is only one aspect of security. Providing 99.9% availability and 300ms of less access time are also essential to a CRM cloud solution’s effectiveness. This means your vendor should have disaster recovery procedures in place to minimize interruptions in service.

Scalability

Don’t implement a wrong-sized solution. Large enterprise CRM solutions may not be appropriate for small and medium sized businesses. At the same time, you need to make sure the solution you implement can grow with you.

One other fundamental feature of cloud solutions is their scalability. Any cloud solution which cannot grow as you grow or allow you to scale back when necessary is not taking full advantage of what the cloud has to offer.

Cost containment

Since cloud solutions are scalable, don’t get locked into long-term contracts for more access than you need. While you don’t want to be left wanting if you experience rapid growth, you don’t want to be left paying for more than you need when times are tough. Make sure our contract allows for flexibility and some guarantee your vendor can provide that flexibility.

Planning and oversight

To implement and execute a CRM cloud solution requires planning and oversight. Choosing the right solution; getting buy-in from sales, marketing and customer support; and staying on top of costs and security concerns all require management involvement.

Harvest Solutions provides consulting to help meet the demands of implementation of CRM cloud solutions.