Choosing a CRM? Here are the 10 critical questions you need to answer before you commit.
1. Can This CRM Scale as Our Business Grows?
What to look for:
- User limits: Can you add unlimited users, or do tiers cap you?
- Data storage: What happens when you hit 10,000 contacts? 100,000?
- Pricing model: Does cost scale linearly, or does it jump dramatically at certain thresholds?
Red flag: If a CRM charges 3x more once you pass 50 users, budget for that now.
2. How Do We Migrate Our Existing Customer Data?
Migration checklist:
- Does the CRM support CSV imports?
- Can it connect to your current system via API?
- Is there a migration service (paid or free)?
- What data will you lose in the transfer? (custom fields, notes, activity history?)
Pro tip: Test migration with a small dataset first. Clean your data before importing (remove duplicates, fix formatting).
3. How Will We Get Our Team to Actually Use It?
The biggest CRM failure is adoption. Sales reps hate data entry.
How to ensure adoption:
- Choose a CRM with a simple, intuitive interface
- Integrate with tools they already use (email, calendar, Slack)
- Automate data entry wherever possible
- Make it mandatory: "If it's not in the CRM, it doesn't exist"
- Train properly (don't just throw them a login)
4. What Reports Should We Be Running?
Essential CRM reports for sales managers:
- Sales pipeline: Where are deals stuck?
- Win/loss analysis: Why are you losing deals?
- Sales rep performance: Who's hitting quota?
- Lead source ROI: Which channels generate the best leads?
- Sales cycle length: How long from first contact to close?
Your CRM should make these reports easy to generate and customize.
5. How Secure Is Our Customer Data?
Must-haves for CRM security:
- SOC 2 compliance
- GDPR compliance (if you have EU customers)
- Data encryption (at rest and in transit)
- Regular backups
- Role-based access controls (not everyone sees everything)
Ask: "What happens if there's a data breach?" If they don't have a clear answer, walk away.
6. Does It Integrate with Our Current Tools?
Critical integrations:
- Email (Gmail, Outlook)
- Calendar
- Marketing automation (Mailchimp, HubSpot)
- Accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero)
- Communication tools (Slack, Zoom)
If your CRM doesn't integrate with your email, you'll create data silos. Not worth it.
7. What's the True Total Cost?
Hidden CRM costs:
- Per-user licensing
- Add-on features (reporting, automation, storage)
- Implementation/setup fees
- Training costs
- Data migration costs
- Custom integrations or development
That "$12/user/month" CRM might actually cost $50/user once you add necessary features.
8. Can We Customize It to Our Sales Process?
Customization needs:
- Custom fields (to track industry-specific data)
- Custom pipelines (your sales stages, not generic ones)
- Custom workflows/automation
- Custom reports and dashboards
If the CRM forces you to change your process, that's a problem. It should adapt to you, not the other way around.
9. What's the Learning Curve?
Time to productivity:
- Simple CRMs: 1-2 weeks
- Mid-tier CRMs: 1 month
- Enterprise CRMs (Salesforce): 3-6 months
If your reps can't figure it out in 2 weeks, they won't use it.
10. What If We Want to Switch Later?
Exit strategy questions:
- Can you export all your data easily?
- Are you locked into a long-term contract?
- What happens to your data if you stop paying?
Never get trapped. Always have an exit plan.
Conclusion
A CRM is only as good as your team's willingness to use it. Choose one that's simple, integrates well, and scales with your business. Nail adoption first�features second.
Ready to implement? Learn how to use a CRM effectively for sales.