Overview

While many technical trends have short life spans, CRM has demonstrated that it has some legs. That doesn't mean, however, that all the vendors that have jumped on the CRM bandwagon understand CRM or that their software packages are, in fact, CRM solutions.

After the CRM team determines what the company wants and needs for its CRM initiative, the next step is to decide which software package will deliver. As the number of CRM vendors increase (with many claiming best-of-breed status from one angle or another), the CRM team must find a way to work through the crowd of clamoring vendors to reach its ultimate goal: the right combination of features and functionality, on the right technology platform. And do it without expending unnecessary time and effort. Any decisions made at this juncture advances the CRM team's previous hard work from theory to bottom line profits.

As word gets out that a company is looking for CRM technology, a feeding fenzy begins. A horde of CRM vendors will converge. As the CRM team listens to each new pitch, what once was clear can become very murky.

The team must be prepared vendors want to make a sale; they will do whatever it takes to get a signature on a contract. Vendor sales teams are skilled at making anyone believe that if their product isn't chosen, the CRM initiative will fail. Exercise discretion and selectivity when scheduling meetings with vendors.

There are five items to keep in the forefront...