CRM
What a CRM implementation costs, and how long it takes
A CRM keeps every call, form and message in one place and follows each enquiry up. Setting one up properly takes more than buying the software.
This post covers the two parts of CRM implementation cost and what changes the timeline. It also walks through the steps from first demo to a system your team uses.
The two costs
Most CRM costs fall into two parts.
The setup
This is a one-off cost. It covers mapping how your enquiries work, setting up the system, moving your contacts across and training your team.
The software
This is a monthly cost for the CRM itself. It carries on for as long as you use it.
Keep the two apart when you compare quotes. A cheap monthly price can hide an expensive setup, and the other way round.
What moves the setup cost
Implementing a CRM system costs more when there's more to connect, move and automate.
- How many places enquiries come from, such as phone, text, email, website forms and Facebook or Instagram messages
- How many automations you need, such as missed-call text back, quote follow-ups, booking reminders and review requests
- How much data comes across, and how tidy it is
- How many other systems it links to, such as your website, booking pages or accounts software
- How many people need training, and in how many roles
What moves the timeline
The same things affect how long it takes. A few others matter as well.
The first month of use matters most. That's when real enquiries show up the gaps, and the setup gets adjusted.
- How quickly your team can spare time for the mapping and training
- How messy the existing contact data is
- How many changes come up once people start using it
The five steps
1. The demo
You see the CRM working and ask what it can do. If it isn't a fit for your business, that's the time to find out.
2. The map
Whoever answers the phone and books the jobs explains how enquiries arrive, who handles them and where they stall. The map is signed off before anything is set up.
3. The setup
Pipeline stages (the steps an enquiry moves through), follow-ups, booking, reminders and review requests are set up to match the map. Existing contacts come across.
4. Training
Everyone who'll use it is shown how, with real enquiries. Short video guides help people remember later.
5. The first month
How the system is used gets watched, and anything that isn't working gets changed. After that, it should be part of how your business runs.
Signs it's worth doing
A CRM is worth the cost when enquiries arrive faster than anyone can keep track of them. Look out for these signs.
- Nobody's sure who rang last week, or what they wanted.
- Quotes go out and nobody chases them.
- There are several versions of the customer spreadsheet.
- You can't say how many enquiries came in last month, or how many became jobs.
How we price a CRM setup
Every CRM setup we do starts with a demo and a free quote. The quote shows the setup and the monthly software cost separately, along with a timeline.