Consider Your Budget

Budget

Make sure you look for hidden costs in addition to costs for items such as licenses, hardware and other infrastructure. These could include costs for implementation, training employees and customers, business reengineering, increased service requirements from infrastructure vendors and internal IT support.

Implementation

This involves tasks such as system installation, printer installations, user configurations, preliminary training and system testing. While planning, keep in mind the importance of effective implementation. Many companies do not get the expected results out of a CRM solution simply because of faulty implementation by the vendor. Take references and cross-check success rates of prior implementations done by your shortlisted vendors. You may also consider purchasing the application from an OEM and having it implemented by a specialised provider.

Do you think there are other budget considerations?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.