Choosing the best CRM software solution, and why Salesforce might be the right fit for your organisation

A 1-point improvement in Forrester’s Customer Experience Index can increase company revenue by between $25 million and $1.1 billion.

How to choose the right solution for improving customer experience

The capabilities offered by today’s CRM solutions are pivotal for improving your customer experience and, in turn, boosting revenue.  In a report published by Forrester earlier this year, the company analysed the Customer Experience Index of businesses across fifteen different industries. The investigation concluded that an improvement of just one point on the index could entail a revenue increase of up to $1.1 billion.

As such, the selection of a software provider has become a strategic decision that can have a decisive impact on business results. Keeping this in mind, we at redk have outlined a series of recommendations based on Forrester’s research to help your organisation select the right CRM solution. Salesforce, for example, ranks at number one in the market analysis and may well be the right provider for your company’s needs. By following these steps, you can be sure you’re making an informed choice.

The first step: sketch out a roadmap

When it comes to taking a strategic decision, it’s key to develop a well-organised plan. Start by defining the exact nature of the implementation process and the technical and business requirements behind it.  It’s important to have a specific team designated to this task, including a member of the management team and representatives from each department that will be directly affected by the tech transition.  The next stages include exploring solutions currently on the market, testing trial versions, and creating a shortlist of between two and five that best align with company needs. This allows for a well-informed final decision that favours proof-of-concept trials where possible.

When selecting a CRM solution, it’s best to use “a four-phase approach: organise, narrow, evaluate and decide.”

Seek advice from industry experts

Throughout the process, it’s key to get expert advice—especially at the pre-selection stage. Your organisation can take advantage of previously conducted research and market studies to narrow down the available options.

For this stage, one of the most useful studies is The Forrester Wave™, a quarterly report that uses a 37-criterion evaluation to identify and analyse the capabilities of the 10 most influential sales force automation (SFA) providers in the global market.

According to The Forrester Wave™, Salesforce leads the SFA market due to its broad sales ecosystem, which has the largest global client base.

Why Salesforce continues to be the leading software solution

According to the report, “Salesforce continues to dominate the sales application category it defined decades ago because of its strong engagement strategy that goes beyond technology.” With an extensive developer network, comprehensive applications ecosystem, strategic services and broad product portfolio, the company’s solutions are attractive to businesses of all sizes.

More than 150,000 organisations worldwide use Sales Cloud, a Salesforce solution that enhances the experience of sales representatives and, in turn, results in a better customer experience.

With an extensive offering that consists of automation and collaboration tools, vertical solutions for key industries, data-driven recommendations to boost sales productivity, and revenue management and customer success modules to broaden the suite’s capabilities, Salesforce earns one of the highest scores in Forrester’s report.
Salesforce solutions rely on powerful AI tools to create pre-packaged scenarios, predictive models, and recommendations that multiply commerce teams’ productivity throughout the sales process.
Users agree with Forrester

Customers surveyed by Forrester praised Salesforce’s broad application offering, as well as its ability to innovate and support upcoming digital trends. In addition, the report identifies Sales Cloud as the solution of choice for organisations looking to invest in a strategic transformation of customer operations.

Here at redk, we are experts in the implementation of CRM software. For more than 15 years, we’ve been empowering companies to make strategic decisions that improve customer experience and increase sales. If you’ve decided to start using Salesforce or need advice on finding the CRM that best fits your organisation’s needs, get in touch with us today. We will guide you through each stage of the transformation, from solution selection to implementation.