4 Clues it’s time to choose a new CRM
Technology like constituent relationship management (CRM) platforms should be making work at your nonprofit easier, more efficient, and more effective, but we all know that isn’t always the case. How do you know if your technology has stopped meeting your needs? We asked our friend Maureen Wallbeoff, digital strategist and experienced “accidental techie,” what clues nonprofits should look out for to signal that it might be time to seek out a new platform.
Q: What are some signs that it’s time to start looking for a new CRM?
A: There are four clues that you can look for to know whether it is time for your organization to really start looking for a new CRM.
Clue #1: your organization has outgrown your platform!
Clue number one is that you outgrew it. It’s too small for you now, and no longer meets your needs. It’s possible that your organization has grown and changed, and now you find yourselves needing to level up your system.
Clue #2: you have new or different needs.
Clue number two is that your needs have changed. You need new functionalities for new tasks, and over time you’ve been bolting on separate products to help you do all the stuff your organization needs to do—that’s a 2nd sign.
Clue #3: it wasn’t a fit from the start.
The third clue that your organization might need to start looking around for a new CRM is that your current system just was not a good fit for you to begin with. Nonprofits have unique needs that not every platform can meet, and nonprofit teams sometimes stick with their systems a little bit longer than they should. So if you’ve been living with something that never was a perfect fit, this might be a good sign for you to look around for a new solution.
Clue #4: you’re looking for a better vendor relationship.
And the fourth clue is that you might not have a great relationship with the software vendor. If you’re feeling like there’s friction there, that may also be a good reason for you to start looking around.
