As our technologies continue to advance and our options for communication become easier and more plentiful, your business model must be in a malleable position. The general business model has evolved practically completely due to these technological advancements – calls are actually rarely made on the phone anymore. Email is king, and with every year, other forms of communication are available when it comes to connecting with both internal and external teams.
Practically all of our professional processes now are completed digitally, whether it’s finalizing sales, garnering contracts, or even setting up conference calls. With multiple teams working together for a common goal, maintaining all of the steps in a clear and concise way for all parties to understand is ideal. Using Zoho CRM for managing these processes and syncing all parties together with immediate updates, notifications for required tasks, and information on the entire deal translates to a more reliable end product.
If you’re considering implementing Zoho CRM into your company’s blueprint for a more streamlined culture of performing and completing tasks, the first step is congratulating your executive team for accepting the reality of entering the next generation of conducting business. The digital world can be a scary place if you’re not entirely familiar with its capabilities, but since you have the bravery and the admittance that it can only help your business develop and grow, you can reap all those benefits.
Implementing Zoho CRM into your company may introduce some growing pains within some of your teams or individual employees. It can be difficult to essentially shift the way things are done with each and every team within your company, but with proper training and consultation, the integration can be done successfully. Zoho recognizes that the change will bring about plenty of questions and concerns, which is why it also offers the option to hire consultants to help with the transition.
There are so many wonderful and qualified experts out in the market that are willing and able to help you and your company with the cross-over. That alone can make it feel unsure of where (or even how) to start looking for the perfect fit for your company’s Zoho CRM implementation. Before you start, here are five key things to keep in mind as you start the search process for your Zoho CRM consultant.
1. Be sure to do enough background research
Chances are, so many Zoho CRM consultants have extensive backgrounds with impressive recommendations and success stories to help secure their legitimacy. Be sure to also consider the industry in which your company is to help you understand what your requirements are of your consultant. If your business relies on advertising, your ideal consultant will probably be a lot different that one that doesn’t. If your company relies heavily on selling product and managing distribution, it’s helpful to look for consultants that may have previously worked with other companies in that industry before.
2. Don’t be vague with your wish list
Every company is different, with varying values and end goals. You may have wanted to kickstart your Zoho CRM because your company’s disorganization was holding you back from generating revenue. Or maybe you’re interested in the platform because your business is growing and you want to ensure you avoid any future disorganization or clutter. No matter your primary desire with Zoho CRM, it’s important to be detailed in what you need from the platform to your consultant so that they can fully address your wishlist in the most customizable way.
3. Keep an open mind
Because of the internet and our smart devices, there are channels all over the world for opportunity and advancement. People from all backgrounds and trainings have been able to learn these skills because of these technological advancements. It may still be easy to assume what you might get from your ideal Zoho CRM consultant, but it’s helpful to keep an open mind going into the process of finding your consultant. Depending on your company’s industry and long-term goals, it might be helpful to tap into a consultant that has worked in industry’s other than yours for a fresh perspective and a new way of thinking. It might be scary to hire a millennial, but consider how their brains are wired so differently because of their organic upbringing with technology and instant communication. It might be easy to move forward with a consultant that feels like a natural fit for your company, but it’s also helpful to think outside the box if you’re hoping for your company to do the same.
4. Consult with all key stakeholders
Implementing Zoho CRM into your company’s day-to-day means that every single employee will be utilizing the program. Accounting works completely differently than Sales. HR operates in differently than Planning. Gather all of your department heads when finding the right Zoho CRM consultant to ensure that each leader is on the same page. Each representative knows his/her team the best and they all work best. Keeping this in mind when selecting your consultant will only secure the universal idea that you made the right decision in hiring your consultant.
5. Consider every department
Again, every department is different, and so each team will be utilizing the program in a different manner. There might be certain departments that have older team members on board, which might mean that they’ll require a bit more Zoho CRM training for onboarding. Your sales team is probably often on the road and may not be able to dedicate hours at a time for learning the system. The financial departments will probably be leaning on the program quite heavily given all the crucial number work they do, so they might need more intimate training. Once all of these teams are considered, you can then more easily narrow down your ideal candidate as a Zoho CRM consultant. This expert will know which teams may need more help or individual attention, and by highlighting this in the beginning, the whole transition will be smoother.
