Start off on the right foot by being nice to each other. This could turn out to be a rewarding partnership.

Here are some tips on how to make the most of the CRM demonstration:

You’ve narrowed down your short list of viable small business CRM solutions to one or more of the following: sales lead tracking/salesforce automation, marketing, customer service, or a combination of them.

You are prepared to receive a CRM presentation from your CRM vendor. Make sure you have everything prepared. Your questions for the CRM RFI (Request For Information) are all prepared. If you are unsure of what to say, take a step back.

It’s a CRM buyers market, so there are many competitive CRM solutions to choose from. So, one may be more demanding than usual!

Here are some pointers to help you enjoy the CRM presentation more:

It is best if you do the data import yourself. If the vendor or reseller cannot identify with your CRM programme records, you and your staff will have an easier time relating to them. It would also be a tedious chore to get them to do the data import or conversion.

It’s important to incorporate the data import into the training session as a demo or presentation. For example, ask to see them do the data import so you can learn how it is done. You can also add a sample customer record.

Make use of as much of your own data as possible, since this will provide you with an assessment of the software’s performance with a realistic database size. Make sure to inquire about what computers the presentation is done on. It could be some high-powered machine to conceal the degradation as soon as the number of records reaches hundreds or thousands.

Be mindful of how effectively your CRM data has been transferred from your source, especially if it’s your accounting system, Excel spreadsheet, contact database or other data source. How much information you’ll need to leave behind, like notes, agenda items, for example, must be identified beforehand, not after the fact. A fresh start to your CRM system might be available to you if you know now whether this is the case. Data capture for your CRM software might be of assistance.

This will also be a chance to test the CRM vendor to see how much they care about meeting your needs. If their pre-sale approach isn’t particularly convincing, you can be sure that their customer service will not be any better once you’ve signed the contract.

A CRM presentation may be just a salesperson going through the products’ list of features in order. It might be impressive or it might bore you to sleep. Ask them to recreate as many of your working conditions as possible. When you see the curve of a poor-designed CRM software application, you begin to perceive ‘user friendliness’ in a less literal manner.

Create some of your own working situations, for instance:

It’s best to keep things light and friendly with your accountant, especially if you expect results and value over the long term. Don’t risk overdoing it and pushing your luck, though.

This can be the beginning of a rewarding relationship if you be nice to each other.