Your CRM RFP Checklist

​The CRM (Customer Relationship Management) industry is expected to grow at a rate of 14% between the years 2021 to 2027.

But, the market is saturated with different CRM systems and vendors, so it’s hard to find the best one.

RFP (Request for proposal) is what an organization must release when choosing a service provider or vendor. This document includes specific information like price, scope, and add-ons.

An RFP also includes a request for potential vendors to respond with bids. These two features need to work in unison if you want to have a successful company.

This CRM RFP checklist will help you determine the right system for your business

What Does RFP Have To Do With CRM?

When an organization is looking for CRM software, they have to release an RFP that provides an outline that states what they are looking for and what it aims to achieve.

CRM RFP requirements will vary from person to person depending on their individual business goals. An RFP is essential for finding the right vendor that offers CRM software support, security, onboarding, and other services.

So, CRM vendors can submit proposals when replying to RFP requests that specifically state why they would work well with a business. When responding to an RFP request, a CRM vendor needs to include the following information:

• Action plan of how things will be managed
• Timeline of expectations
• The estimated price breakdown of CRM services
• Other necessary details for RFP requests

So, here is how you can build a great CRM RFP template.

Follow This CRM RFP Checklist

You must follow specific checklist requirements to succeed when sending RFP requests and building a strong CRM proposal. This will give you all the information you need to make the most of CRM services.

The first stage is picking the right team.

Work With the Right Team

The people you work with will impact all aspects of your business, from selling products to communications with customers. Building a successful CRM RFP is about having the right people on your team.

You should carefully select people from your sale rep team and managers. But it’s also essential to involve the best marketers and anyone else who will directly impact CRM.

Plus, you should have a strong IT team that can offer insight into technical issues and how to make improvements to make the process better. Basically, you should include strong team members from all levels of the business.

This will give you a coherent system to deliver the best business results.

Think About Your Business Needs

It’s always crucial that you have a clear understanding of what your business strengths are and the areas that need improvements in your company.

Once you’ve decided that you want CRM software, outlining your business needs is the next step.

Of course, all businesses will need different things from CRM, but there are a few things to think about that can help you better understand your business’s inner workings.

Here are the key things to consider about your business:

• Weaknesses in your company
• Data Analytics
• Current processes
• User needs
• Deployment
• Customer focus and possible improvements

You can brainstorm with your team and write down answers to these bullet points to understand what needs to be improved and what is working well right now.

Get Specific About CRM Features

After you’ve thought about your business needs, you’ll have a clear set of CRM features to implement. This step will be a lot easier if you focus on analyzing your business first, then move on to writing CRM features.

In the beginning, you can start with lots of ideas and narrow them down by being strict about what will make an impact and what is not a priority.

For instance, an IT employee will have different priorities than managers, so it’s important to take everyone’s thoughts into consideration. That way, you can make a list of pros and cons to make an informed decision.

Remember that the features should focus on business needs above all else. So, you should think about customer relationships, how to boost revenue, potential cost reductions, and time efficiency improvements.

Create an RFP

Once you’ve taken the time for a CRM evaluation, you can start making the RFP. When you create the outline for the RFP, you’ll be able to attract the exact CRM vendors you want from the previous steps.

But your RFP needs to be concise and clear. Try to leave out as much extra information as possible whilst sticking to the main details.

The best way to submit an RFP is through a technology selection management platform, which allows you to auto-compute vendors and analyze responses.

Make a Shortlist and Look at the Responses

The last thing on the CRM RFP checklist is compiling a shortlist of CRM vendors and reviewing the responses. This is where you need to be strict about quality instead of the volume of responses.

Like a job interview, you want to find the best candidate with standout features.

You should ensure that you consider costs, your business needs, and previous experience with CRM. Depending on your company, you’ll be able to find the perfect match with a thorough evaluation.

Then, you can verify the CRM requirements before finalizing a contract. As long as you’re open to communication and clarifying doubts before signing a contract, this checklist will ensure you have the right CRM vendor.

Find the Right Services for CRM

This CRM RFP checklist will guide you through the initial stages of determining your business needs to build a strong RFP to release to vendors.

That way, you’ll have support at every step of the process.

Our team has the experience and knowledge to build an effective CRM software system that boosts your sales and enhances your brand reputation.

You can learn more about our services and specific CRM features that can help your business thrive.

If you want to talk to our team and learn more about CRM RFP requests, click here, and contact us today.