
// Development
How to Build a CRM System from Scratch
// Development
Every dollar invested in CRM gives nine dollars in profit. However, this is true only if the integrated system meets the needs and specifics of a particular business, which does not always happen: 70% of CRM implementations fail. The main reasons for most failures are the desire to spare and the wrong approach to development.
The desire to spare is expressed in the fact that for the sake of imaginary savings, entrepreneurs prefer finished products instead of creating a unique software solution that will take into account all the features of a particular business and its target audience.
The main disadvantages of ready-made solutions:
The main features of analytical CRM-systems:
Combined — these are usually operational CRM applications with a limited set of analytical tools (reports on clients, sales analytics and performers performance), as well as the ability to directly communicate with clients and colleagues through integration with instant messengers, social networks and the site.
When you add a user to a CRM system, you assign a certain role to his account, for example, a seller, manager, leader or administrator. Each role assumes that the account has certain rights and capabilities necessary to perform the assigned tasks.
So, if this is the manager's role, the account will have these functions:
When developing CRM systems, it is important to immediately create several templates for typical roles (for example, "Owner", "Storekeeper", "Manager 1", "Manager 2", "Full Access", "Advanced Access", etc.) and while also adding the ability to create and customize roles. Which roles users can create should depend on the level of access. Thus, the “Senior Manager” can create accounts with the “Manager” role, but at the same time cannot add another “Senior Manager” or “Owner” to the system.
The choice of platform depends on the equipment of the company for which the CRM system is being created. In most cases, these are personal computers and laptops running on Windows and macOS operating systems, less often Linux or DOS. In the past few years, there has also been a trend towards mobilizing CRM applications.
The advantages of CRM-applications with support for mobile platforms:
Outsourcing solutions. Hiring a development company that prepares a project, develops software, implements it in business and trains staff is a great option if you need an individual solution with a quality guarantee at a reasonable price.
Internal solutions. If the company has a team of programmers, you can use their skills to develop a CRM product. If there is no such command, you can create it - long, expensive and tedious, but it gives you complete control over the development.
Open-source software. A variety of internal development, which involves the use of open source software sources for developing on the basis of its CRM-system. So you can reduce the cost and speed up the development.
If the developer of a CRM application and his user are different people, then you need to organize staff training. At the same time, training should be started some time before the deployment of a software product, so that staff already know what to do and how.
There are two ways to do this:
The cost of developing CRM depends on the complexity and number of functions that need to be integrated. A small system can cost from $15,000 to $80,000. Large CRM systems with a flexible management system can cost around $100,000 - $200,000. In some cases, we can use ready-made solutions that can reduce the cost and development time.
The development time of a CRM system is about 2-3 months. Large systems require a lot of effort, developers and can reach up to 4-6 months. As a rule, a highly qualified team spends 20% less time developing CRM than less experienced providers.
The development cost depends on the set of CRM functions and practically does not depend on the number of users. It is very important to understand whether your CRM will be able to manage roles, tasks, reports, etc.
A custom CRM system can take your business to the next level. You can digitize all processes and generate reports in any form convenient for you. As a rule, the implementation of individual CRM increases the efficiency of business processes by 29% - 42%.