How much does a CRM system cost? ᐈ CRM cost

If you are interested in automating your business processes, the question of the cost of CRM is relevant to you. To answer it, you must first understand what services are included in the system implementation project. Having determined these services, you will understand which of them you need to use and which you can refuse. In the process of implementing software, few people manage to do without just purchasing a license. Usually, various additional costs arise. In this article, we will find out what the price of using a CRM system depends on, analyze the associated costs and their feasibility.

Main stages of CRM system implementation

To begin, let's define the main stages of software application:

1. Business process assessment. The analyst collects data on the specifics of the customer's business. This is necessary in order to understand how the company's work can be improved using the software.

2. Preparation of the technical task. At this stage, business shortcomings are identified in order to correct them using the CRM system.

3. Coordination of the technical task. The analyst provides a ready-made technical task for the client to agree on.

4. System configuration. Technical specialists configure the software according to the previously prepared technical task.

5. Testing by the analyst. The analyst tests the program for errors and bugs.

presentation. At this stage, the system is presented to the director, the principle of operation is explained and what was done during the technical task.

6. Testing by the client. The customer tests the system for a week, while consulting with the implementation department.

7. Support. The client is assigned an analyst who accompanies the project for a certain period of time.

8. The total cost of the application directly depends on the number of stages.

What does the cost of CRM implementation depend on?

The final price of a CRM system depends on many factors. In particular, on the needs and characteristics of the business. The same program cannot be suitable for the business processes of a bank and an online store. The number of clients and orders also affects the cost. The larger the company, the more processes are involved in its work. All possible costs associated with the use of software can be conditionally divided into two groups - main and additional. Let's dwell on them in more detail.

Cloud or desktop CRM: which is more profitable?

The price of implementing a CRM system directly depends on its type. Today, it is customary to distinguish two main types: cloud and boxed. The latter, in turn, are divided into corporate and circulation.

A cloud product involves storing data on the developer's server, which provides a ready-made CRM. Access to the system can be obtained via a computer, tablet or smartphone with an Internet connection. The cost of a license depends on the number of users and the selected tariff. Payment can be made either monthly or once every six months or a year. The second option is more economical. The average cost per user per month in popular programs: AmoCRM - 299 UAH, Megaplan - 203 UAH, Bitrix24 - 369 UAH (payment for two).

The difference between desktop solutions is that the server and software are located on the client's PC. That is why there is such a wide price range: from 1666 UAH. per person for Megaplan to one hundred thousand for 1C. When choosing a boxed product, you need to understand that buying a license alone is not enough. Paid implementation, customization, updates, and maintenance must be added to the price of the CRM program. However, if you have already made a choice in favor of desktop software, you should not save on this. After all, all companies differ in scale and business processes, and the same set of functions cannot suit them.

Therefore, two licensing models are also distinguished - On-prem and SaaS. On-prem involves using the company's own resources (PC, server, workstation) to host the software. Payment for the project is made once. After the purchase, the system belongs to the company.

SaaS is a model of software supply under a subscription lease. In this case, software data is stored either on the company's facilities or on the provider's server. Cloud SaaS are considered the most popular, because they do not require special efforts during deployment and are profitable for vendors due to regular payments. You need to pay for the software regularly, but it does not belong to you.

Which of the models is better - it is impossible to answer objectively. Cloud and SaaS are quite suitable for small businesses and newly formed companies. They have a minimal set of functions and are easy to refuse if necessary. In general, cloud technologies have an excellent marketing campaign. Therefore, they are most often bought because it is fashionable. And marketers do not eat their bread in vain, because if you compare the price, the cost of a cloud-type CRM system seems quite attractive. But this is a marketing trick, which simple calculations will help to verify.

The most affordable license for a box in program "A" costs 22,000 UAH, and for the cloud in program "B" - 2,200 UAH. It would seem that the choice is obvious! However, there is one nuance: 22,000 is a one-time fee, and 2,200 UAH will have to be paid monthly. The average term of ownership of a CRM system is 5-10 years. In total, it turns out 130-260 thousand UAH instead of 22,000 UAH.

Functionality

Creating the required set of functions is the most difficult task. Here, the client's main task is to competently collect requirements and present them to the developer. After that, the requirements must be worked out together with the developer, identifying the main processes for automation and agreeing on compromise solutions. In order for the implementation to be as cheap as possible, the requirements transferred to the vendor must be clear and well-systematized.

Requirements must always be collected. Only in this way can the system be properly configured. The principle of "everything and more" is not appropriate here. Too large a set of functions will affect the convenience of the program and its price. It happens the other way around, when the standard functionality is not enough for the client. In this case, you should contact the developers and refine the missing options. If the vendor does not provide customization services, you can order the services of a third-party company.

However, you should order refinements only when you really need certain functions. You should not do this "for the future". Work for some time with the basic set of options to understand what you really need.

Installation and integration

How much does a CRM system cost? Unfortunately, there is no fixed amount. If you have chosen the cloud and there is an employee in the team who is able to implement it, then the company will save a lot. But you can go the other way and contact a vendor who will do it yourself.

The standard cost of implementation consists of:

- detailed analytics of business processes;

- customization of CRM based on the client's needs;

- migration of the database from the previous system;

- configuration of integrations with services and telephony;

- training employees to work with the program.

Having decided to implement an artificial intelligence module, be prepared for a long process.

Number of users

One of the first steps before implementing CRM is to count the number of users. Most often, managers make the same mistake: they equate the number of call center employees with the number of licenses. If we are not talking about a CRM system intended only for salespeople, this approach is incorrect.

The sales, marketing, logistics, technical support, IT service and managers are the departments that need the most software installation. Therefore, they should all be taken into account. In addition, it is necessary to collect requirements for the required package of functions from each employee of these departments.

Also, some vendor companies offer the installation of CRM systems with competitive licenses. This allows employees to use the program in turns. For example, if they work in shifts or use the CRM infrequently. Some systems provide only competitive licenses, while others offer them at a sky-high price of a nominal level.

Staff training

Of course, you can train your staff yourself. However, this can lead to various difficulties and costly problems in solving. The financial and time costs of training employees are fully justified. Such a solution will allow you to quickly and competently start working without harming the system. The training process most often takes place online. This is convenient and does not require strong intervention in the workflow.

Additional costs

Integration and customization for customer business processes

One of the most important components of using CPM is refinement. It is better to contact the vendor for refinement. In this case, you will pay for the development of the technical specifications and the programmers' time. You should not cheat and try to save money on this issue. By contacting freelancers, you risk causing serious damage to your business. A hired person may accidentally make changes to the code, thereby disrupting the system. The developer, in turn, will do the work quickly and efficiently, as he does not want to risk his reputation and losing a client.

The second point that should not be forgotten when calculating the cost of implementing CRM is integration. Almost no system contains all the necessary integrations in its original form. Many do not even have basic telephony and mail. Find out from the vendor which services can be connected in the settings and which require a separate fee.

What are the options:

1. third-party services;

2. everything except the basic CPM functions;

3. specific integration.

The first option is usually paid. This is due to the fact that each company has its own wishes regarding the integration parameters. A common deception on the part of the vendor is the presence of integration with 1C in the classic package. Instead, the maximum that the client receives is manual or automatic data exchange. The same applies to telephony. All companies have special wishes regarding the choice of telephony and provider. Some vendors, for the sake of profit, tie the system to a specific IP telephony provider. And then the cost of communication tariffs should be added to the price of setting up the CRM system. Therefore, it is better to refuse such integrations.

The second option involves the integration of mail, telephony, chat, warehouse system, reports. All this is available in SaaS model programs that offer the client to independently assemble software like a designer. However, you will have to pay separately for all connected services. And not to the vendor, but to widget providers. And then the cost of the software will increase by 10-30%. But the disadvantages do not end there. If one of the services fails, it will be quite difficult to find the culprit. The vendor will blame the provider and vice versa.

If specific integration is required, such as data exchange between databases, collection of information left by customers on the site, telephony scenarios, we recommend that you include this in the estimate for the development or purchase of special solutions.

Technical support

Many companies are outraged by the fact that technical support is not free. But its price fully corresponds to the quality. It is provided in the shortest possible time and makes working with the program many times better. Moreover, technical support employees do not need to come to your office. They work remotely using remote access tools to a personal computer.

Turn work into a business

Situations when an employee in their current position has nowhere else to grow professionally and financially occur quite often. Realizing that they have reached their ceiling, a person decides to open their own business. Depending on the field of activity, lawyers, accountants, sales, tourism, customer service managers, etc. can found their own company. You can lure clients from your previous place of work or develop your own client base. This issue depends on the moral qualities of an individual and their relationships with their clients. After all, it happens that clients prefer to work not with a company, but with a specific person.

Renewal

At some point, you will also have to pay extra for the update. If the Vendor offers to upgrade to an updated version of the software, do not refuse. The update will help make the work in the program better and more stable, and you will receive updated functions and other benefits. Not updating is like walking around with a push-button phone these days.

Who to order the use of a CRM system from

The final cost of software installation also depends on who performs it:

1. It will be cheapest if you contact the vendor company directly. Vendors have a sufficient set of technologies to solve the problem remotely. Especially if there is no language barrier.

2. Implementation by a vendor partner will cost a little more. Usually, partners work on the same terms as developers. And their earnings are formed from improvements, training and configuration.

3. The average markup for the sale of licenses and implementation is made by franchise owners. Franchisees provide all services and technical support for vendors, and can also offer their own developments.

4. Contacting a system integrator is also expensive. Therefore, this option is suitable for larger businesses. Large organizations need representatives of the service provider to be on their territory, and in complex automation. This includes the purchase of servers, training, and the creation of special instructions. In addition to the fact that this option is not suitable for all companies, not all CPM systems can be implemented through integrators.

5. The most expensive solution is to hire a freelancer. It ends with the hired person making a lot of mistakes that the developer has to solve. This takes a lot of time, effort and money. While the vendor manages to identify and deal with the problem, by the time the system implementation is completed, the company will lose profit. In addition, the appeal to the developer will be included in the bill.

6. There is also a possible option of using it on your own. It is quite economically sound if the company has a smart programmer or sysadmin. Thanks to such a person, you can save not only on installation, but also on configuration, maintenance and refinement.

What we categorically do not recommend saving on is staff training. Only a vendor has enough experience and knowledge to not just superficially go over the software's features, but also consider its pain points. Which will help avoid mistakes in the future and save a lot of time and nerves.

Free CRM system

Most vendor companies that provide cloud CRMs have two types of attractive offers:

1. a free version;

2. a trial period.

The trial period can last from 3 to 14 days. During this time, the client receives the maximum tariff with unlimited functionality. The calculation is that the company will get used to the program and will be forced to continue working in it, but for a fee.

Free CRMs are also a good marketing tool. Yes, the license is absolutely free, but the software functionality is very limited. At some point, the company's employees will express their dissatisfaction with the lack of functionality, restrictions on the number of users, entries in the customer database, etc. At the same time, part of the database will already be in the system, employees will get used to the interface, the program will be configured. Therefore, the company will have no choice but to switch to the paid version. You should stay away from such marketing tricks.

If you need to automate a water delivery service, Venta-CRM is the best option for implementation.

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