A Beginner’s Guide to CRM Consulting
Last update: 5 April 2024 at 11:58 am
5.00/5CRM is the heart of its client management process, regardless of what type of business you can think of. Nowadays, it is necessary for quality service no matter the company’s size.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in CRM consulting, this guide will help you get started. We’ll take you through the role and what you can expect to earn.
Key Takeaways
Understanding CRM Consulting:
- CRM consulting helps businesses optimize their customer relationship management (CRM) systems and processes.
- Consultants assess your current CRM situation, identify improvement areas, and recommend solutions for better customer engagement, sales, and overall business performance.
Benefits of CRM Consulting:
- Improved customer relationships: Build stronger customer relationships by understanding their needs and improving interactions.
- Enhanced sales pipeline: Streamlined sales processes, tracked leads effectively, and increased conversion rates.
- Boosted productivity: Optimize workflows, automate tasks, and empower employees to focus on high-value activities.
- Data-driven decision-making: Leverage CRM data to gain insights into customer behavior and make informed business decisions.
- Increased ROI: Improve overall return on investment by maximizing the effectiveness of your CRM system.
What Is CRM?
Before we get into your career paths, it’s crucial to understand what a CRM is. To begin with, CRM stands for customer relations management. For almost any business, the most vital asset is its customers.
Previously, information about a company’s clientele was spread around its workforce. With technology implementation, we can bring a customer’s details into one convenient place using CRM software such as Salesforce or a Salesforce alternative. If you are in the finance industry, there are accounting CRM software, such as Financial Cents or Taxdome.
A CRM program will typically keep and organize everything relating to a particular lead or customer. A salesperson can quickly get up to speed with who that customer is, previous communications, outstanding issues, and their wants.
A CRM system is imperative if a company wants to maintain a good relationship with its most significant asset. Not only can businesses improve their sales with CRM, but they can also get valuable insight into their current processes.
There are even industry-niche CRM processes, such as restaurant CRM.
What Is a CRM Consultant?
Just like the definition of consulting is to give expert advice, the term CRM consultant doesn’t specify a particular job but instead describes a collection of different roles. To help you determine your path, we’ll explain the main careers that fall under a CRM consultant.
To begin with, you could become a CRM developer. Here, you’ll be responsible for developing a particular CRM software. This involves writing coding using different types of language like Java, essentially building the brains of the software. Many developers work for vendors, while others freelance or even start their own companies.
Next is a project manager or CRM analyst. This category refers to people who analyze customer behavior and requirements to develop the software. They would typically work with a developer to design the program’s architecture and ensure it gets implemented correctly.
Another type of CRM consultant is a salesperson. Anyone involved in sales is crucial to getting a product out there. A good salesperson brings valuable information about customers as they’re always in contact with them. They would also use the CRM’s information to their advantage, helping them convert more leads.
Strategists also fall under the CRM consultant umbrella. Their role involves helping customers develop improved strategies to optimize a company’s efficiency. They would also help put together plans to help retain and increase customers. Strategists generally work for a consultancy company rather than a CRM software vendor.
Finally, you get independent CRM consultants. People who fall under this role work independently of software vendors. They offer advice and strategies to companies without favoring a specific vendor, giving unbiased advice. You can think of this role as the middleman or architect between a builder and a client.
As you can see, you can pursue many different career paths that fall under the term CRM consulting. Furthermore, a business would need most, if not all, of these roles to ensure every aspect receives attention. You’ll find all of these positions working with one another on projects, as each has a part to play.
Is CRM Consulting a Good Career?
There’s no wrong answer to this question. A good CRM role for one person might not be an option for another. To figure out whether this career is good for you involves looking at the skills required for each position.
If you want to explore the world of software development, you’ll need to learn how to code using a programming language. You’ll also need to work alongside other members, turning an idea into a product feature. Teamwork and communication skills are, therefore, paramount as a CRM developer.
Salespeople have an entirely separate set of skills. The position is stressful as you’re constantly chasing a target, and your work is never done. On the other hand, you can find a lot of fulfillment and a sense of achievement when closing a big deal. The position is best suited to those with listening skills, as listening to a customer is crucial to any sale.
A strategist is a good option if you enjoy problem-solving and figuring out the most efficient way to do something. You’ll need a strong understanding of how a business operates. Moreover, you’ll need a firm grasp of how a customer thinks and behaves. You can then develop ways to improve the connection between the client and the service.
The trick to finding a good job in CRM consulting or any position is figuring out if you will enjoy what the role entails. Consider your skills and what area you can potentially offer the most. That way, you’ll enter a career in which you can enjoy and find a sense of achievement.
What Can You Earn in CRM Consulting?
The salary you can earn as a CRM consultant depends entirely on your experience, education, and which position you choose to go for. However, to give you an idea of what you can earn, we’ll look at the average salary for each role.
In the United Kingdom, a CRM developer can expect an average annual salary of £44K. This amount can differ depending on the area where your company is based and ranges between £34K and £61K.
The average salary of a salesperson in the UK is around £28K a year. However, this can go up to £75K, depending on your commission structure and how much you manage to sell. Most sales positions offer a small basic salary with the main focus on commission, so your salary can differ every month.
A CRM analyst or strategist generally earns an average of £34K annually. Again, this depends entirely on your credentials, with an annual entry salary of around £22K. Furthermore, if you find a position in a more upmarket area, you can earn up to £72K.
Finally, an independent CRM consultant earns roughly £50K annually in the United Kingdom. However, like all job titles, your potential salary depends on who you work for and what you bring.
On top of that, you may decide to forego working for someone else and instead build your own business. If this is the case, there’s no saying what you can potentially earn, as you’re only limited by dedication and persistence.
What Is a CRM Request?
A CRM request is a way for vendors to understand what a business needs from its software. The idea is to acquire as much information as possible from the client and then use it to develop a strategy.
Therefore, a request will provide the following data:
- A general overview of the client’s company.
- The customer’s basic requirements include whether they need social media integration.
- What issue the client needs a solution to.
- A deadline in which the customer expects a strategy or plan from the vendor.
- What features work natively with the software and if it requires third-party plugins.
What Is CRM Called Now?
As we’ve already mentioned, the term CRM means customer relationship management. There’s no new name for this process, but some confuse it with public relations (PR). The difference is that PR concentrates on a business’s image. In comparison, CRM consulting looks at sustaining and building relationships with a company’s clients.
