Increasing member engagement and challenges with CRM systems have been stated amongst the top challenges for the last three years for membership organisations (stated in the Memberwise digital excellence survey 2019). >40% think they have inadequate integration between web and CRM, that’s 4% higher than last year which is a concerning statistic. A single view of your members’ activity is a key element in improving member engagement/ retention but also in attracting and retaining new members, to achieve this you need to get a handle on the siloed database sprawl.
Where do you start?
As you embark on this journey, you are not alone. Many organisations within this sector and outside are on this path – so we have pulled together a few thoughts on how to tackle this and take a methodical approach, avoiding the many pitfalls.
The first and most important step in this journey is a full review of your business requirements; this will ensure that you have fully scoped and defined the outcomes you are aspiring towards. It is vital this is done in isolation of what the latest and greatest technology out there may promise. The technology must fit the business requirements not the other way around, this trap is all too easy to fall into and is often the main contributor to an unsuccessful CRM/CMS project.
The next step is to run an impartial and focused tender process, the time invested in the discovery phase will pay dividends now. The tender must align with your business requirements focusing on both short and long-term goals across the organisation. Choosing a supplier based on assumptions and not facts sets you up for a bumpy ride.
When considering your supplier options, don’t rely on technology alone, in our experience, there are four other considerations that need to be factored into the decision.
Business Processes
Organisational Fit
Budget
Culture
While this is the last step towards your new CRM and CMS system, you need to ensure that you allocate realistic resource to rolling this out. If you have spent the time on the discovery phase this will help massively but as with any project, there are many moving parts that to be coordinated and kept on track.
We hope that the points above help you on the journey to a fully integrated CRM and CMS system. If you need help along the way, never be afraid to ask.
Let us know if you need any further information on the above, we are always open to helping.
Chrysalis Digital provides a digital transformation service designed to help build a more agile, efficient and innovative organisation. With its broad cross-sector experience Chrysalis has helped many organisations map their digital path and through careful planning and assessment, choose the right technology partners. Chrysalis Digital is 100% agnostic when recommending CMS and CRM suppliers to its clients.
If you need any help with the next steps in your journey please call Ben Sturt on 07469 768990 or email info@chrysalisdigital.co.uk