In today’s episode of IT in Plain English, Tammy Ven Dange answers, “When should you invest in a CRM if you don’t have one now?”
A CRM or Customer Relationship Management system is this generation’s version of a digital Rolodex in its simplest form. In the more complex version, it holds all the data about your stakeholders and every interaction you have with them regardless of channel.
It may seem like every Not for Profit should have a CRM then, but I know plenty of organisations that are still using Excel spreadsheets and their email lists to do what they need to do without one.
So… if it’s possible to run your organisation without a CRM, when is it time to invest in one? My answer is when either:
- Your processes are too burdensome; or
- The data is so limited that you can’t execute your strategic plans and objectives effectively.
This means that if you only have a few FTE, an investment in a CRM may not be necessary at this time.
Having said that, I have seen some of the smallest organisations use a CRM so well that they can do so much more than the average charity of their size. But… this does require a leader and staff that are willing to fully embrace this technology and to invest personally in learning how to use it to its full capability.
So, there you have it in plain English.
If you have an IT question you want answered, feel free to connect with me here on my website or on LinkedIn and send me a message. I just might answer it on this show.
Sign-up here to subscribe to the “Executive with a Cause” newsletter.
Tammy Ven Dange is a former charity CEO, Not for Profit Board Member and IT Executive. Today she helps NFPs with strategic IT and data decisions.
