What reports should be set up in CRM software?
This a continuation in our series looking at CRM software. See our previous article on setting up fields in a CRM.
I have seen this many time when a client starts up on a new CRM system. The plethora of choice now available, plus the seduction of new technology, lends itself over enthusiasm with customisation and the amount of information that can be captured. As mentioned previously, if you started off with a glorified diary then anything more complex, you need to have a compelling reason to implement it. The rule of thumb is the more fields you have, then the more likely you are to get data entry errors. The more choice, the more likely staff are to make mistakes, or just give up and dump anything, anywhere. The more straightforward and guided a process is, the more engagement you will have from participants, and the greater reliability of data inputted. Gold in, gold out.
What information is need for reporting from CRM software.
A good question to ask right at the outset is of these fields, how likely is it that you are going to want to report on them? I can’t count the times I have designed reports for directors that are never used or dragged out only once a year when the information is out of date. The purpose of setting up a field is to capture information at the time that will be relevant for future analysis. So, think carefully about what information, is going to be useful.
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About the Author:
Malcolm Ford has spent over 10 years advising business’s on CRM software to suit different business environments across the UK. He provides training for staff to link software capabilities with the organisations objectives.
