Integrating Cloud CRM with Your Existing Systems: A How-To Guide

These days, as in the dynamic business environment of 2018 and beyond it has become essential to keep businesses competitive through customer relationships, cloud CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems have started playing a vital role. So, what happens when you already have an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), financial software or some on-premises customer support system? By connecting a cloud CRM to your systems, you will be able to alleviate so many headaches and offer the full picture in customer intelligence. This is a thorough step by step guide on how to integrate cloud CRM efficiently into your already existing infrastructure.

1. Define Integration Requirements and Targets

In order to avoid these traps, you should figure out why a CRM solution is needed and what function it has to perform in terms of your business goals. Do you want to eliminate manual data input, open up customer info between siloed departments or improve the quality and depth of your analytics? Clear goals will lead your roadmap to integration and prioritise tasks. Further, help you identify which systems require integration with the CRM. So, for example you CRM would likely be integrated with your ERP to help manage orders more effectively or even connected up to a marketing tool that helps direct targeted customer campaigns.

2. Compatibility with Existing Systems

As discussed earlier, this is kind of a pre-integration phase which ensures that the cloud CRM style you pick must be in sink with your present infrastructure. Most cloud CRM solutions feature native integrations with leading third-party apps such as Salesforce, HubSpot and ZohoCRM however those aren't stack agnostic either. Make sure the CRM API (Application Programming Interface) can integrate with your systems and manage data flows correctly. Certain software may require such bespoke integrations, especially if you are having to work with legacy systems or personally made in-house solutions requiring additional time and resources necessary for implementation.

Source: salesforce.com

3. Decide the Integration Methodology

You can be much more or less involved in this, but there are three methods of integration to consider w/ pros:

Native Integrations: Also called out-of-the-box integrations that the CRM vendor developed and typically available for common applications such as email platforms, e-commerce & productivity tools. This approach is simple and easy to setup, an if not all the systems need configuration.

Middlewares: Tools like Zapier, MuleSoft, Workato, etc., which work as connectors. They are perfect for companies looking for fast, scalable linking of dozens applications. This should make you consider using middleware, especially if developing an in-house solution is costly and data transfer without coding would be preferable.

Custom Integrations: Custom integrations are usually needed for unique or proprietary systems. Creating a custom integration with your own data flow and processes (most resource intensive) You will work with more seasoned developers or an integration partner if you take this route.

4. Define Data Mapping and Governance Standards

Assuming you have made a decision on the approach for integration, it is time to connect the dots from one system will flow data in between them. Data mapping is the process of assigning pairs of data fields, one to other back in separate entities. For instance, customer IDs on your CRM have to correspond with their equals in the ERP dimension and order histories need to be related but not dependent exclusively on a single source of truth. Data governance standards have to be clearly defined so that expected level of data quality and consistency is achieved across systems

Be sure to record any applicable transforms, filters or cleansing being done so this process is surfaced in reporting and decision making later on. If you handle customer-sensitive information, there may also be data compliance regulations you have to abide by (e.g., GDPR, CCPA or HIPAA).

5. Testing and Quality Assurance Work

Why testing is very important for your CRM integration? Conduct a pilot, which ships data in a controlled environment before production roll-out. Validate each data flow for correctness, latency and scalability to validate they comply with the requirements of your organization. Test to ensure that your integration works correctly under varying conditions and detect potential bugs or defects as early as possible before they cause failures in live operation.

6. Teach Teams and Drive Adoption

User adoption is a top concern for any integration project. Without team buy-in, you can have the smoothest integration in the world and it will still not see full results. Organize training sessions to teach how the new system works, and what users can do using it. Demonstrate for workers how integration helps simplify their administration, remove menial tasks and make accessing information easier. Also, keep acquiring user feedback — it will help you polish and enhance the system as it grows.

7. Naturally, you will still want to monitor and optimize the integration.

After launch, always monitor the state of your system and tweak things around for better. Check Integration logs periodically and monitor performance, data flow is not delayed or if something seems to be out of place. Over time, however, you may find that your use of the CRM system changes which means an adjustment to how you integrate said CRM. Review and update your CRM integration as needed to stay in line with business goals during periodic evaluations.

Conclusion

Adding a cloud CRM to your technological toolbox is an investment in the future — one that can both improve customer service, facilitate collaboration and most importantly boost revenue. This should help you build a strong foundation for an ideal CRM system that scales with your business and meets the high expectations of seamless customer experiences. Over the course of time and continuous improvement, your integrated CRM system can provide a vital role at the core of all operations to keep customers happy.

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