1. Integrations: It should work with the tools you’re already using
At a bare minimum, your CRM should work with the tools you’re currently using. Replacing all the different software you use with one Swiss army knife platform might sound appealing, but it can also create more problems than it solves. For example, many CRMs include IDX websites. What happens when you want to replace your website but still want to use your CRM? This is why we recommend starting slow and finding a CRM that works with your existing tools.
2. Scalability: It should grow as your business grows
If you’re a new agent or even an experienced buyer’s agent trying to become a listing agent, your CRM needs to be able to grow as your business grows. Here’s why: while switching CRMs is easier than it was in the past, you will still have to learn an entirely new platform. That means you’ll be spending more of your time learning software and less time closing deals. If you have an opportunity to stop spreading yourself thin, why not take it?
3. Features: A CRM should solve today’s (and tomorrow’s) problems
Your CRM should also have the features you need to make your business run smoother, not just today, but down the road. While you can (and should) consider affordable platforms that allow you to plug into other tools via integrations, at a bare minimum, your new CRM should have enough features to solve your current problems. Here are a few to consider:
- Lead management features: Easy and intuitive lead segmentation, custom workflows, click-to-call features, daily task reminders, daily hot sheets, basic transaction management
- Marketing features: Direct mail marketing, social media marketing, and IDX websites
- Prospecting features: Auto-dialers, PPC ad builders, automated home valuations, done-for-you lead generation
- Lead nurturing features: Email and text drip campaigns, AI chatbots, automated market reports
- AI features: AI text messaging assistants, AI writing assistants
4. Stability: It needs to work 24/7 with no bugs
This might sound obvious, but your CRM needs to work when you need it to. Slow, buggy interfaces or outages mean wasted time, slower speed to lead, and maybe even lost deals. No software is 100% bug-free, but at a minimum, the company that makes your CRM should have a dedicated and competent team making it work 24/7 and ensuring problems are dealt with quickly.
Generally speaking, the larger the software company, the fewer bugs and downtime their products have. Of course no software works 100% of the time. Outages and hiccups are inevitable. The goal is to reduce them to near zero.
5. A large established user base: More users = more ideas to solve problems
Your CRM should have enough customers nationwide to make troubleshooting and finding new ways to use it easy. The more users your CRM has, the faster you’ll get answers to your questions and discover new ways to use it to close more deals.
6. An intuitive user experience (UX) that’s customizable
Like any good software, your CRM should offer an intuitive (and pleasant!) user experience (UX). The CRM’s most used tools should be front and center in the dashboard. Lesser used tools should be accessible in two clicks, maximum. A great CRM should also look and FEEL good. Staring at ugly layouts and clunky design 6 hours a day is a bummer. Your CRM should make you feel energized and confident while you use it.
An intuitive and attractive UX might not make or break your business, but if you actually LIKE using it, you’ll spend more time using your CRM. It’s basic psychology! How much more money will you make this year if you spend an extra hour working in your CRM every day? How much will you lose if you don’t because the overwhelming UX gives you a headache?
6. High-quality onboarding, training & customer support
While an intuitive UX will help make your CRM easier to use, today’s platforms offer sophisticated customization options that often come with a steep learning curve. Seriously. Today’s CRM platforms can be like NASA mission control compared to older software. This is why onboarding, training and customer support are crucial to get the most out of your new CRM.
As you might have already guessed, the more you pay for a CRM the better the quality of the onboarding, training and customer service experience. With a free CRM like Hubspot Sales Hub, you’ll be pretty much on your own. A sophisticated CRM platform like CINC gets you a dedicated specialist to help you set up and get the most from your CRM. This is where a large and active user base comes in handy. Hubspot has almost 250,000 users. With that many users, odds are someone else has solved the problem you’re facing. That means the solution is a quick Google or Perplexity search away.
