Think You're Too Small For CRM? Think Again

Customer relationship management solutions are essential for—and accessible to—growth-oriented small and midsize businesses.

Many small and midsize business (SMB) owners struggle to make the most efficient use of their time and focus on activities that return the highest value to their companies. A recent Salesforce survey found that two-thirds of small business leaders are personally responsible for three or more areas of their businesses, ranging from sales to finance to customer support. At the same time, they spend 23 percent of their workdays on manual data input— more than a full day every week! It’s a recipe for disaster that a customer relationship management (CRM) system can easily help avert.

Ironically, awareness levels around CRM’s benefits are high among small business owners, but adoption rates remain low. “One reason is that some SMB owners find the prospect of implementing CRM intimidating,” says Karrie Sullivan, a principal in Culminate Strategy Group. “They often lack access to technology expertise and resources.”