Tikit’s CRM agony uncle: Should I call it a day with my CRM? Or is this as good as it gets?

DEAR CRM AGONY UNCLE,

I first came across my CRM through a website a couple of years ago. I was young. I was innocent. I know this makes me sound shallow, but I took one look at its features and I was hooked. It was slick and integrated with flashy graphics. It was everything I wanted at the time. Almost before I knew it, I found myself making a big commitment.

Now two years have passed, and if I’m honest, for a long time now I’ve been feeling the hollow, sick ache of regret.

For one thing, the trust between us has died. When I ask it questions, I get unhelpful and partial answers. I feel as though I never hear the truth any more about my relationships. I look at my CRM and wonder what happened.

I’m also beginning to feel resentful. I put so much work into it but increasingly I don’t get enough back. I try really hard to keep the CRM updated, but when I turn to it for help it gives me nothing actionable in return. More and more I feel let down by a one-sided relationship.

So CRM Agony Uncle, can you please help because I’m really confused? I don’t want a bad break up, and I worry that without a CRM I’ll be lost. But my friends keep telling me this CRM is no good for me and I should move on.

Are they right, or are my expectations unrealistically high? I don’t want to settle for a solution that’s so frustrating. But I guess I’m just afraid that this is as good as it gets. What do you advise?

BEWILDERED IN CRM ADMIN

DEAR BEWILDERED,

First of all, you’re not shallow. When you find a CRM solution that looks like it’ll closely match your needs, it’s only natural that feelings run high and we all act impetuously at times. You made a commitment and you’ve stood by it. I’m proud of you. But the truth is: we all make mistakes.

I also have to tell you, you’re not alone. My mailbox is full of letters like yours. It’s incredibly common for CRM marketers and administrators to fall for a CRM system only to end up disappointed in the long run. They go into it full of hope and optimism, only for their dreams to be dashed by the realisation that when incomplete contact information is entered, it never ends well.

These are hard words to say – and I’m sure even harder to hear – but Bewildered, I do not necessarily advise a break up and the good news is that your expectations are not unrealistic! There IS something out there that can help rekindle that early excitement, and it’s called Introhive from Tikit.

While I might normally counsel against introducing another party into the mix, Introhive will never let you down like those CRMs so often do. It’s an automated system that collects data from a range of sources like emails, calendars and social networks; asks for permission by email; and then with one simple click puts the data straight into the CRM system.

You see, Introhive solves the perennial problem with CRMs, which is that the information coming out is only ever as good as the data going in. With Introhive, the data going in is automatically current, accurate and complete. Plus you won’t be in a relationship where you’re having to do all the work anymore. Introhive will look after you, not the other way round!

Moreover, Introhive won’t lie to you. It supplies robust data that consistently drives client retention and acquisition activity. It provides actionable marketing intelligence by delivering relationship scores. It supplies metrics that let you work out the ROI of every marketing campaign you conduct. Introhive won’t leave you hanging like those other CRMs do with partial, outdated information that you can’t trust and therefore can’t act on.

I’ve gone on too long because Introhive makes my heart beat a little faster! But I’ll close now with my best wishes and hopes that you are able to take you first tentative steps to a fulfilled relationship with your CRM by trying Introhive soon.

But if you still need more information, be sure to check back here. Next time I’ll be writing to a lawyer who doesn’t know where to turn because marketing wants him to spend too long inputting data to yet another disappointing CRM that’s more trouble than it’s worth!

All the best,

YOUR CRM AGONY UNCLE