Thoughts

What I want in a CRM

We've all used them. We all hate them (most days). We all want another one.

I've determined that before I buy, subscribe to, or build (woot!) another one, I need to know what sort of things I need a CRM to help me do.

A short list (to start) would go something like:

• know who I know (basic contact info, etc)
• know how I know them (contact log)
• know why I keep talking to them ("friend", "business contact", etc)
• know what I want from them next ("hang out", "pay my invoice", etc) - know what they need from me next ("send them flowers", "pay their invoice", etc)

Might be a better way to frame it, but it's helping me get my head around what I actually want the software to do for me every day.

Most CRMs (of all shapes and sizes) do some part of those, but reframe them in goofy terms like "deal flow" and "engagement metrics." Maybe I'll map the above list to marketing terms later, but for starters this is a list of what pain I'd like to get rid of by using a CRM.