How much does a CRM system cost?

The question always comes up, and the license price alone gives a misleading answer. Consider four cost items.

License

Per user per month, and varies depending on which modules and level you need. This is the predictable part, and the easiest one to obtain. Check the supplier’s current prices — they change.

Implementation

Assessment, configuration, data migration, training. For a medium-sized implementation, this will often exceed the first year's licensing costs. It is also the item that varies the most, depending on how well the preparatory work has been done.

Integration

If the CRM needs to communicate with the accounting system, online store, or a specialized system, each integration comes at a cost. This is almost always underestimated because the need is discovered along the way.

Management

Someone needs to own the system, make changes, and train new users—either through an internal role or an agreement with a vendor. This is the ongoing cost that is often overlooked in the business case, and it lasts for the lifetime of the system.

The three items people forget

Lost productivity during the implementation period, training new employees year after year, and further development as processes change. Include them, and you’ll have figures you can rely on.