CRM: follow the customer, not just the pipeline.

Define the system of record

A CRM decision begins with ownership of customer information. Map where contacts, organizations, opportunities and consent records live today. Decide which system should resolve conflicting edits. Without that agreement, another database can create more reconciliation work.

Criteria that change the decision

Prioritize the daily work of the people expected to maintain the records. A flexible data model is useful only when the team can keep it consistent.

• Data model: test multiple contacts per account, duplicate handling and required fields.
• Workflow fit: map qualification, handoffs, stalled opportunities and renewals.
• Governance: inspect role permissions, audit history and export access.
• Adoption: check keyboard navigation, search and the effort required to log an interaction.

Flexibility versus maintenance

Custom fields and automation can accommodate a complex process, but each rule needs an owner. A simpler pipeline may be easier to maintain while offering less nuance. Decide whether you need a shared contact history, a managed sales process or both before evaluating breadth.

A useful trial scenario

With synthetic data, import an account with two contacts and a duplicate email. Assign an opportunity, reassign its owner, record a handoff and export the full history. Check whether permissions remain correct and whether relationships survive the export. Record manual cleanup and missing fields.

Questions for the supplier

Ask which limits apply to custom objects, automation, storage and exports. Request documentation on deletion, access controls and integration failures. Verify whether a full migration can preserve notes, attachments and activity history; a contact CSV alone is not an exit plan.

Build a decision record

Estimate migration, training, administration and integration effort alongside any directly verified commercial terms. Keep unresolved items visible. A team with simple handoffs may value low maintenance; a multi-team process may need richer controls. Neither preference establishes a universal winner.