It’s Not You, It’s Your CRM: 5 Signs the Relationship Is Over

If you’re wondering whether it’s time to replace your legacy CRM, you’re not alone. Many nonprofits are discovering that their long-term CRM relationships no longer serve their needs. Clinging to outdated legacy CRM system is becoming riskier, and waiting to make a transition may just lead to a rushed transition that falls short of your needs. 

Now is the time to look for symptoms of a CRM relationship that might be holding you back.

5 Signs It May Be Time to Break Up

1. You’re Always Worrying About Money (Hidden Costs)

You may be nurturing a rational fear of the cost of change, which can definitely be a drain on the budget. But have you considered the cost of staying put? Staying with an archaic legacy system might require additional maintenance fees, continual workarounds and manual processes required to do your work that a more modern system could automate.

2. You Never Go Anywhere Together (Integration Issues)

Modern fundraising systems deliver industry-standard functionality and integrate with best-in-breed finance, marketing automation, event reporting, and business intelligence applications (to name a few). Legacy systems, however, have a hard time connecting with modern tools and platforms which then creates data silos and prevent you from having a holistic understanding of your constituent engagement.

3. You’ve Stopped Growing (Limited Functionality)

It’s hard not to get excited about emerging AI tools and the evolving suite of Microsoft business applications. These newer tools are going to revolutionize the way we fundraise. It’s time to take a tough look at whether your legacy product is going to keep growing with innovation or get left behind.

4. Your Friends Don’t Like Them (User Experience)

In the age of modern applications like Amazon and Uber, we’re all familiar with what a great user experience (UX) delivers. In contrast, users of legacy CRMs are often frustrated by an outdated UX which often inhibits productivity and is hard to learn.

5. They’re Not Planning for the Future (Sunset Concerns)

With certain popular legacy systems getting ready for sunset (Raiser’s Edge/Financial Edge), deciding whether to love it or leave it is becoming critical. Vendors are focusing resources on newer platforms and updated functionality. Even more, support resources for older, legacy systems may become increasingly scarce as vendors redirect their resources into their more innovative tools.

The Smart Breakup Strategy

Now is the time to be strategic about moving on from your legacy CRM. Consider some advice from our experts on roadmaps and system replacement.

• Plan for transition well ahead (years, not months) of contract end dates or software sunsets to ensure you aren’t forced into a speedy transition to a product that hasn’t been thoroughly vetted against your needs.
• Start logging and addressing any significant data cleansing issues. Testing a new system with dirty data and waiting to correct data quality issues during a system switch can delay work and cause frustration as your team works to design and adopt a new system and tools.
• Review and document your processes. This will help identify workflows for your new system and opportunities for process improvement with new tools.
• Grab the right consulting partner. A consultant can help lead your team through a tough transition, advocate for your needs, help you make the most of your tools and bring about change that sticks.

We’re Here for You

Whether you’re contemplating a small move or considering major system changes, JCA’s proven transition tools and expertise ensure your breakup is clean and your new relationship starts strong. Ready to leverage your JCA support system?

Schedule a systems assessment consultation today.