How to choose a CRM implementation contractor: questions to ask, scope of work and what the price covers
How to compare CRM implementation contractors by scope of work rather than by price: six questions to ask, signs of a weak proposal and what stays on the client's side
You hire a CRM implementation contractor to set the system up around your process, not around a template. Two proposals with the same total can contain very different work: one includes data migration and team training, the other only creates fields. That is why you should compare scope, not price.
What the work should include
The implementation scope in the AKORDO catalogue: funnels, fields, roles and access, data migration, integrations with the website, telephony, email and messengers, and team training. If a proposal lacks one of these, ask who will do it. Often the answer is "that is on your side", and the cost shows up later.
Also check whether a business analysis comes before the setup. Without it, the contractor configures only what you managed to describe in one conversation. More on this in the article about the technical specification for a CRM.
Six questions to ask the contractor
- What process description do you start from? The right answer: conversations with managers and the head of sales, and an analysis of how a deal moves today. "From our funnel template" means your specifics will be sorted out along the way.
- Which systems have you worked with? Ask for names and for the reasoning behind a choice for your budget. The AKORDO catalogue lists KeyCRM, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, Odoo, Creatio, Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365, OneBox and NetHunt. A contractor who recommends the same system to everyone is probably selling it, not selecting it.
- Who migrates the data and how do you handle duplicates? The rule for merging two records of one client is agreed before the work starts, not after.
- Which integrations are in the price? Website, telephony, email, messengers: name each one separately.
- Who trains the team and how? Training on real scenarios: take an inquiry, record an agreement, hand over a task, close a deal.
- What happens after launch? Whether support exists, in what format and for what amount.
Signs of a weak proposal
- A price without a list of work. A single line "CRM implementation" has nothing to be compared with.
- A promise of sales growth from launching the system alone. A CRM brings transparency and discipline, while revenue also depends on the product, prices and demand.
- No walkthrough of scenarios at the end. Readiness is checked not by the number of configured fields but by the team completing a working scenario from inquiry to closed deal.
- No mention of licences, API, hosting and telephony. They are paid separately, and an honest contractor says so up front.
What it costs according to the catalogue
| Service | Cost guide | Timeline guide |
|---|---|---|
| Business analysis and specification for a CRM | $400-800 | 2-3 weeks |
| CRM implementation or relaunch | $1 100-2 700 | from 4 weeks |
| CRM Health Check | $400-700 | 1-2 weeks |
The "CRM implementation or relaunch" package starts at $1 400 and includes the business analysis and specification together with the implementation or relaunch. The package contents depend on the request, so do not add up the ranges of individual services mechanically. AKORDO names the exact amount after a free consultation, and the catalogue timelines are indicative, not contractual. Demand the same from any contractor: a clear line between an estimate and a commitment.
If you already have a CRM
If the system works but has many duplicates, empty fields and reports nobody trusts, it does not have to be relaunched. An express audit exists for that: a diagnostic of structure and data, risks with a plan and CRM discipline rules. A contractor who offers a rebuild straight away, without a diagnostic, may be solving a problem you do not have.
What the cases show
The commercial system case in financial services describes a CRM together with department processes, KPIs and training. The seasonal-demand sales department case combines a CRM with communication standards. The cases do not name CRM vendors, so do not expect a contractor to cite them as a guarantee of results.
We cover stages, budget and launch preparation in CRM implementation: stages, budget and preparation. If you have not yet chosen the system itself, start with How to choose a CRM for a small business.
Want to compare the proposals you already have? Book a free AKORDO consultation.