How To Choose the Right Testing Company for Your CRM Implementation?

Over the years, the concept of Customer Relationship Management has taken a front seat across industries. Be it manufacturing, eCommerce, IT, or any other business scenarios, CRM planning has turned to be an integral part of business development strategies.  

And therefore, organizations across the world have started to invest in full-fledged CRM systems. Designed to complement the CRM initiatives, these advanced software technologies are designed with the intent to streamline customer information and enhance the marketing efforts for improved sales. Besides, CRMs have all the capabilities required to encourage more personalized and valuable interactions.  

But when the whole business industry is investing in CRM implementation in their business model, what makes certain organizations perform better than others?  

The answer is not only hidden in the right selection of CRM systems but the ties made with an experienced CRM testing services provider.  

As a professional QA service provider brand that aims to foster digital transformation objectives, we at BugRaptors always aim to keep our clients and QA enthusiasts informed of the industry’s best practices. Since testing before implementation can turn out to be a highly demanding task, we will try to highlight the process of selecting the right CRM testing company to add more value to your CRM system implementation in the next few minutes. Besides, we will underline the CRM Testing Setup Plan that you must aim to follow with a CRM testing company to meet your long-term business objectives.  

Let’s begin! 

1. Picking The Right Stakeholders 

CRM technology needs to cater to several elements and resources within a business environment. Since CRM initiatives are directly associated with sales, marketing, customer service, and finance, it is necessary that the given CRM system must align well with different business processes.  

Even when you have planned to hire CRM testers, it is involving the right stakeholders throughout the implementation process that can help with configurations and workflows. Also, stakeholders can even help integrate defined objectives and timelines. This further could elevate the vendor selection process and core functions to ensure the system should work well in accordance with the defined priorities.  

Looking for CRM Testing Best Practices & Checklist? 

Read Our Blog For Detailed Information: CRM Testing : Best Practices and CheckList 

2. The Selection Criteria 

When sales tactics jump in, it gets even more tricky to work through the pool of service providers. Therefore, it is necessary that your CRM system should have a valid selection criterion locked in with your objectives. Some of the most significant items that can be pursued during this stage include: 

• The test approach and tools 

• Subject matter expertise 

• Ability showcased through similar past projects 

• The knowledge of the CRM system 

Also, the selection stage even requires you to make the call for on-site or test outsourcing services without affecting the day-to-day process. Such an approach could help your in-house teams and hired testers to be in sync when you need to create a highly reliable CRM implementation. 

3. Know The Right Questions to Ask 

Once you are all set with the shortlisted QA companies that you may consider taking on CRM testing, make sure you understand all the right questions to ask to aid your final call. These questions need to be related to culture, goals, and overall expectations with the collaboration. Some of these include: 

• What are the SLAs included? 

• What methodology will be used and why? 

• What are the security practices? 

• Any instances of success for similar implementation in the past? 

• What additional support can be expected (performance, integration, security, etc.)? 

• What new technologies and practices will be used in CRM testing? 

Finding out answers to all of the above-defined subjects and questions could help you come out as a confident team. Besides, it could help you proceed more professionally driving all the strength required to foster a test setup plan. Moving on, let us quickly jump on the CRM testing setup plan that could help meet the defined test objectives. 

CRM Test Setup 

Setting a CRM Test Plan can be tricky when you are not familiar with the CRM Test Process and approach. As the CRM test setup needs you to work on escalating different stages of SDLC while aligning with the system’s requirements. Some of the most important steps of working on the CRM test setup can be listed as:  

1. CRM Testing Process Design 

The primary stage of the CRM Testing Process begins with designing the entire test process. The process involves the following steps: 

• The QA managers validate all the assigned requirements for clarity and completeness with the objective to facilitate the CRM test cases.  

• CRM user groups participate in the entire process of specifying test requirements in order to work on functional and usability tests.  

• The KPIs for CRM testing are defined which usually includes test execution time, number of test cases, defects rejected, test automation rate, overall requirements covered by test cases, etc. 

• The schedule for CRM testing and development tasks is outlined. 

2. CRM Test Preparation 

When it comes to CRM test preparation, the defined process varies based on the sourcing model which can be in-house or outsourced CRM testing.  

In-house CRM Testing 

• Designing the CRM test strategy and planning the project efforts 

• Planning the CRM testing team 

Outsourced CRM Testing 

When it comes to outsourced CRM testing the process is quite consuming and therefore involves several steps. These include: 

• The process begins with finding CRM testing services that are ISTQB certified or comply with the IEC and ISO standards.  

• Filtering the service provider portfolios 

• Measure resource requirements and confirm the availability with the service providers 

• Share the detailed list of requirements and ask for the necessary information that can help escalate the CRM testing process.  

• Request for estimates and proposals to ensure offered prices match with the predefined budget.  

• Negotiations are pursued before final SLAs are signed.  

3. CRM Testing Launch 

The beginning of the CRM test process is the most significant step of the entire CRM testing journey. Whether you are working with an in-house team or outsourced the services, here are a few steps that you need to take: 

• Defining & configuring the test environment 

• Developing test cases and test scripts 

• Preparing the CRM test data.  

And just in case, you are aiming for implementing a platform-based CRM solution, it is necessary that your CRM provider should provide you with a relevant test environment to meet your end objectives.  

How CRM Testing Is Done? 

When it comes to long-term CRM development projects, testers usually try to ensure 30 to 40 per cent test automation coverage throughout the project to ensure that the outlined test scenarios, test automation architecture, test automation frameworks, and test automation tools should all align perfectly. Besides, some of the most common testing types that make it to the in-house CRM test plan include: 

• Functional Testing: Functional testing in CRM needs testers to check the overall scope of the CRM testing initiatives. The process follows checking on required functions in the CRM for offering a flawless workflow. However, in the case of platform-based CRMs, the testers also need to check on configuration and customization validation that might affect that app functioning. 

• Integration Testing: A CRM’s business value entirely depends on its capability of data sharing. Since CRM systems are usually made to run in collaboration with ERP and other financial solutions, CRM integration is the next important factor that must be worked. Integration testing even helps you to stay intact with data transfer goals and ensure proper connectivity across the whole digital environment.  

• Performance Testing: The next big thing that testers need to do is check the performance of the CRM solution. The process involves checking the CRM for its behaviour during peak load and continuous load to offer a convenient output to the users.  

• Security Testing: CRM testing even includes checking on system vulnerabilities as well as control validation. Also, testers working on security testing could aim at compliance benchmarks and regulatory standards like HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, etc.  

• Usability Testing: Last but not least, testers working on CRM testing work on validating the UI elements, layout, and convenience of usage for a user. This helps to meet the usability metrics and standards defined during the specification of requirements. 

Also Read:  All You Need to Know about Popular CRM Testing

The Crux  

Selecting the perfect CRM testing company can be cumbersome. However, investing your time and effort could be directed to bring positive results by establishing a productive relationship with a cloud testing service provider company. Also, successful partnerships could help you strengthen the foundational business elements.  

Good Luck! 

If you are planning to foster your CRM testing initiatives by partnering with a reliable, experienced, and professional CRM testing company, feel free to reach our experts through info@bugraptors.com