Do you really need a CRM support provider?

I know a lot of organizations that rely on their CRM support provider almost as much as they rely on their CRM.

Smart decision?

Of course, systems need support. But the problem with outsourcing that support to an external provider is this:

It does not lead you to master your own systems.

The organizations I've seen who are happiest with their open-source CRMs — who are getting the most value out of their systems — are the ones who handle their support internally, and rely on external expertise only for strategic decisions and planning.

Naturally you can get some cost-savings by bringing CRM operations in-house. But that's not the primary value.

The primary value is in increasing institutional knowledge of your systems and how they work.

How you decided to do this will depend on your situation, but here are some ideas:

• Designate someone in your organization to be the point person for these tasks. All questions come to them, and they become, in time, the in-house expert.

• Work out a job description for a new hire that includes these tasks, either as a primary function or along with other responsibilities.

• Start taking on these tasks yourself. This may be the best option if you're running a very small operation.

Here’s the thing:

One of the great benefits of running open-source tools is that you own the data and the systems, which gives you extraordinary stability and freedom.

But if you're not mastering those systems over time, can you really say that you own them?

All the best,
A.