Not too big, not too small: find the right CRM for your charity

As their responsibilities become ever more complex, many charities are turning to CRMs to manage and simplify their day-to-day work. The right system can save charities a lot of time by keeping client contacts, plans, referrers, donations and fundraising data securely in one place, while generating reports for funders and trustees at the touch of a button. 

But what if you haven’t ventured down the CRM route yet, or are unhappy with the one you’ve got? There are lots of CRMs out there to choose from nowadays that meet a variety of different needs. How do charities find that ‘Goldilocks’ system – the one that perfectly matches their organisation’s services, size, and budget?  

Below, we explore some of the key considerations charities should think about when looking for the perfect CRM. 

Find out more about Charitylog

Size matters 

Don’t go bigger than you need to 

Think carefully before choosing a CRM produced by one of the big international software companies. Remember that these companies make their profits from large commercial clients, who will always be their priority, and the systems were not originally designed with charities in mind.  

Many offer attractive deals to hook customers at the start, but don’t offer much support once you’ve bought the system. If anything goes wrong later, or you want to make changes, it can feel as though you’re on your own. 

Approach very small providers with caution 

Buying a basic CRM from a very small company might seem the most affordable option, but this could pose some risks.

Are you 100% confident of their long-term viability? Do they have the in-house knowhow to adapt to changes in technology? Can they respond quickly to an urgent support request? Are they so small they need to outsource things – and if so, is your data safe? 

What should a ‘just-right’ charity CRM offer? 

Easy, professional reporting 

Reports are a fact of life for charities, and your CRM should make this easy, with a range of reporting options. Always check if clear, no-nonsense information for trustees, funders and other stakeholders can be generated on demand.

Some CRMs, such as Charitylog, give you the option of creating professional-looking pie charts and graphs at the touch of a button. 

Scalability 

If your charity has the potential to grow, you want to be confident that your CRM will have the capacity to grow with it.

There should be a menu of different levels of functionality available for different budgets and needs, and you should never have to pay for bells and whistles that you don’t want. For example, Charitylog offers four different price plans depending on a charity’s size and income, with the cheapest only £49 per month. 

UK-based, queue-free support 

A CRM provider should feel like a partner and colleague, not simply a sales company that sells you a product. When you need support, you should be able to call a local number and get straight through to a UK-based person who works for the company and knows the system inside out. Some companies, like Charitylog, supplement this with help manuals, webinars and videos.  

Check that, once you’ve bought your new system, there will always be someone helpful at the end of the phone if you need them. Are upgrades and improvements made regularly – and clearly communicated? Charitylog contact their customers three times a year about the latest upgrades and how to make the most of them. 

A trusted user-base 

Look for medium-sized companies who already work with a lot of charities, with user testimonials and case studies on their site. For example, Charitylog is used by around 1000 charity users across the UK, including many familiar names. 

In conclusion

A CRM is a great tool to save time on admin, run reports for funders and trustees, and keep your data secure. Even the smallest charity can benefit from using one. But when you’re deciding, be sure to ask all the right questions to be sure of finding your ‘Goldilocks’ CRM – the one that’s just right for you.