The Ultimate CRM Migration Checklist

CRMs are the backbone of today’s businesses. Your sales and marketing teams heavily rely on them to manage leads and build better relations with existing customers, aiding retention and upselling. They play a critical role in driving your revenue. Apart from that, a streamlined CRM improves the decision-making process of the leadership team; as for any business, it is the single source of truth about different business segments.

So, if you do not have a solid CRM in place, switch to a better one that is more suited to your business needs and stage. However, switching CRMs is a massive project in and of itself. CRMs are incredibly complicated tools with many automations and data points with multiple teams working on them.

We have helped companies and seen them struggle while migrating to a different CRM platform. This is why we understand the pain of this entire process. So join us on the journey where we share with you the most detailed and thorough checklist for a step-by-step migration process. And we bet you, this is the best one on the face of the internet.

When is a CRM Migration Necessary?

Given how elaborate the entire migration process is, one needs to have a very solid reason as to why they want to do this. It’s not something that you had a hunch one morning, and now you want your team to find a new CRM and start migrating.

It is a long process and takes easily a few months to finish and inform. Even after that, training your sales and marketing team is ongoing. So, you need to understand when your current CRM is insufficient and needs to be replaced. Here’s a list of some valid indicators that it’s time to switch:

1. Outgrowing Your Current CRM’s Capacity for Sales Growth: When your sales pipeline is expanding rapidly, your current CRM may struggle to keep pace. It might have limited functionality that was sufficient to take you from 0 to 1, but not for your journey beyond that. This can hinder your team’s ability to manage leads and opportunities effectively.
2. Advanced Automation Requirements: Sophisticated levels of automation are often imperative for operational efficiency. If your current CRM lacks the capability to support these automation needs, it may be time to explore alternatives.
3. Integration Shortcomings: An effective sales team relies on seamless integrations with other tools and platforms. If your current CRM falls short in this regard, it can hinder the productivity and effectiveness of your sales team.
4. Scaling Organization and CRM Features Mismatch: As your organization grows, the functionalities of your CRM must align with the scale of your operations. If your CRM’s features are not conducive to your rapid growth, it might be time to seek a more suitable solution.
5. Inadequate Single Source of Truth: A CRM should serve as the definitive source of truth for your business data. If your current CRM struggles to maintain this role, consider transitioning to a more robust system.
6. Complexity in Configuration: Your CRM should adapt easily to your evolving business needs. If configuring even simple changes has become a challenge, it’s a clear sign that your current CRM may be hindering your operational agility.

Understanding these indicators is the first step towards making an informed decision about migrating to a CRM that better aligns with your business objectives and growth trajectory. If any of these or a collection of these reasons apply to your business, it’s time to switch your CRM. You will ultimately develop a system that is easier to set up, configure, and manage.

In-House vs. Outsourcing

Now that you understand the depth and width of this project and are ready to migrate, the next decision that you have to make is whether you should hire an agency or get it done in-house.

Doing it in-house can offer a high degree of control over the process, allowing for customization to specific business needs and timelines. However, it’s vital to bear in mind that CRM migrations can be resource-intensive endeavors. The time, effort, and specialized knowledge required can strain internal resources, diverting them from other critical business activities.

Additionally, if your team lacks prior experience with CRM migrations, there may be a learning curve involved, which could lead to delays or missteps in the process.

On the other hand, hiring a specialized migration agency is another viable option. These agencies have a wealth of expertise and experience in CRM transitions. Their proficiency in best practices can lead to a more efficient and streamlined migration process.

While there may be an upfront cost associated with engaging an agency, this should be weighed against potential savings in time and internal resources. The focused knowledge and skill set that a migration agency brings to the table can significantly reduce the likelihood of errors or setbacks during the transition.

A third approach, and also the one that we highly recommend, involves collaborating between your in-house team and a migration agency.

This combines the familiarity of your team with the specialized skills of the agency, potentially resulting in a smoother migration. It allows for a balanced allocation of resources, optimizing the workload between the internal team and the agency. However, effective collaboration requires seamless communication and coordination between the two parties. Without proper management, there can be challenges in ensuring efficiency throughout the process.

Migration Checklist

Sorry for taking so much time space before getting to the meat of this article. But those sections were extremely important to highlight because they will help you to be more thoughtful with the entire migration process and to move forward in the right direction.

Now that you have a clear understanding of the factors that necessitate switching CRMs and whether you should opt for an in-house approach or outsource it to an agency, it’s time to shift some gears and move forward.

Project Planning

As mentioned earlier, CRM migration is an elaborate project. So, of course, you need to play the role of a project manager and do some solid planning. Here’s a detailed breakdown of all the crucial steps involved:

1. Creating a Detailed Scope of Work: Begin by meticulously defining the entire project’s scope. This includes outlining specific tasks, setting clear objectives, and identifying expected deliverables. A comprehensive SOW serves as a roadmap guiding the team through each phase of the migration process.
2. Develop a Comprehensive Plan of Action: This involves creating a detailed timeline with an Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) tied to every aspect of the listed activities. This level of granularity ensures that each task is accounted for and helps track progress effectively. It provides a clear path forward, minimizing uncertainties and ensuring a smooth execution.
3. Segment Tasks and Categorize Phases: Break down the project into manageable parts. Categorize tasks based on their nature and priority and assign them to different implementation phases. This segmentation allows for focused efforts, ensuring that each phase is executed precisely. It also enables the team to allocate resources efficiently, optimizing productivity throughout the project.
4. Educate the Team on Timelines: Transparency and communication are pivotal. Ensure that the entire team is well-informed about the estimated timelines for each phase. This not only sets clear expectations but also empowers team members to plan their activities accordingly. It fosters a sense of accountability and collective responsibility for meeting project milestones.
5. Establish Support in SLAs: Make sure to establish a level of support SLAs from either your implementation partner for the CRM or from the support team of the CRM itself. There will be moments during the migration when things seem broken or some major issue surfaces that need to be addressed immediately, and having a proper SLA built into getting a response from your implementation partner can be crucial.

By rigorously adhering to these steps in the project planning phase, you establish a robust framework for the CRM migration. This structured approach not only mitigates risks but also instills confidence in the team. It provides a solid foundation for a seamless transition, ultimately contributing to the overall success of the endeavor.

Data Accumulation

On a rough scale, CRMs are practically collections of data in an organized format. It is the blood of any CRM. That is why one of the most critical things to keep in consideration while migrating to a new platform is to accumulate all the critical data from workflows to fields, leads, and reports. Below is an in-depth analysis of every essential step in the process:

1. Identify Current Workflows and Integrations: Create a comprehensive list of existing workflows and integrations in your current CRM. For instance, consider integrations with your website that facilitate the seamless transfer of inbound leads to the CRM and then to sales enablement tools like Salesloft or Outplay. You might also have several forms on your website integrated with the CRM; each segmenting leads based on their source. Make sure to identify such workflows and integrations and mention them in whatever project management tool you’re using to keep a note of them.
2. Replicate Essential Workflows: Identify specific workflows in your current CRM that are critical to your operations and need to be replicated in the new CRM. For example, if you have a workflow that automatically updates the lead status from “Marketing Qualified” to “Sales Qualified” when marked as “SQL” by the sales team, ensure this is ported over to the new CRM.
3. Custom Field Changes and Mapping: Document all required changes to custom fields in the new CRM. Map the new values of these custom fields to their corresponding values in the old CRM. For instance, if lead stages are being updated from “New, Follow Up Initiated, or Appointment Booked” to “Fresh, Reach Out Initiated, or Nurturing,” ensure a smooth transition by mapping values in a document or spreadsheet.
4. Compile Leads, Opportunities, and Customers: This is very obvious. Create a detailed list of all current leads, opportunities, and customers that must be migrated. Download their information into a spreadsheet, ensuring that it is thoroughly updated. Include critical details such as email history, revenue data, and contract renewal information.
5. Update Relevant Lead, Account, and Opportunity Details: Prioritize accuracy by ensuring that all pertinent details about leads, accounts, and opportunities are correctly updated in the spreadsheet during the download process. This could encompass essential information like email correspondence, revenue figures, and contract renewal dates.
6. Replicate Reports: Identify and compile a list of reports in your current CRM that are essential for your business operations. These could pertain to metrics like MQLs, sales pipelines, SQLs, and SQOs. Ensure these reports are replicated in your new CRM to maintain continuity in your reporting processes.

Thorough data accumulation is pivotal for a smooth CRM migration. It lays the foundation for a seamless transition, enhancing the efficiency of your customer relationship management.

Project Execution

Once you are done with the data accumulation part, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start working on the migration process. Thorough communication with the sales and marketing team at every phase of this journey is extremely critical. Here’s a step-by-step guide to the entire process:

1. Phased Approach is Key: Avoid the temptation to rush. Implement the project in distinct phases to ensure a smooth transition.
2. Prioritize Website Automations: Begin by prioritizing the migration of website automations. This ensures that all new data collected by your sales team seamlessly integrates with the CRM right from the start.
3. Temporary Dual Usage is Acceptable: Recognize that there will be a transitional phase where your sales team will have to operate with both CRMs simultaneously. This is a natural part of the migration process and allows a gradual adjustment period.
4. Transition Integrations and Sales Tools: Once workflows and automations are successfully migrated, focus on migrating integrations, particularly sales enablement tools. This ensures seamless operation within the new CRM environment.
5. Migrate Historical Data: With the integrations in place, it’s time to migrate the existing data. This encompasses leads, customers, opportunities, and other critical information. By systematically transferring this data, you ensure that historical records are preserved and readily accessible in the new CRM.
6. Implement Necessary Reports: These reports are integral to monitoring key metrics like MQLs, sales pipeline progression, SQLs, and SQOs. By establishing these reports, you empower your team with the insights needed for informed decision-making and strategic planning. This step is the culmination of your meticulous planning and execution, solidifying the success of your CRM migration project.

Keeping these points in mind while migrating to a new CRM, you will ensure that all the concerned stakeholders can continue with their work without much disturbance. Migrations take time, and can pause many critical sales and marketing activities. However, if you follow this process, it will be much easier and seamless for them.

Project Testing

Thorough testing is critical for a successful CRM migration. Multiple teams are going to use the new tool for activities that will be highly crucial for the cash flow of your business; you cannot just ship the newly set up CRM without testing. At each stage of the process, it’s a must to conduct rigorous testing to validate the accuracy and functionality of the transition.

When migrating new leads, careful checks must be in place to ensure that all relevant information has been accurately ported over. This step is foundational in guaranteeing that no crucial data is left behind.

Continual testing is equally crucial for newly established automation, workflows, and integrations. This ongoing validation process helps identify and rectify any potential glitches, ensuring that all systems are working in seamless harmony.

Reports, as vital tools for decision-making, require their own dedicated testing phase. This entails analyzing the reports to detect any errors or discrepancies. By conducting thorough testing, you not only confirm the accuracy of the data but also establish a reliable foundation for informed business insights. This meticulous approach to testing is instrumental in safeguarding the integrity of the CRM migration project.

Roadblocks to Anticipate

During the CRM migration process, it’s crucial to be aware of potential roadblocks that may arise. These challenges can be addressed with careful planning and proactive measures. And even if some of them cannot be resolved, it’s always better to inform sales and marketing teams about them to help them be more cooperative.

1. Confusion with Two CRMs: During the migration process, there will be times when your sales team will have to use both the old and new CRMs simultaneously. This transitional phase can lead to confusion and inefficiencies. It’s essential to provide clear guidance and training to ensure a smooth transition.
2. Data Duplication: One of the common pitfalls in CRM migration is the potential for data duplication. This can occur when information is not accurately transferred or synchronized between the old and new systems. It’s crucial to implement thorough data validation processes to mitigate this risk.
3. Incomplete Data Migration: Ensuring all data is entirely migrated is crucial for maintaining business continuity. Failing to transfer essential information can result in gaps in customer records and hinder ongoing operations. Extremely careful data migration plans and validation checks are essential to address this concern.
4. Sandwiched Reports: Generating reports that include data from both the new and older migrated leads can be challenging. It’s essential to implement proper data segregation techniques to ensure that reports provide accurate and meaningful insights without overlap or confusion.
5. Outdated Data in Spreadsheets: If the data in the spreadsheet was downloaded sometime before the actual migration, there’s a risk of missing out on newly acquired leads. It’s crucial to update the spreadsheet with the most recent information from the CRM to avoid overlooking potentially valuable leads.
6. Email Triggers for Older Leads: The migration process may trigger automated email workflows for leads that have been newly migrated to the CRM. This can result in redundant or unnecessary communications. Implementing corrective measures, such as adjusting workflows or temporarily disabling certain triggers, can help mitigate this issue.

By being proactive in identifying and addressing these potential roadblocks, you can navigate the CRM migration process with confidence and ensure a seamless transition for your sales and marketing teams. It’s crucial to maintain a vigilant approach, continuously monitor progress, and implement corrective measures as needed to overcome these challenges effectively.

Team Collaboration & Training

Ongoing collaboration and training are fundamental to the success of CRM migration. Establish a culture of teamwork and open communication, keeping everyone aligned with the migration goals through regular updates and feedback sessions.

Training is equally vital. Provide comprehensive modules, workshops, and resources to equip your teams with the skills needed to make the most of the new CRM. Continuous learning is essential in maximizing the benefits of the migration for your business.

With this, we are concluding our checklist. Keep in mind that CRM migration is not a small task; it takes time. So, it requires extremely careful planning and execution. This checklist provides a roadmap for a seamless transition. Embrace the benefits of an optimized CRM system and propel your business forward in customer relationship management.