CRM audit: how do you evaluate your current CRM performance?

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A CRM system is the beating heart of many organisations. It helps you manage customer relationships, streamline processes and achieve commercial goals. But how do you know whether your CRM still supports your business objectives optimally? By performing a regular CRM audit, you gain insight into the system’s effectiveness and uncover opportunities for improvement. In this blog we explain why a CRM audit is important, which elements you should assess and how to proceed step by step.

What is a CRM audit and why is it needed?

A CRM audit is a thorough evaluation of your CRM system and the way it is used within your organisation. You look beyond the technical side and examine user adoption, data quality and alignment with your business processes. The goal is to determine whether your CRM truly adds value, identify bottlenecks and formulate concrete improvement actions.

Many organisations notice that, over time, their CRM no longer matches day-to-day reality. Think of incomplete or outdated data, low user adoption, poor reports or integrations that do not work as expected. An audit brings these issues to light so you can adjust course.

The key components of a CRM audit

An effective CRM audit looks beyond technology alone. You investigate how the system is used, whether the data is reliable and whether employees can work with it easily. You also assess the integrations with other systems and the quality of reporting. Finally, you check that the CRM meets privacy and security requirements. This quickly reveals your system’s strengths and areas for improvement. Below are the most important aspects:

1. Data quality 
Check whether the data in the CRM is current, complete and reliable. Look for duplicate or outdated records, missing information and how data is entered and maintained. 

2. Usage and adoption 
Analyse how the CRM is actually used by different teams. Are all features being leveraged? Is there sufficient buy-in and knowledge among users? Are there bottlenecks in day-to-day use? 

3. Integrations and automation 
Assess whether the CRM works well with other systems, such as marketing tools, accounting software or support platforms. Do the integrations function properly and do they contribute to more efficient workflows? 

4. Reporting and insights 
Check whether reports and dashboards provide the right steering information. Can you easily measure key KPIs such as customer satisfaction, sales performance and retention? 

5. Compliance and security 
Verify that the CRM complies with current legislation such as the GDPR. Is access to sensitive data well organised and are adequate security measures in place? 

6. Alignment with business goals 
Evaluate how well the CRM supports your organisation’s strategic objectives. Does it underpin processes and growth ambitions, or are adjustments needed? 

Step-by-step plan for a successful CRM audit

Having clear steps in advance prevents you from overlooking important components and ensures an objective and complete evaluation. A simple plan also makes it easier to involve colleagues and creates buy-in for improvements. Follow the steps below to conduct your CRM audit thoroughly and effectively:

Step 1: Define the goal of the audit 
Determine what you want to achieve: improve data quality, boost usage or optimise integrations? 

Step 2: Gather input from users 
Interview employees from different teams about their experiences with the CRM. Ask about bottlenecks, wishes and ideas for improvement. 

Step 3: Analyse data and processes 
Perform a thorough check of data quality, user statistics, reports and integrations. Use a checklist to make sure nothing is missed. 

Step 4: Assess compliance and security 
Verify that your CRM meets current privacy legislation and that security is in order. 

Step 5: Formulate concrete recommendations 
Create an overview of improvement points and prioritise them. Think of extra training, data cleansing, new integrations or workflow adjustments. 

Step 6: Draw up an improvement plan 
Convert the recommendations into a clear action plan with responsibilities and deadlines, and secure team commitment. 

KPIs and success factors for CRM performance

To determine whether your CRM performs well, it is important to define clear KPIs. These metrics show where you stand and where you can improve. Common CRM KPIs include: 

• Customer retention rate: What percentage of customers stay on after a certain period?
• Customer satisfaction (e.g. NPS or CSAT): How do customers rate your service? 
• Lead conversion: What percentage of leads actually become customers? 
• Average time to customer: How long does it take from first contact to a closed deal? 
• Average deal value: What is the average revenue per sale? 
• Number of new leads or customers: How many new contacts do you add in a given period? 
• CRM system usage: How active are your employees in the system? 
• Lead-follow-up speed: How quickly are new leads responded to? 
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): What is the total value of a customer throughout the relationship? 

Monitoring these KPIs regularly lets you see immediately where your CRM performs well

Start auditing your CRM today

A CRM audit is not a one-off exercise but an essential part of continuous improvement. By periodically reviewing your CRM system critically, you maintain control over quality, seize opportunities and avoid falling behind. This way, your CRM remains a powerful tool for growth, customer focus and achieving your business goals. 

Would you like to know how we can help with a CRM audit or have questions about optimising your CRM? Feel free to contact us! 

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