Secrets of Successful Testing for CRM Implementations

Integrating a CRM tool into your enterprise will change everything. This way, you’ll get far more actual insight into the behavior of your customers when using your platform and interacting with your various systems. The problem with this, however, lies in the fact that your CRM needs to be integrated with each of these tools and a system as a whole.

So, before you launch it, you need to check if everything is implemented correctly. You need to test it. To help you out with this, here are a few secrets of successful testing for CRM implementations.

Understanding why you’re doing it

You need to start by understanding the importance of software testing when implementing CRM. It doesn’t matter if you find the most credible review of CRM apps shortlisted and pick something top-rated from here. Unless you integrate it right, it won’t give you the results you’re looking for.

First, you need to make sure you identify all the bugs in the application. Even if you discover a bug, it won’t be the end of the world. As soon as it’s discovered early enough, you can fix it before it causes any real outrage.

Other than that, you need to understand the importance of actually working on software improvement. The majority of modern software is actually SaaS, which means that you have a live service, and your audience expects improvement all the time. Fortunately, there are always bugs to fix. By being really vigilant about updates, and if you provide a great enough developer’s diary, you’ll have an easy time improving upon it all.

Second, since you’re already improving, you need to understand that every improvement and integration changes quite a bit to the existing system. What you need to do is make sure that this newly implemented solution covers each of these points and that it doesn’t interfere with the existing system.

You need to set the scope of your testing from the very start. Even if new issues appear during the testing, you cannot broaden the scope; otherwise, you’ll completely miss the point of the test. Instead, you need to restart the testing stage with the expanded scope. Sure, this costs more, and it will take more time, but the reality is that it’s the only way.

What kind of testing are we talking about?

Next, you need to understand the importance of picking the right tests. It’s like with any regular product: you’re pressure-testing it to see how it holds up in different scenarios and situations.

For instance, you may want to integrate your CRM with your ERP system and your accounting, thus creating a centralized software system for your enterprise. As we’ve described in the previous section, with each test, you’re looking at a single issue, which means that you need to start a stand-alone test for each of these software and only subsequently test them as a unit.

Second, you want to stress-test your platform. Make sure to increase the usage and push the platform to its limits. See how it handles many users handling different tasks and working on all its platforms at the same time.

Another test you should try is a data migration test. The way this works is simple – you switch applications and try importing data. You can also try changing the database structure or fields. If the data still makes sense after the migration, the test is conducted successfully.

Lastly, you want to engage in user acceptance testing (UAT). This is the only test on this list that doesn’t focus on technical specifications. Here, you’re merely checking if the solution actually works for the end user. Out of everything listed, UAT is probably the most relevant test you have to conduct.

How to handle UAT for CRMs?

While the concept of UAT is well-established, and a lot of enterprises understand how to implement it the right way, what you actually need to establish is the way to make it work for CRM. Here, you have five principles you must abide by.

For starters, you need to see if you have real feedback from your CRM. Regardless if you’re just running a regular e-store of one of those anonymous casinos, you need to see it in action. Before this stage, only your technical team will be involved with the use of the CRM, which is why this is your big chance to spot something they’ve missed.

Second, you need to start using test data. Remember that you’re installing the CRM to analyze user data. Try actually getting insights from this user data and use the platform in the environment in which you intend to apply it regularly.

Next, you want to assign enough time for each stage of the UTA. this way, you have the time to restart the process if you feel like the initial stage was not set accordingly. Errors are more likely to occur on a tight schedule, and the very reason why you’re doing this research is to avoid these errors.

Next, you want to make a plan and prepare in advance. UAT is not a process where you can just make plans and adjustments as you go. Everything needs to be prepared in advance, and you need to have a clear and well-defined roadmap.

Lastly, you need to make a great selection of your end-user testers. Picking random people won’t necessarily give you the most accurate depiction. Moreover, when testing something as technical as the CRM, you might have to instruct test subjects a bit more.

Different stages of the UAT

Splitting the UAT into steps may not be as simple or intuitive to everyone. Once you have your methodology picked, however, the process usually takes place in three stages.

First, you have the stage where the users provide feedback, and you compare it to the scope of your previously stated goals and objectives. This is the most objective stage, where you can identify valid issues and return both the results and the original objectives sheet to the technical team. This way, they have a point-by-point plan to address all these issues.

After the first stage, you need to repeat the UAT. This happens after you believe that you’ve fixed all the previous issues. Also, for the sake of accuracy, the majority of tests repeat the process with the same users. This is the best way to see if the previous problems were actually fixed.

Stage three usually consists of the repetition of stage two. This is usually short and tends to cause minor oversights.

The biggest problem with this type of classification is the fact that it’s technically one stage that takes place three times. The first time is a fresh test, while the latter two are merely there to mop up the mistakes that were skipped before.

Without testing, you can only guess and hope that everything will work out alright

You can’t afford to take any chances. CRM software is something that you’ll base your entire strategy around (well, on the data gathered and processed by CRM). This is why you have to be 100% sure that it’s implemented the right way around, and the only way to get there is through testing. While you do have to conduct a number of tests, the UAT is always a priority.