From the earliest days of commercial computing, businesses have needed to keep ahead of technology trends.
But being a leader can come at a cost. New technology can be expensive to maintain, sometimes requiring talent that’s limited, in-demand and comes with a high price tag.
And because businesses don’t have unlimited funds, more companies are adopting CRM managed services as a critical mechanism to remain competitive in their industry.
By 2025, the global managed services market value is expected to reach USD 356.24 billion – a 55% increase over the next five years. Asia-Pacific is leading the charge with many organisations moving from traditional business models to cloud-based infrastructure.
Companies of all sizes are now engaging CRM managed services. SMBs caught up in the daily grind are turning to managed services to help them evolve. Major enterprises needing the equivalent of 10 or more full-time employees to get through everything are being supported by managed services.
For Simplus customer Office for the Ageing Well, it was clear a robust support arrangement was necessary when their internal IT department was unable to manage their Salesforce CRMs. So in came CRM managed services.
No matter the reason, CRM managed services can add value to your business, and here is why.
CRM managed services can fill a skills gap
Skill gaps are one of the modern realities of being part of today’s work environment. In fact, 79% of IT leaders say acquiring new tech talent has never been harder, particularly in Australia, where the talent pool is limited. Here the most experienced Salesforce developers, administrators and architects are so high in demand they can pick and choose the most exciting projects and name their price. And if you do manage to nab a great Salesforce expert, they may only be experienced in one particular area, still leaving you with a knowledge gap.
Today, CRM managed services are filling this gap. The flexibility of managed services means you can get access to the right skills at the times you need them. Whether that’s a BAU technical support contract or 40 hours of manpower to clear a backlog of work.
Lacking CRM knowledge, CRM managed services fills that gap, too
If you don’t have a solid understanding of how your CRM works when you implement it, that’s a good indication you need CRM managed services.
Think of it as a stopgap measure until you have built up your centre of excellence and are self-sufficient. At Simplus, we like to set our customers up for long-term success, so our strategy might be for you to engage our managed services for one year until you get your legs under your Salesforce operations.
CRM managed services help streamline workflow
No matter the activity, you can always get more value out of a system with the right people working on the right tasks. Managed services can take pressure off internal resources by overseeing simpler tasks to free teams and individuals up to concentrate on high-value activities.
For example, one small business had their CEO as their Salesforce administrator – obviously not a great use of his time. By using our managed services, the CEO’s time was freed up to focus on strategic ideas, and we were there to help him and his company build on those once ready.
The opposite also runs true – if you have an infrequent need for highly specific skills, you might have your internal team focus on general tasks and your managed services resources take care of strategic activities.
How to find the right CRM managed service for your business
CRM managed services should be designed to add value to your business and be an extension of your company. With only 51% of managed service providers describing their primary role as a mix between technical and business responsibilities, it’s essential to look for a provider who helps you establish operational best practices and not just tech support.
You can’t predict what’s going to happen in your business – there may be some months you need more support than others, and you don’t want to be penalised for hours that aren’t used or racking up additional charges.
For the Office for Ageing Well’s Evlynn Hayes, Simplus’ flex utilisation model gives her the flexibility she needs to keep operations rolling.
“Having a regular team that understands our business needs means I’m completely supported in the management and system administration of the various Salesforce systems under my portfolio. With the hours rolling over each month, I have increased flexibility and the option for additional skills if and when required,” says Evlynn.
No matter what point you’re at on your Salesforce journey, CRM managed services can add value.
Want to learn more about our managed services offerings? Join us at our managed services roundtable sessions.
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