One of the most asked questions from our CRM development clients is: “How long does it take to implement a CRM?”
Look! It may take anywhere from 3 to 10 months in building a CRM System, but depending on your business and project scope, some CRMs can take upward of 12 to 18 months to build.
In this post, we’ll break down the factors that affect CRM development timelines and give you a realistic idea of what to expect. Buckle up and get ready to dive into the world of CRM creation!
Building CRM from scratch is a complex and time-consuming process involving several steps each with its timeline. Let’s break down each stage to understand the exact timeline of CRM development.
- Planning And Discovery
This is the first stage of CRM development, which includes identifying the goals and requirements of your CRM. In this stage, a CRM developer or CRM development company needs to understand the unique needs of the client. Furthermore, this stage calls for detailed market and competitive analysis to inform about the feature set. Also, documenting the functional specifications and creating a product backlog is important in this stage. Depending on the complexity of the product, this stage may take 2-4 weeks.
- Design
This is the second stage in building a CRM, which involves wireframing means sketching out the user interface to visualize the layout and functionality. We also develop a clickable prototype to refine workflows and get user feedback. Then we design the final design mockup depending on the feedback and iteration. This stage may take from 3-6 months, however, the exact timeline may vary.
- Development
The development phase is the most time-consuming and challenging stage. This involves the backend development including server-side logic, databases, and APIs. And frontend development (UI implementation and client-side scripting). However, the timeline for development significantly varies based on the complexity of features and integrations required. A basic CRM system can be developed in 2-4 months, while a more complex one with extensive integrations might take 6 months or more.
- Testing And Quality Assurance
Once developed, essential testing is a crucial step including unit testing, integration testing, performance testing, and user acceptance. It also includes identifying and fixing the bugs to deliver a stable CRM system. Testing usually takes 4-6 weeks, depending on the complexity and scope of the CRM.
- Deployment And Launch
After successful testing, the CRM is ready for deployment. It is a critical phase involving a lot of challenging tasks such as migrating data, setting up servers, or cloud infrastructure, and configuring the CRM for live use. The timeline for the deployment of CRM depends on the deployment strategy (cloud-based, on-premise), this can take from 2-4 weeks.
Total Timeline
For a basic CRM expect around 3-6 months, a more complex system can take 6-9 months or even longer especially if it includes advanced features and multi-purpose platforms.
Factors Affecting Your CRM Development Timeline
- Complexity And Features
The complexity and features of any CRM system can influence the time to build a CRM. A feature-rich CRM system will take longer to complete as compared to a CRM with basic features. Customization can also affect the timeline and off-the-shelf solutions will take less time as they offer pre-built features. In contrast, a customized CRM will increase the timeline.
- Data Migration And Integration
If you do not have any pre-existing customer data then migration is not an issue. But, if you are transitioning from another system, migrating that data can add time depending on its complexity. Also, connecting your CRM to other tools like email marketing or accounting software needs additional development effort. So, the number and complexity of integrations will affect the timeline.
- Development Resources And Team
A large and experienced development team can work faster than a smaller team. Furthermore, the expertise of the development team also impacts the development time. If the team is more involved and is clear about the requirements and tests the CRM promptly can make things work in a smooth flow.
- Project Management
Your goal for the CRM system must be clear with well defined features to keep the development on track. However, if you keep adding new features mid development then it will significantly extend the timeline. Strong communication and project management tools make sure that everyone is on the same page, preventing delays due to miscommunication.
Conclusion
In conclusion, building a CRM system is a complex process that needs careful planning, skilled development, and thorough testing. The timeline for developing a custom CRM can range from 4 months for a basic system to over 12 months for a highly customized solution. By understanding the phases and factors influencing development time, tech startups can effectively plan and execute their CRM projects to enhance customer relationships and operational efficiency.
How Quanrio’s Can Help You in CRM Development?
Quanrio is a leading CRM development company having a team of skilled developers. Our developers have extensive experience in building customized CRM solutions for our clients. We make sure to provide our clients with the CRM solution according to their unique needs. Feel free to reach out to us and our experts will guide you and help you choose the best CRM system for your business.
