CRM Beratung in comparison

What is CRM Consulting?

CRM consulting helps companies to build or further develop their customer relationship management in a meaningful way. This means much more than just implementing a new tool. In practice, it almost always comes down to three things at the same time. First, better processes in marketing, sales, and service. Second, a better handling of customer data, more customer insights, and a holistic view of the customer. Third, the question of which CRM technologies, which consulting approach, and which type of consulting service actually fit the organization. This holistic perspective is exactly what is decisive for this OMR Reviews category. CRM consulting should therefore not be understood as a purely IT topic, but as a consulting service at the intersection of strategy, technology, and operational execution.

I consider this an important point because many companies still misclassify CRM. They buy a CRM system and believe the topic is solved. This is roughly how it is also communicated to them by many system providers. My experience is rather the opposite. A CRM project rarely fails because of the tool itself. It usually fails because goals are unclear, responsibilities are missing, and processes are not defined and implemented end-to-end. Then a CRM solution quickly turns into just another data repository. That may sound harsh, but in many companies it is unfortunately reality.

From my perspective, good CRM consulting must always cover three areas. Strategy, implementation, and operations. Strategy means clarifying goals, setting priorities, and developing a realistic target vision for customer management. Implementation means bringing processes, data, and systems together in such a way that a functioning setup emerges in everyday operations. Operations means making the whole thing usable in the long term, involving teams, measuring results, and continuously developing the solution further. This is exactly where good consulting often differs from pure tool implementation.

Who is the collaboration useful for?

CRM consulting is not only relevant for large corporations. It is generally useful for all companies that work with growing customer data, multiple channels, and more complex processes in sales, marketing, or service. This can be a mid-sized company that wants to track leads more cleanly and make customer information centrally available. But it can also be a larger company that wants to finally bring marketing, sales, and customer service to the same level of information.

Collaboration is particularly useful when typical symptoms occur. For example, when customer data management is distributed across multiple systems, when it is unclear which campaigns actually have an impact, or when sales works with different information than service. External CRM consulting is also often useful in planned digitalization projects, in the selection of new software, or in the replacement of existing enterprise systems. Especially in an early phase, the external perspective is often more important than deep internal knowledge of individual processes or the company’s own industry. Because many problems are eventually perceived as normal within the company, even though they have long since become a structural obstacle.

An important point here is: CRM consulting is not the same as CRM implementation. Before a solution can be introduced, it must first be clearly worked out what the company actually needs, which goals are being pursued, how processes should look in the future, and which requirements arise from this for data and systems. This is exactly where collaboration with an experienced CRM consulting partner is particularly valuable. Not only when a tool has already been selected, but much earlier.

Not every company needs a new CRM system immediately. But very many companies need more clarity about how they want to work with customers. That is exactly where good consulting begins. It creates order before new technology creates additional complexity. In my view, this is one of the most underestimated points in CRM projects. Many companies talk too early about software and too late about structure.

Why should you hire a specialized CRM consulting firm?

A specialized CRM consultancy primarily brings three things that are often missing internally. Experience, structure, and a clear external perspective. This is exactly what is important in CRM projects, because it is never just about software. It is about strategy, processes, data, responsibilities, and the collaboration between marketing, sales, service, and IT.

The biggest advantage, in my view, is classification. A good consultancy quickly recognizes whether a new technology is actually needed or whether the real problem lies elsewhere. Often, it is not the tools that are the problem, but unclear goals, poor processes, or missing priorities. This clarity saves time, budget, unnecessary detours, and avoids wrong decisions.

In addition, there is methodological confidence. A specialized CRM consultancy helps to structure requirements cleanly, prepare decisions, and turn many internal interests into a realistic target vision. This is crucial, especially in CRM. Otherwise, an important digitalization project quickly turns into a coordination topic without direction.

I would put it deliberately pointed: many companies buy technology too early and think about their operating model too late. This is exactly the point where an experienced CRM consultancy can make the difference. Of course, consulting does not replace internal knowledge. Nor should it. But it complements it with methodology, external perspective, and implementation experience. And exactly this combination is the real lever in many CRM projects. Not because no one internally has expertise, but because operational proximity alone is rarely sufficient to set up complex changes properly.

Services & tasks in detail

The services of a CRM consultancy can essentially be divided into three areas. Strategy, implementation, and operations. These three fields are closely interconnected in practice. If you only focus on strategy, things quickly remain too theoretical. If you only implement, you often build a solution that does not function properly in everyday operations. And if you do not consider operations afterward, you ensure that the system slowly loses relevance after go-live.

At the strategic level, the first step is to develop a clear target vision. This involves working out what role CRM should play in the company, which goals are associated with it, and which requirements arise from this for processes, data, and systems. This includes, for example, the structure of sales processes, the definition of relevant customer insights, the segmentation of customer groups, or the question of how marketing, sales, and service should interact better in the future.

In implementation, the focus is then on translating these requirements into a functioning setup. This includes selecting suitable technologies, designing the CRM architecture, introducing systems, modeling processes, automating campaign management, and integrating adjacent platforms. This is exactly where it becomes apparent whether a concept is also operationally viable.

The third area is operations. And in my view, this is still far too often underestimated. Because a CRM is not finished after the introduction of a selected technology. It must be used in everyday operations, maintained, adapted to changes in the market, and continuously developed further. That is why topics such as analytics, controlling, data quality, user adoption, training, and ongoing optimization are also part of the typical tasks of a CRM consultancy. Good consulting does not end with go-live. In many cases, it only really begins there.

What does CRM consulting cost?

The costs of CRM consulting cannot be specified as a flat rate, because they depend heavily on the scope, the starting situation, and the desired level of service. A one-time workshop to determine the current status is naturally evaluated differently than a multi-month transformation project with strategy, tool selection, implementation, and operational support. That is why there are also different pricing models in practice.

Daily rates are typical when it comes to consulting, sparring, workshops, or conceptual support. Fixed prices are usually used when services, scope, and results are clearly defined. Retainer models are particularly useful when companies want to access external CRM expertise over a longer period of time, for example for steering, further development, or operational support.

However, one point is important from my perspective: many clients prefer fixed prices because they promise more security at first glance. The problem is that a fixed price requires a very clearly defined scope. And this is often difficult at the beginning of CRM projects. Because before processes, requirements, dependencies, and internal responsibilities are really clarified, the actual effort is often only partially predictable. An apparently clear fixed price is therefore not automatically the better solution. On the contrary. If the scope is defined too rigidly too early, discussions about services, change requests, and expectations often arise later.

The actual daily rate usually depends most strongly on the scope of the collaboration. The larger, more plannable, and longer-term a project is, the more likely a CRM consultancy is to deviate downward from its standard prices. In smaller or very open projects, this is usually much more difficult.

For larger implementation projects, it can also be worthwhile to consider IT experts from a nearshore model. This can noticeably influence the average daily rate without automatically reducing the quality of the service. Especially for technically extensive projects, this is a sensible way for many companies to better balance budget and execution.

Which tools & software are used?

Which tools are used in a CRM project depends heavily on the target vision and the maturity level of the company. In most cases, it is not about a single system, but rather an entire tech stack.

This initially includes comprehensive CRM platforms such as Salesforce, SAP, Microsoft, or HubSpot. They often form the technological foundation for sales, marketing, and service. Depending on requirements, specialized solutions are also added. In marketing, these include campaign management tools such as Evalanche, Braze, Brevo, or Optimizely. In customer service, ticketing and service systems such as ServiceNow, Zendesk, or Freshdesk play an important role.

For analytics and reporting, tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or Qlik Sense are often used. When different enterprise systems need to be connected, integration platforms such as MuleSoft, Microsoft Azure, or Boomi come into play. And for project work itself, additional solutions are often useful. These include tools such as JIRA, Trello, or Microsoft Project, to properly manage tasks, dependencies, and implementation progress.

How do you choose the right CRM consultancy?

In my view, you do not recognize the right CRM consultancy first by nice slides, but by the quality of its questions. A good consultancy wants to understand at the beginning how the company works today, where the real problems lie, and which goals are realistic. It is also important that the consultancy approaches the topic as independently as possible and does not primarily want to sell its own CRM tools.

It is also important that the consultancy does not only bring tool know-how. It should also be able to think about CRM from a business and organizational perspective. Because in good CRM projects, it is not only about technology, but also about processes, data, responsibilities, and later use in everyday operations. That is exactly why it is worth looking at similar references, relevant certifications, and practical experience with comparable project sizes.

The way of working is just as important. A suitable consultancy can structure requirements, set priorities, and also clearly address uncomfortable truths. That may sound trivial, but in practice it is often decisive. Because many CRM projects do not fail due to missing features, but due to unclear decisions and too much political consideration.

I would therefore always pay attention to four points when selecting. First, methodological strength. Second, technological experience. Third, a realistic understanding of operations and further development. Fourth, the people you work with. The last point in particular is often underestimated. In the end, consulting is always a people business. Because even the best CRM consulting is of little use if the collaboration in day-to-day project work does not function.

Conclusion

CRM consulting is particularly useful when companies want to develop their customer management not only technologically, but holistically. This is also where the real value lies from my perspective. Not in the introduction of a new tool, but in the ability to meaningfully bring together strategy, processes, data, and operations. Those who understand CRM in this way usually make better decisions and create a much more stable foundation for sustainable growth.

About the author

Sergej Plovs is an entrepreneur, consultant, strategist, author, speaker, innovator, and one of the CRM pioneers in the DACH region. For over 20 years, he has been intensively involved in customer relationship management (CRM) and the optimization of customer experience. Born and raised in Ukraine, he studied business informatics in Germany. His extensive expertise is based on well over 100 CRM projects, which he has carried out in various roles in research, in mid-sized companies, and in internationally active corporations. As Managing Director of the CX specialist Vision11 and as a CX Top Voice on LinkedIn with a considerable follower community, he is now one of the most influential CX experts in the German-speaking region.