CRM Software: the real 3-year cost breakdown

Licencing usually accounts for less than half of the first-year cost. The remainder is distributed across these categories:

• Implementation and workflow configuration - a one-time initial cost.
• Data migration and cleaning - proportional to the complexity of your legacy data.
• Integration with your ERP (e.g. SAP Business One, Sage, Odoo) and other existing systems.
• Team training and the temporary dip in productivity during the transition phase.
• Post-launch customisations required once real-world edge cases emerge.
• Support and maintenance for years two and three.

Comparing price per user is often misleading. Bring all offers to the same common denominator: the total cost over three years for the same user count and integration set.

• Define the number of users for each year, including projected growth.
• Demand that ERP integration be quoted as a separate, explicit line item.
• Ask for the hourly rate for development and change requests after the go-live date.
• Check if technical support is included or billed separately as a service plan.

The most common hidden cost is being forced to replace your ERP because 'it does not integrate'. CRMconnect is designed specifically to prevent this: it sits on top of your current ERP (Microsoft Dynamics 365, NetSuite, etc.), so you do not pay for a finance system migration you did not ask for.