Why your new CRM is the perfect chance to press the reset button

To minimise disruption for everyone, it can be tempting to try to set the new system up to mimic exactly what you had before. Same fields. Same menus. Same interface. Same terminology.

But if you do this, you’re missing a golden opportunity.

Think of your new CRM as a reset button

Switching CRMs is a powerful moment. It’s your chance to start afresh. To reflect on how your charity works now, and how it could work better. It pays to be open-minded.

Legacy systems can carry years of patchwork fixes, of ‘It’s-good-enough-for-now’ and ‘We’ve-always-done-it-this-way’ -type thinking.

And, especially for a new leader, it can be all too easy not to question this.

But introducing those same quirks into your shiny new system only recreates past problems. If something didn’t work well in the old system, why would it magically improve in the new one?

Think of your CRM migration like moving house. Do you want to bring every box of junk from the attic, or take the chance to declutter and arrange things better?

Rather than insisting your new CRM exactly replicates the old one, take a moment to step back. You’re not just switching software; you’re potentially investing in the future – by redesigning the way your charity works.

Ask tough questions

Are there things the organisation does – processes, procedures, workflows, approval chains, even terminology – that staff find illogical, inefficient or clunky?

Making changes now could lead to better team collaboration, improved morale, even improved monitoring and reporting. It might be a long time before you have an opportunity like this again.

Let the new CRM shine!

Modern CRMs built for the charity sector, like Charitylog, are created with your needs in mind. The tools might seem unfamiliar at first, but to get the most out of your new CRM you need to work with, not against, it.

Trust in the system you’ve chosen. It has its own strengths, logic, and design. Embracing that is how you’ll unlock its full potential.

You don’t have to do it alone

Feeling overwhelmed? That’s normal – especially if you’re new in post. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to be the expert.

With a trustworthy charity CRM provider – like Charitylog – skilled people with years of experience will guide you right through the process of setting up your system, providing advice when you need it.

They know how different kinds of charities work, the options and features that are likely to be most helpful, and the types of monitoring, reporting and security demands you face. They’ve seen what works (and what doesn’t).

And once it’s live?

A responsible CRM partner doesn’t disappear once the system is launched.

For example, Charitylog offers unlimited access to its in-house customer support team. Whether it’s a ‘how do I…’ question, refresher training or a need to reconfigure something months or years down the line, fear not: you’ll have reliable people to turn to.

Final thoughts

Your new CRM won’t exactly fit your old template, and it would diminish it to try. But with skilled experts and trainers on hand, there’s no better time to improve your processes with advice from those with years of experience working with software for the voluntary sector.

You’ve chosen a new system for a reason. Now’s the time to make the most of it.