Implementing a new CRM system

Implementing the latest CRM (Client Relationship Management) system at the heart of your organisation could provide the competitive advantage you’re looking for to manage client data effectively while maintaining GDPR compliance.

GDPR is well and truly in force and you will have spent plenty of hours getting your accountancy practice compliant by the deadline (25 May 2018). But fast forward to today, and conversations echoing around your firm alluding to the need for the latest CRM for accountants, where does that leave you in terms of GDPR compliance?

The modern CRM system

Think of what a modern accountancy practice CRM system provides above and beyond simply capturing data: lead qualification processes, opportunity tracking systems, yearly account plans and even client microFlow maps. This means mechanisms for implementing, automating and tracking processes and standard procedures, as well as for surfacing those processes to users in different forms are already in place. Data runs through a CRM system powering multiple areas of the business.

The latest in a CRM system’s infrastructure must satisfy many GDPR requirements, not only of its own use of personal data but also for consolidating all the other IT systems’ compliance to GDPR requirements, all in one place. And that can help with providing transparent information, communication and methods for the controller and processor to support the data subject’s rights both initially as well as on an ongoing basis.

A good CRM system can help with both one-time as well as ongoing requirements across the organisation to support GDPR and the more detailed requirements around data consent.

Since GDPR came in to effect, there is a need to have processes in place to explain the processing of personal data capture to the subject. Since there is a need to capture and store the procedure anyway, what better a place to do that than in a CRM system? The transactions of exactly what was surfaced and how the permissions were obtained (along with copies of the documents and date/time stamps) should be linked within the CRM to each specific individual.

By embracing a new CRM system for your accountancy practice, you can effectively manage the processes and procedures that are a necessary part of running a GDPR compliant business day-to-day.

Easy steps to better CRM

Here at Symphony, we can take you through implementation of our SymphonyCRM system step by step so that you can move to a better system to grow your firm in this competitive landscape. Our expertise in GDPR compliance will mean we can transfer your firm to the new system with ease – we’ve got it covered! Get in touch today.

Excerpts of this article have been taken from ‘Managing Customer Data in the age of GDPR - A practical guide to better customer relationship management’ by Phil Winters for SugarCRM.