Updated · Originally published
“This is what I need; how much will it cost, and how long will it take?”
These are usually the first questions I am asked about a Microsoft Dynamics CRM (now Dynamics 365) project. It could involve implementing a new system, upgrading an existing one, customizing it, or creating a report.
It may seem frustrating at first that I don’t automatically provide the answers. But there is a very good reason, and everyone will be happier in the end.
Leading Questions
Correct answers must be based on setting realistic expectations. Before I can answer the main questions, we need to fully understand your needs. I will start by asking some leading questions of my own to get as much detail as possible. For example:
- Can you help me understand your business and your current processes?
- What type of relationships are you looking to manage within CRM?
- Do you have a current system? If yes, why isn’t it working for you?
- What problem(s) are you trying to solve?
- What processes do you hope Dynamics CRM will improve, automate, or eliminate?
Devil's Advocate
Then I may offer some suggestions or play ‘devil's advocate’ to present alternative ways to approach your problem. For example, "Have you thought of doing it this way?" or “Did you know that you can leverage this piece of CRM to accomplish 80% of what you're looking at, so maybe it doesn't make sense to do extensive and expensive customizations.”
Indicative Estimate
Once I understand the business requirements, I can finally answer your question about costs and provide an indicative estimate. In other words, a rough cost projection that can be used for budget planning purposes. This will not be a formal quote. But it does provide an indication of the level of effort, costs, and implementation timeline. For an in-depth project, the range might be wide; for a smaller project with well-defined requirements, it can be a tighter range.
If the reply is, “Yes, that is what we need; that’s within our budget; let’s move ahead,” then we can schedule the project and provide you with a working timeline.
Functional Design Document
Next, we’ll move on to the functional design phase. The outcome of the functional design phase is a functional requirements document (FRD). The FRD is a collaborative effort between your team and our team, where we work together to translate the business requirements into how they will function in the system. Often, we include screen mockups, a table of all the fields required on an entry form, report, and dashboard designs, as well as workflows and any custom functionality needed to meet your business requirements. Since it’s a collaborative effort, you will be educated on how the system works and what its capabilities are, and most importantly, how it relates to your business. This is invaluable because at the end of this process, you know what you are going to get, and we know what we must provide.
Fixed Fee
Now we can provide a fixed estimate for the Dynamics CRM project since it’s based on the agreed-upon Functional Requirements Document. Any subsequent changes not outlined in the Functional Requirements Document will be handled through a change control process. New requirements follow the same process, just on a smaller scale. We define and document the requirements with you and provide an estimate on the level of effort, cost, and time required.
Eliminate Surprises
I firmly believe that the reason we have happy Microsoft Dynamics CRM customers is that we work diligently to eliminate surprises. The expectations have been acknowledged and included in the schedule. We know what our customer wants. The customer knows what they are going to receive, how much it will cost, when it will be completed.
The only way we can do this is by NOT answering the cost question upfront, but by thoroughly fleshing out the requirements and expectations. By asking questions, offering options, and agreeing on the best course of action, we can all move forward with confidence.
“How much will it cost and how long will it take?” Those are the right questions to ask. Just don’t expect the answer to be simple. It may take a little longer, but it will be worth it in the long run.
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By Ryan Plourde, ForgeXRM,
