Why recruit an ERP or CRM tech specialist?

You might be in the business of creating software to help companies organise and automate their data and systems. Or you may be looking for an in-house specialist to join your IT team to help you evolve and refine your own systems management software. Either way, you’ll need someone who is familiar with both the technical aspects of advanced information and interaction systems and their day-to-day applications. 

Looking at CRMs and ERPs from a recruitment perspective, we explore what they are typically for, how you’ll know when the time is right to hire a specialist in this field and what employee expectations might be in this current climate. 

What’s the difference between a CRM and an ERP software system? 

Firstly, let’s cover the basics. Both enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) software systems remove the need for stand-alone ledgers, address books, diaries, contact lists, filing cabinets and cross-referenced spreadsheets. They introduce a high level of connectedness between information, as well as an incredible depth of data, and allow a number of processes to be automated that may otherwise have taken many hours – and much mental energy – to complete. 

A CRM is the hub for all interactions between a business and the people that come into contact with it. This will be primarily customers and clients, but also encompasses leads or prospects as well as suppliers, affiliates, contractors, partners and colleagues. 

A comprehensive CRM will not only help a business manage communications across more than one platform, but also track users’ activity on their website, segment customers by any number of criteria and serve automated messages at key points in the customer journey. Using a CRM to optimise engagement with customers and clients can lead to stronger relationships, improved customer service and increased sales.

Examples of well-known CRM software are: Hubspot, Salesforce, Zendesk and Freshsales. 

Similar, but with vital differences as an internal tool, ERP covers the software companies use to coordinate all the practical aspects of their business. This will support information and processes around human resources, accounting, finances, supply chain, procurement, contracted services and more. 

When fully integrated and optimised, a business will benefit from huge efficiencies across their inventory, fulfilment and production processes, with automated accounting, scheduling and ordering to name a few.

Familiar ERP systems include: Oracle NetSuite, SAP ECC, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Acumatica. 

Who typically hires a CRM or ERP specialist? 

With data now common currency in today’s world, CRM and ERP specialists are sought after by companies of all sizes, in all sectors, with needs varying according to their activities, complexity and size. You’ll find jobs posted by everyone from charities to major oil companies, events producers, construction firms, high street brands, online retailers, healthcare professionals and more.

The vast majority of CRM opportunities are for specialists to oversee customer engagement – managing the data on the particular system while building, developing and executing marketing automation and lead generation campaigns. 

However, some firms recruit for technical roles such as supporting development of cloud-for-customer systems, perhaps crossing over with an established CRM platform, handling functionality, bug fixing, dashboards, configuration, data migrations, triaging and other operational aspects. 

As ERP is more complex; dealing with business processes of an entire organisation – the roles tend to be technical. Companies will be looking for someone who understands the workings and demands of a business in their sector, as well as an expert in customisations, integrations and user experience. Organisations looking to recruit also tend to be larger, with many integrated processes – and a large volume of data – to handle. 

The nuances of who companies should hire from an available list of candidates will be down to the nature of their business, the type of platform they use and the required skill sets. For example, a major retailer will need a different approach to forms, views, reports and automation than a property developer or a healthcare provider.  

When do you know you need to recruit an ERP or CRM expert?

The decision to recruit a CRM or ERP expert will depend on your business’s size, scale of operations and your circumstances around staff and requirements. 

In general, you will have realised that a simple, entry-level platform no longer meets your needs and that your in-house staff (even if they have been part of the software selection process), do not possess the necessary knowledge or skills to expand your systems. You will need to look at a wide range of unfamiliar platforms in order to select one that suits your business requirements, and then need the skills to use it effectively. 

Whether for CRM or ERP, you’ll know that you need to automate several processes, and that once on board with a platform your entire business will need to be able to interact with and work around it. This is a big commitment, and something that you can’t risk getting wrong. 

So you’ll need to make a thorough assessment of what systems you will need to meet your ongoing business operations and future targets. Then, you’ll be able to focus your recruitment efforts on the right individuals with the specialist skills for the role.

In contrast, if you are developing your own CRM or ERP software, you’ll become aware of skills gaps within your team and seek to recruit accordingly to fill them as they arise. This may be due to new innovations in software, hardware or customer processes; different front or back-end skills, or to devise new features in response to user demand.

Revolutionise your systems, save time and increase revenue

Why recruit a CRM or ERP specialist? In the end, it’ll always be to make your systems more efficient, coordinated and profitable. Whether you’re dealing with people relationships or your internal resources, if you want to expand as a business you’ll need to evolve, improve and augment your systems to meet your needs. 

To answer these business challenges, you’ll need a candidate already skilled in the CRM or ERP system your organisation uses, and with the technical know-how to develop and customise a platform to allow users to achieve their goals faster and more easily.  

Whether you are creating a new system, expanding on an existing platform, writing software, or simply managing people and information, the fastest and most effective way to recruit the right person for the job is via a specialist agency who understands both the technical and personal sides to jobs in the tech and IT sector. 

What does a CRM or ERP tech specialist look for in a job role?

CRM and ERP specialists share the same concerns as many other IT and Tech candidates in today’s competitive skills market. To attract and retain key staff, you need to understand their priorities when it comes to their employment. Here are some of their top considerations:

• To feel valued – Not only in the level of their pay (although that is a top concern), but also in terms of respect for their opinions, their goals and themselves as people. 

• Flexible working – Whether the ability to work remotely or hybrid, or flexibility over hours, freedom in where and when they work has become a deal-breaker for most candidates. 

• Personal well-being – Quality of life is now a huge priority for many, and employers who offer good communication, mental health awareness and a supportive workplace will attract more people.

• Development and growth – A stagnant job is a leading cause of burnout and quitting. Employees want to know they have the opportunity to learn and progress or they’ll look elsewhere.

• Transparency – Honesty and openness is vital in recruitment. Candidates are wise to every job listing red flag and interview cliche you can mention and will swerve firms they feel they can’t trust. 

Ensure you’re on the cutting edge of customer relationships and company resources

Hiring in today’s competitive climate can be a learning experience for many. But with inside knowledge of the ERP and CRM field; the skills required, the specialists available and the expectations that need to be met on both sides – we can make the recruitment process as straightforward and open as possible. 

Speak to us today about the opportunities currently available to CRM and ERP specialists – or what you need from an ideal candidate as an employer, and what to do to attract them. Chances are, your best-fit option is already out there and looking for you. And we’ll know them.

Call us on 01473 550780 or email [email protected]. We’ll be happy to hear from you.