Congratulations on your decision to explore a new CRM (customer relationship management system) for your addiction treatment center!

You’re making a smart move to protect your bottom line by enhancing the efficiency and productivity of your organization.

We often hear from decision-makers in the behavioral health field like you that finding and choosing a new CRM isn’t easy.

That should come as no surprise—there’s quite a few systems designed for the addiction treatment industry in particular and they all claim to make your life easier, your work faster, and your business more profitable.

The most common question addiction treatment CRM shoppers have is: Which one actually delivers?

The answer? It depends.

If all you want is a simple spreadsheet-like system to track contacts, then you’ll probably be happy with the majority of the addiction treatment CRMs on the market.

But, if you’re like most savvy decision-makers, you’re a little more discerning about your needs. If you want a truly robust solution that adds substantial value to your business, you’re going to need to consider a few important factors before you begin your search.

Step #1: Define Your Addiction Treatment CRM Micro-Goals and Macro-Goals

What about your current CRM isn’t working?

What’s motivating your decision to try something different?

If you’re just starting out with CRMs, what do you want your CRM to be able to handle?

There are two kinds of goals you’ll want to define when it comes to choosing a new addiction treatment CRM: micro-goals and macro-goals.

Micro-goals are all about what you want your CRM to do. A lot of people start their search by determining micro-goals.

Your micro-goals might be:

• I want a faster, easier-to-use system.

• I want a system that can handle documenting relationships with current, past, and potential patients as well as their families, their outside health providers, and the organizations they are connected to.

• I want a streamlined, all-in-one system that is integrated with my EHR, billing management, and property management system so that there are no more costly mistakes due to gaps in communication.

• I want a system designed in the United States with reliable, state-side training and support teams.

• I want a cloud-based system so that my team can access all data on any device, wherever they are.

The other type of goal you need to be considering are macro-goals. Macro-goals are “bigger picture” goals.

Macro-goals answer broader questions, like, “Why do I even want a new CRM in the first place?”

You should definitely get in touch with your macro-goals, because they can help inform your micro-goals, as well as help you quantify and contextualize the value of a potential system to your organization.

Your macro-goals might be:

• I want to increase revenue by improving productivity.

• I want to reduce employee turnover and improve patient care by modernizing systems and automating some of our team’s workload.

• I want to simplify higher-level management of my treatment center.

These micro- and macro- goals are only examples.

Your job is to determine what micro- and macro- goals are relevant to your CRM search.

Step #2: Do Your Due Diligence When Choosing Your Next Addiction Treatment CRM

So you’ve defined your micro- and macro-goals and you’ve found a system that you think is going to work for you!

It’s time to bite the bullet and sign that contract, right?

Not so fast!

Remember to cover your bases and take your time before you sign a contract or purchase a system.

Here’s some important pre-purchase steps to check off your list before finalizing your decision:

• Ensure the CRM and all associated products/services are HIPAA compliant.

• Get on the phone with your potential new CRM provider and make sure that your communication styles are compatible. How’s their responsiveness? Can you understand them clearly? Do you enjoy interacting with them? Are they answering all your questions?

• Get a demo and a free trial—all reputable CRM providers will offer one. Be sure to mention your micro- and macro-goals to your demonstrator so they can tailor the tour to your needs.

• Examine your current CRM contract, if you have one. Do you need to give 60 days notice before cancelling? Longer? Verify this information with your old CRM before making the switch to avoid double-payments.

When in Doubt—Ask For Help

There’s a lot to consider when making a switch to a new CRM, but there’s no need to get overwhelmed. Take the process one step at a time and keep looking until you feel comfortable and confident in your decision.

If you’re stuck or don’t know where to start, don’t be shy about reaching out for help. At BehaveHealth, we are happy to answer any questions you might have.

If our all-in-one cloud-based treatment center management solution isn’t the right one for your organization, we’ll help match you with a CRM provider that’s a better fit.