At the start of a CRM project, price often takes up a good deal of the conversation. Boards want to prove they’re being careful with donor dollars. Committees sometimes run rigid RFP processes that boil everything down to a single number. Then that allows them to line consultants up like me and get “apples to apples”. Or so they might think.
But here’s the truth:
No nonprofit leader has ever said, nearing the end of a project, “Wow, I’m so glad we saved a few thousand dollars by going with the lowest-cost option.” (or whatever the differential happened to be).
That just never happens.
What they do say is: “Does it work and meet our needs? Are we more efficient because of it? Will staff actually use it?”
Because by the time you’re rolling out a new CRM system, the cost conversation is well in the rear-view mirror. In the long-run, they care about is functionality and ease of use. They care if it actually delivers the outcomes promised.
I know one organization I’m familiar with that recently that has spent $80,000 on a new CRM system (not CiviCRM btw) and it still isn’t working right. That would be a worst of both worlds, sadly.
Here’s the deal:
Price is the focal point at the beginning, but fades eventually. That’s why the smarter move is to buy the best you can afford and avoid cutting corners.
Nobody remembers the low cost option victory, because it rarely exists. If you wanted that, just do nothing, that’s entirely “free”.