CRM Consulting & Selection: Why Your Implementation Partner Is Not a Neutral Consultant

Choosing a CRM system is a strategic decision that will define your business processes for the next decade—yet the person guiding you through this choice often prioritizes their own commissions over your actual project success.

In this guide, you will learn why separating consulting and implementation is crucial to the success of your project and how a methodical CRM selection process can massively increase your ROI.

The conflict of interest: The business model of system houses

A system house that is a partner of a CRM software manufacturer (such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, Adito, CAS, Hubspot, or others) cannot provide neutral advice. Why? Because its economic success is based on two pillars:

1. License commissions: The partner receives a percentage of each user account sold.
2. Utilization of the tech stack: The goal is to generate programming hours in the exact system that their own employees are trained on.

The consequences for your company:
Management: You see rising implementation costs with an ROI that falls far short of promises.

• Sales: You get a tool that shines for administrators but slows down the sales team in their day-to-day work due to its complexity.
• Marketing: You pay for enterprise features that cement your data silos rather than breaking them down.

The solution: The 3-phase model of independent CRM selection

Käsehage & Lauterhahn CRM-Beratung breaks this pattern through consistent independence. We do not sell licenses. We do not have partner agreements. Our approach follows a clear methodological depth that goes beyond pure IT procurement.

Phase 1: The CRM fitness check (current analysis)

Before we talk about software, we take a close look at your company's customer management.
- Where are the breaks in the customer journey?
- What data dead weight is slowing down sales?

Goal: We define the maturity level of your organization and clarify the expectations of stakeholders.

Phase 2: Process design & requirements specification (target concept)

A CRM system should support your processes, not dictate them. We create detailed specifications that prioritize your requirements (must-haves vs. nice-to-haves). This is your “shield” against unnecessary “scope creep” (endless extensions) in later implementation. And we create a roadmap as a schedule for the gradual introduction of the CRM software.

Phase 3: The structured “beauty contest” (market survey)

We conduct a neutral market survey. We accompany the vendor presentations and ask the critical questions that a layperson often overlooks.

The key point: We compare not only functions, but also the development of the total cost of ownership (TCO) over several years.

Comparison of system house and K&L CRM consulting

Checklist: 5 warning signs of biased CRM consulting

How can you tell that your consultant is not acting in your best interests?

1. Product focus: The consultant starts the conversation with software features instead of your business goals.
2. Lack of choice: Only 1-2 systems are suggested, which happen to be in their own portfolio.
3. Speed over thoroughness: The needs analysis takes only a few hours (or is omitted altogether).
4. Partner logos: The consulting firm's website displays logos of software manufacturers (“gold partners”), sometimes these can only be found on a subpage.
5. Focus on licenses: The recommendation often targets the most expensive enterprise version.

Conclusion: Secure your investment through objectivity.

A CRM project is a strategic realignment. Rely on an authority that is on your side of the table. Ensure that the software boosts your success instead of stifling it with high maintenance costs and frustration.

Käsehage & Lauterhahn CRM consulting: Independence for measurable results.

Would you like to know how your CRM strategy is doing? Use our CRM fitness check or arrange a non-binding initial consultation.

Isn't independent consulting an additional cost factor?

On the contrary. By avoiding bad purchases, oversized licenses, and unnecessary customization hours, the consulting costs usually pay for themselves during the selection phase.

Can't I make the selection on my own?

Of course, but the CRM market is confusing. Independent experts know the strengths and weaknesses of the providers and their systems and know what a system can really do once the sales pitch is over.

Why is Käsehage & Lauterhahn CRM-Beratung the right partner for small and medium-sized businesses?

Because we see CRM not as an IT project, but as a management issue. We combine methodological rigor with the pragmatism that medium-sized companies need.