The Complete Guide to CRM Consulting for Small and Mid-Sized Businesses

Introduction

In today’s cutthroat world, for a small and mid-sized business (SMB) to succeed, they need strong customer relationships. And we understand that tracking down all the customer records can be a hassle once you start to grow, this is where a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software comes into play. 

Getting the right and maximum usage of this software is however another battle, leading to the rise of CRM consulting firms. At MarkeStac, we have helped hundreds of SMBs with their customer management and business growth, turning prospects into loyal customers. 

Still hesitant about getting one? Don’t worry! This guide will cover everything you need to know about CRM consulting and will help you choose the best CRM consultant for your business. 

What is CRM Consulting?

In simple terms, CRM consulting is the process of utilizing the expertise and advice of a CRM consultant to implement, optimize, and tailor the CRM to meet individual business needs. A consulting firm thus works with you right from the beginning: selecting the CRM, its implementation, and training your employees to use it best. 

The value added by CRM consultants thus goes far beyond the technical setup and also includes strategic planning, data migration, integration, and continuous optimization of the CRM.

Why Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Need CRM Consulting

If you are tired of constantly tracking customer data between piles of paperwork and still not sure if it has the complete information on a customer, then it’s time to switch to a CRM software. 

And although you can do the CRM onboarding and implementation yourself, here’s a few reasons why your small or mid-sized business needs a CRM consulting firm to work for you:

• Disorganized Customer Data 

Many SMBs struggle with customer data spread across multiple spreadsheets, emails, and even the good old paper. This fragmentation can lead to missed follow-ups, duplicated efforts, and inconsistent experiences for customers. 

A CRM consultant helps you bring all these touchpoints together in a unified system that works for you and not against you.

• Scaling the Sales & Marketing Operations

As your business grows, so does the complexity of your sales and marketing data. Without a comprehensive CRM strategy however scaling becomes messy. 

A consultant can help you to streamline your operations, automate the repetitive tasks, and align your teams so everyone is working off the same pipeline and data.

• Improving Customer Experience

CRM consulting is not just about efficiency, it is also about building better customer relationships. With a well-implemented CRM, you can personalize your marketing efforts, proactively engage with high-value customers, and resolve any underlying issues faster. 

All this helps with a boosted customer loyalty and retention which in turn ends up boosting your revenue.

• SMB-Specific Advantages

We, at MarkeStac understand that for SMBs, budget and resource challenges are real. Our CRM consultants thus recommend only budget-conscious solutions that can grow with you. 

Their insights are particularly valuable for SMB like yours because we bring both technical knowledge and prior experience of working with small-businesses.

Key CRM Software Options for SMBs

When it comes to choosing the right CRM for your SMB, just using any CRM software is not enough, it is also important to see if it fits your business needs. For small and mid-sized businesses, you should look out for platforms that are powerful, but are not too complex or expensive. 

Here are some of the popular options of CRM for SMBs in 2025:

• HubSpot: HubSpot is a widely used all-in-one CRM platform that is great for marketing, sales, and customer service. This platform is especially useful for SMBs due to its free and scalable paid plans so you can level up and utilize the advanced features as you grow.

• Salesforce: Salesforce is known for being a highly customizable and powerful CRM that’s scalable, easy to use, and has an integrated AI. It is a cloud-native platform that is ideal for businesses expecting a lot of growth or having very specific workflows.

• Zoho CRM: Zoho is a very budget-friendly and highly customizable CRM platform. It offers a user-friendly interface and a drag-and-drop tool “Canvas” that makes small companies go live in hours. Its easy integration with other Zoho tools is also an added bonus.

• Pipedrive: Pipedrive is a simple and intuitive CRM platform that’s built especially for sales people. It makes managing sales pipelines easier for small sales teams. It however lacks the marketing automation and deep customer service that other CRM platforms offer.

Still feeling a little lost? Don’t worry! Your CRM consultant plays a crucial role here, they’ll help you choose a platform that fits your business goals and integrate it with other tools you already use  (like email, marketing platforms, and project management, etc.). 

This integration will ensure you track the entire customer journey and act on all meaningful interactions at the right time. 

What to Expect from Professional CRM Consulting Services

Now that you know what CRM consulting entails and why you should get it for your SMB. Let’s take a look at what you can expect to gain from professional CRM consulting services. 

The typical services that CRM consultants provide, include:

• Needs Assessment
  They help you out in:

• • Understanding your business goals, challenges, and processes.
  • Auditing your existing systems and data.
    
    
• CRM Selection
  This service includes:

• • Shortlisting the suitable CRM platforms based on your requirements.
  • Comparing the different features, costs, scalability, and integration options.
    
    
• Implementation & Customization
  This process includes:

• • Installing the selected CRM.
  • Customizing the fields, modules, and dashboards, etc. in the CRM.
  • Safely migrating all your data from the previous systems.
    
    
• Integration
  This CRM consultant service includes, connecting the CRM with other tools like marketing automation, email, customer support, or finance systems for a unified view.

• Training the Employees
  The CRM consultant will also be:

• • Training your team to use the CRM effectively.
  • Providing documentation, workshops, or one-on-one coaching for the same.

• Ongoing Support & Optimization
  In addition to the services mentioned earlier, a consulting firm also offers:

• • Regular check-ins, helps with performance analysis and reports.
  • Adjusting the system as your business expands, and suggesting improvements.

At MarkeStac, we specialize in helping SMBs adopt platforms like HubSpot, automating sales and marketing processes, and integrating all relevant tools. Our CRM consultants ensure the users are comfortable to use the platform effectively.

Benefits to Hire a CRM Consultant 

From the above discussion it is quite clear getting a CRM consulting service to help you can be the catalyst to your business growth. They will handle everything when it comes to the CRM and scout ways to improve as you grow.

Besides the obvious benefits pertaining to the CRM, here are some other key advantages of getting a CRM expert on board:

• Expertise & Experience: Consultants bring their deep technical and domain knowledge, along with their experience. They've seen what works (and what doesn’t) in businesses like yours.
• Cost Efficiency: Rather than paying for an underused or an inefficient CRM setup, CRM consulting helps you choose what you truly need, avoiding wastage of funds. 
• Speed to Value: A good CRM consultant helps you go live faster, with correct data migration and adoption strategy. This higher speed to value gives you a competitive edge.
• User Adoption: Through tailored training, consultants help your teams to adopt the CRM completely, which is often the biggest barrier to success for an SMB.
• Continuous Improvement: With their ongoing support, the CRM consultant helps to optimize the system and adapt as your business evolves.

How to Choose the Right CRM Consultant or Consulting Firm

We know choosing to work with a CRM consultant and trusting them with all your data is a tough decision to make. The rewards however are much sweeter once they start working for you. 

To help you with this decision, we have compiled some key qualities that you should be on the look out for in a CRM consultant or CRM consulting firm: 

• Industry Experience:  It is important to check if they have prior experience working with SMBs or businesses in your sector. This ensures they know your pain points and how to address them successfully.
• Technical Expertise: The CRM consulting firm you choose to work with should know the platform inside out, only then will they be able to tailor it to fit your business model.
• Client References: It is always important to check out any case studies or testimonials that they have published or any reviews left on their business page. This helps make sure they are credible.
• Approach to Training & Onboarding: Talk to them about their CRM onboarding process and what plans or programs do they have in place to train your teams.
• Ongoing Support Strategy: It is also important to check or discuss whether they provide any ongoing support. This will help you solve any problem that arises later.

When it comes to choosing the right CRM consultant, you can’t get better than MarkeStac. We have proven HubSpot and broader CRM expertise that has helped businesses across the world to maximize their ROI and boost business growth.                                                                                   

Maximizing ROI with CRM Consulting for SMBs

Wondering how you can make the most of your investment through CRM consulting? Here’s a few pointers to maximize your ROI:

• Set Clear Goals

  To begin with, clearly define what success looks like for your SMB. Is it the higher conversion rates, fewer lost leads, or better customer retention? Work with your CRM consultant to align your CRM with these goals.

• Leverage Data Analytics

  A CRM is nothing without its analytics. Use the dashboards and reports to track key metrics. This will help you analyse the data to understand customer behavior, discover sales bottlenecks, and predict future growth opportunities.

• Automate Strategically

  Use automation for repetitive tasks (e.g., follow-up emails, lead scoring) to improve employee efficiency by saving their time. But don’t compromise on personalization by over-automating as it removes the human touch.

• Continuously Optimize

Apart from everything else discussed earlier, continuously optimizing your system for what’s working and what’s not is essential for scalable growth. Talk with your consultant to see how CRM is being used and what can be improved.

PRO-TIP:  Don’t overwhelm your team in the beginning, introduce the new features gradually (e.g., predictive analytics, AI insights, etc.) as your team matures.

• Ensure Strong Adoption

To ensure a seamless adoption, do invest in training, not just for the initial launch but provide ongoing training too. Encourage your team to give feedback about what’s working best and what can be improved.

Conclusion

For SMBs looking to build strong customer relationships, boost their revenue, and scale sustainably, CRM consulting is more than just an expense, it is a strategic investment. The right CRM consultant will bring not just the technical knowledge but business insight too and will help you utilize the full potential of your CRM system.

At MarkeStac, we are committed to empowering SMBs with our customized CRM strategies, seamless integrations, and continuous support. Our HubSpot CRM expertise will reward you with a strong customer base, automated and personalized customer outreach, and smart decisions with data analytics, all translating into your business growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions? We’ve got answers. Explore the most common queries about Markestac's automation platform and learn how it can streamline your processes, connect your tools, and drive growth.

What ongoing support should I expect from a CRM consultant after launch?

The ongoing support that you should expect from a CRM consultant after launch includes, training your employees, troubleshooting any problems as they arise, and support with system optimization as you grow.

Can a CRM consultant help if I'm already using a CRM but not seeing results?

Yes, a CRM consultant will help if you are already using a CRM but not seeing results. They will help you diagnose what’s hindering your growth and devise strategies to overcome any bottlenecks. They will train your team to maximize the platform's utility and efficiency.

Is CRM consulting beneficial for startups as well as established SMBs?

Yes, CRM consulting is beneficial for both startups as well as established SMBs. They will help you based on your growth phase and customize the CRM system to streamline your operations, enhance customer relationships, and drive scalable growth.

What factors should I consider when budgeting for CRM consulting and software?

The factors that you should consider when budgeting for CRM consulting and software includes:

• The complete software cost ( the per-user fees, features, and subscription vs. free plan)
• The CRM consulting fees (its implementation, customization, data migration, training, and integration, etc.)
• Any ongoing costs like maintenance, support, and future upgrades, etc.