The Two Biggest Problems Most CRM Users Still Face
In my experience, there are two recurring problems almost every company using a CRM on a regular basis runs into sooner or later:
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Licensing costs
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Clean data and data enrichment
Both are closely connected and both have a much bigger impact on marketing and sales performance than most teams realize.
1. The CRM Licensing Cost Problem
The topic of licensing costs comes up in almost every CRM conversation I have. The reason is simple: many CRM services are bundled in ways that don’t make sense for a large portion of companies.
Teams often end up paying for features they barely use. While this also happens with tools like Excel, there’s an important difference. CRM systems usually come with:
- High base prices
- Additional costs per user
- Extra charges for marketing contacts and add-ons
I’m not advocating for using Excel instead of a CRM, and I don’t think tools like HubSpot or Salesforce shouldn’t price by packages or users. But the focus should be clearer on core features like contact management, follow-ups or Email reminders.
One possible solution would be a simpler base version for small teams - for example, up to five users - covering only the essential CRM functions. More advanced or specialized features could then be added modularly as teams grow. A pricing approach similar to Canva would likely fit the reality of many companies much better.
The same applies to the pricing of “marketing contacts.” On most platforms, these costs skyrocket quickly. For the majority of companies I speak with, a more reasonable model would be a moderate base price per 10,000 contacts and then pricing based on actual email send-outs. The first CRM tool that implements this with solid functionality will likely gain market share very fast.
2. Clean Data and Data Enrichment Are Still a Massive Issue
The second major problem is clean data.
Most clients I work with struggle with outdated or poor-quality contacts. This leads to high bounce rates and low campaign performance. Often the results are misleading and have nothing to do with the campaign idea or setup. In many cases, campaigns fail not because of strategy or execution, but because the underlying data and audience quality are poor.
Closely connected to this is missing or insufficient data enrichment. What’s missing varies from company to company, but the result is usually the same: segmentation becomes ineffective, and meaningful engagement becomes difficult.
This often creates two additional problems - first leads and customers are not engaged regularly and second teams overestimate the reach and strength of their own audience.
A practical way to address this is by implementing regular data checks and clear processes. That includes:
- Making sure the correct contact person is assigned to each company
- Verifying and enriching contact data on an ongoing basis
- Using email and other engagement signals to keep activity data realistic and up to date
Clean data is not a one-time task. It’s an ongoing process - but one that pays off across marketing, sales, and forecasting.
Personalized CRM Cost & Data Quality Review
Better CRM results aren’t about more features but clean and reliable data. Do you want to find out where your CRM setup is costing you money or holding back performance?
We’ll review your current CRM environment - including licensing structure, user setup, marketing contact usage, and data quality. We will identify where costs can be reduced and results improved. Schedule a free first meeting now.
