LEAD BRIEF — CRM SELECTION CHECKLIST
Version: 28 October 2026. Editorial method; not supplier certification.
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1. THE JOB
Team and active users:
Current system:
Specific action the present system cannot do reliably:
One potential-purchase counting rule:
Must-have requirements:
Preferences:

2. CONFIGURATION AND COST (UNKNOWN IS NOT ZERO)
Vendor and edition:
Billing country / currency / tax assumptions:
Seats: number, type and edit permissions:
Billing commitment / recurring amount / renewal basis:
Add-ons / onboarding / external help:
Setup hours and hourly-cost assumption:
Ongoing administration:
Official sources, checked date and unresolved limits:

3. SAME TRIAL FOR EVERY CANDIDATE
Use ten fictional enquiries; include unassigned, missing-info, deferred and mismatch cases.
For EACH step: Pass / Fail / Not run; exact action; plan; date; evidence; assistance; limit.
[ ] Create one purchase record and associate the right contacts.
[ ] Record buyer need, evidence, assumptions, unknowns and decision.
[ ] Assign one owner and a dated next activity.
[ ] Hand the action to a second user and have them find it without coaching.
[ ] Find overdue tasks and active records with no next step.
[ ] Produce the report the team actually needs.
[ ] Export the agreed records and inspect them outside the product.

4. DATA EXIT AND OPERATIONS
Check separately: fields / notes / tasks / relationships / attachments.
Check permissions, user departure and integration failure behaviour.
An export is not proof that a complete restoration works.
Use fictional data until actual privacy and processing obligations are assessed.

5. DECISION
Candidate or keep present setup:
Requirement resolved and evidence:
Subscription + implementation + ongoing cost:
Unknowns that could change the decision:
Owner / review date / next action:

UK/US: obtain actual local billing terms; a GBP/USD label is not currency conversion.
Read: https://leadbriefing.com/comparisons/crm-for-three-person-services-team/
Method: https://leadbriefing.com/how-we-research/