What Development Tools Do You Use For CRM Development?

CRM software has been in existence for a long time. It’s been used in some form or another for more than 50 years.

However, we have seen a surge in the adoption of CRM systems in the last few years.

There are many different tools that can help you develop a customer relationship management (CRM) solution, such as Pillir low code development platform. But what are some of the best tools to choose from, and which ones are the most popular?

We have compiled a list of tools used by some of the top CRM developers in the industry, so keep reading to learn more.

How to Choose CRM Software

Before delving deep into CRM software specifics, we first find the need, which will inform the type of software needed for the CRM.

• Companies have various operational approaches that inform the working processes. The type of software needed must fulfil this mandate.
• The use of CRM software also affects the type of software needed for development. CRM system whose mandate is data collection needs unique software compared to a system whose primary mandate is to maintain customer relationships.
• Organisational size also affects CRM development. Small businesses with less than 4 functions need simple processes. However, large organisations that have more than 5 departments require complex business processes. These processes must interlink all the departments to support the business core function and generate data for effective customer service.

Standard CRM Development Software Used by Developers

Software Development Kit

The software development kit (SDK) is an essential tool for every developer as it contains all the codes and templates and everything the developer needs to generate or customise any feature of a CRM system.

Before, during, and after system setup, the SDK should be on standby for any eventuality. The roles in every department in the customer management process become clear, with product management as its core mandate.

It mostly affects plugins, which interlink functions in business processes. Multi-level sales division management becomes clear, enriching the quality of output from the entire process.

With this in mind, the SDK is critical software to have for any CRM developer.

Plugin Registration Tool

The importance of plugins in any software development cannot be understated. Their roles in joining different activities in a process sit at the heart of any process.

However, each plugin needs a special code/configuration to fit on a CRM system. The plugin registration tool makes it easier to customise its usage on the system, effectively linking different actions.

It works as a rule automation engine, bridging different departments within the same process. If well developed, it can lead to activity tracking for every resource, exposing incompetence or clogs within the system.

XRM Toolbox

If the CRM system requires numerous action points, the XRM toolbox is an important addition. Developers can easily edit any call-to-action button. They can add, hide, delete or disable any command button on the CRM system.

It works well during expansions, scale-downs or changing the course of action. Since CRM systems are good in the tracking of accounts, contacts, opportunities and managing customer experiences, any reassignment might affect the process.

The XRM toolbox ensures seamless role transfer between different departments within the business and streamlines analytics and charting.

Sitemap Editor

A CRM has various links amongst the different sections in the process. The developer needs a sitemap editor to cross check their properties. Each department/action point should align appropriately since the data is essential in automated processes such as self-defined sales stages and quote generation.

The sitemap editor, in this case, checks the properties of these process lines to ensure compliance. These automated processes are useful when auditing, specific searching on the platform and system configurations in the long term.

The CRM system becomes responsive and creates visual sales pipeline for all persons within the system.

Other CRM Development tools include Ribbon workbench (editing fly-ins), Fetch XML Builder (creating proxy class generation) and Metadata Browser (automatic building ReST Odata query). Each of these tools has specific jobs on the CRM, all geared towards making the process seamless.

Benefits of a Custom CRM Development

• Every element within the CRM is ideally suited for its job. There are fewer or no configurations as every action is where the owner wants it to be.
• The developer understands the user’s needs and can easily change the codes in case of a revamp or process re-modelling.
• You can manage the data from the system to suit your purpose. Data privacy is maintained since you collect and have access to the data without intermediaries.