CRM software is a beneficial tool for sales and customer service departments to manage customer interactions by providing a centralised source (or repository) for all customer data, from the personal information they give you to purchasing habits and interactions with employees. Analysis of this data provides a holistic view of customers, the customer service they receive, and how satisfied they are so you can determine your company’s strengths and weaknesses to enhance your services.

The CRM systems hosting companies offer basic functions, but some level of customisation is necessary for the system to be aligned with specific companies. CRM application testing ensures the system works properly with customisations, improves workflow, and successfully integrates with other departments. Efficient testing requires extensive planning, starting with defining clear and measurable testing objectives to gauge the success of the software. 

Key Components & Steps 

The most important and broad testing areas to consider are data quality and conversion and system functionality, which include system performance, security, and usability. A testing plan is crucial because, without one, a project will descend into chaos and uncertainty. During planning, you must decide whether to handle everything in-house or outsource to a testing service. This process requires expertise and tools that not all businesses have in-house, so outsourcing is a popular investment for access to those requirements and other benefits. Whichever option you decide on, an appropriate CRM plan includes:

• Testing Process Design: Confirmation of testing requirements that are clear, measurable, and complete. A collaboration schedule for testing and development teams will ensure efforts are aligned and all teams are aware of their responsibilities.
• Test Preparation: Includes designing test strategies and establishing teams. An outsourced vendor has the teams, frameworks, and expertise to develop strategies tailored to your needs to optimise testing.
• Test Launch: Starts with setting up the testing environment and then developing test cases and scripts that are then executed, and the data from them is used to improve the CRM system.

   

Various tests are used to validate the CRM software. A key component of a testing plan includes determining which tests to use for what purposes and designating which tests are to be automated or run manually. Standard testing methods include:

• Data testing: Data is integral to any CRM system, so testing to determine its quality and validity throughout the extract-transform-load process is a priority.
• Functional testing: Test the working of the CRM software in typical workflows used by employees in sales, marketing, and management in various scenarios.
• Integration testing: CRM software works with other systems like accounting or ERP software, so this testing is done to ensure they work together seamlessly.
• Performance testing: Determines if the system can handle peak hours and high user volumes without a decrease in response time and loading speed and no defects in integrations.
• Security testing: Verifies the security measures to maintain data privacy and protect data from unauthorised external and internal access. 
• Usability testing: Validates the ability of users to interact with and use the system easily.
• Regression testing: Ensures changes or updates to the software don’t disrupt the functionality or data quality. 
• Automated testing: May be implemented for different testing methods depending on requirements. Software tools are used to create and run tests without human intervention, typically for tedious or repetitive test cases.
• Mobile testing: ensures the end-user experience is not affected by using the CRM on different platforms or websites.