If you think you can do this without external help—think again. Ask yourself these questions:
Have I worked through dozens of CRM implementations and gained insights into what can go wrong and why?
Have I got experience in data import and massaging techniques gained from years of CRM implementations?
Am I comfortable with my ability to interpret a business process into software workflow and screen designs?
Will I inspire the confidence internally that an external domain expert can?
Your first task in the process of finding the right partner is to assemble a short list of candidate firms. Look in the yellow pages under Customer Relationship Management, by all means, to get started.
One of your best sources of good information is your peers who are running their own businesses—ask your professional colleagues if they have any positive recommendations of firms focused on this type of work.
Another way to find potential partners is to look on the website of the...