Fix it or switch it? iQlink on the CRM question facing many UK law firms
A CRM should help your firm understand its client relationships, coordinate its efforts and identify opportunities to grow. If it isn’t doing that, is the problem the technology, how it’s being used, or both? Before you renew, replace or rebuild, it pays to understand what needs to change
Ask anyone who works in BD, Marketing or CRM at a law firm how their system is going, and you’ll often get a pause before the answer.
Preparing for a client meeting means chasing colleagues and cross-checking spreadsheets. Useful relationship information sits in individual inboxes, making it difficult to see who knows whom or coordinate contact with an important client. And when the information in the CRM is incomplete or out of date, people find their own ways of working around it.
It’s rarely just the software
When a CRM isn’t delivering what the firm needs, it’s natural to question the software. Sometimes the platform genuinely is the constraint. But unclear priorities, inconsistent working practices, poor data or a lack of ownership can also limit its value. Understanding what needs to change and whether the existing system can support it should come before a decision to replace it.
Any approach will need to reflect how law firms work. Client confidentiality shapes what information can be shared and with whom a lot of the time. Partners need to see how contributing data will help their clients and their practices. Responsibilities across BD, marketing and IT need to be clear, with realistic expectations about the time and resources available.
Fix it or switch it?
Sooner or later, usually when the renewal date appears on the horizon, the question comes up: do we fix what we’ve got, or move to something new?
Switching to a new CRM takes time, budget and commitment across the firm. It can be the right investment, but a new platform alone won’t resolve unclear responsibilities, poor data or working practices that still make collaboration difficult. Those issues need to be addressed as part of the change, or the firm risks investing in a new system without improving how it manages and develops client relationships.
Staying put has its own costs. Pouring time and money into fixing a system that genuinely can’t do what the firm needs only delays the inevitable, and it uses up goodwill with partners who were already sceptical.
Where to look before you decide
Start with what the firm needs to achieve and what is getting in the way. Then consider whether the existing CRM can support the changes required, at a sensible cost and with the resources available. The following areas can help structure that initial review:
Integration. Does your CRM connect with tools that reduce duplicate effort and provide useful client information? Focus on the connections that help teams prepare for conversations, coordinate activity and identify opportunities.
Confidentiality. Can relevant client and relationship information be shared with the right people, with access controls that reflect your firm’s confidentiality requirements? Clear rules should help teams collaborate while protecting sensitive information.
AI readiness. If AI forms part of your plans, is the relevant data reliable and accessible to approved tools, with appropriate permissions and human oversight? Readiness depends on how information is managed and used, as well as its quality.
Support and Ownership. Is someone responsible for keeping CRM useful, with the time, authority and specialist support needed? That includes maintaining data quality, supporting teams and adapting the system as the firm’s priorities change.
Some issues can be addressed through better processes, clearer ownership or changes to the existing system. Others may reveal limitations that justify considering a replacement. Understanding the causes, the options and the effort involved gives the firm a stronger basis for deciding what to do next.
A useful starting point in under 4 minutes
To help firms start that review, we’ve built Fix It or Switch It, a free assessment for UK law firms. It highlights potential areas for improvement and helps you identify what to investigate before investing in your existing CRM or considering a replacement.
It’s 10 multiple-choice questions and takes under 4 minutes. The questions come from our research, our workshops with firms and the conversations we have with BD, marketing and IT teams every week. Your answers are, of course, confidential.
Know before you decide
A CRM decision is one of the bigger investments a firm’s business services teams will make, and one of the hardest to undo. Whether you’re facing a renewal, a frustrated partner group or a board asking questions, it’s worth taking a few minutes to understand where you really stand before you commit time and budget either way.
Take the free Fix It or Switch It assessment at fixorswitch.scoreapp.com.
