10 Questions to Ask When Choosing a CCM - Elixir

03, Mar. 2026

 

10 Questions to Ask When Choosing a CCM - Elixir

Choosing the right Customer Communications Management (CCM) system is a crucial decision. These tools let you automate, manage, and optimize your communications across channels. Meaning you're able to ensure consistency and compliance. The right CCM, lets you streamline customer interactions, improve communication efficiency, and drive growth. The wrong one opens you up to security risks and customer dissatisfaction.

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With stakes so high and so many options available, how do you find the right fit for your business? You can start here. In this blog post, we’ll propose 10 questions you should ask when looking at a CCM. By considering these, you’ll be better equipped to make an informed decision and find a solution that works for your needs.

1. Can it scale with your business needs?

As your business evolves, your CCM system needs to grow with it. In fact, 80% of businesses cite scalability as a top consideration when selecting software. The system you choose should handle increasing communication volumes and complexity. Whether you're adding customers, new channels, or additional teams, the system should grow with you.

2. Will it integrate seamlessly with your existing systems e.g., CRM, ERP?

70% of organizations prioritize integration when evaluating a new CCM platform. Seamless integration with your existing tech stack — like CRM, ERP, and marketing automation systems — is essential. You need a tool that integrates to ensure smooth transfer of data between systems (without manual workarounds). The easier the integration, the more streamlined your operations will be.

3. Is it easy for non-technical staff to use?

A new tool is only as powerful as it is usable. CCM systems may have myriad features, but if it’s too complex, it could fail to deliver value. A user-friendly interface increases employee adoption by 40%. Make it easy for your teams — especially non-technical staff — to use the system effectively. The easier the platform is to learn, the faster it will be adopted and utilized.

4. Does it allow for communication delivery across channels?

Consumers expect to interact with companies across channels. This includes , SMS, chat, direct mail, and more. In fact, 40% of consumers say that having multiple options for communication is the most important feature of a company’s customer service. A strong CCM system should support multi-channel communication. Make sure the tool you choose allows messages to be delivered where your customers prefer.

5. Does it meet or exceed industry security standards and compliance requirements?

With rising concerns over data privacy, 90% of enterprises consider security and compliance critical when choosing a CCM system. Your chosen solution must adhere to industry standards like GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2. Ensuring that the system meets these requirements from the start will save you from costly compliance issues down the road.

6. Can you tailor it to your specific business needs?

No two businesses are alike. That's why 60% of companies consider customization essential when choosing a CCM system. Whether you need to tailor workflows, create specific templates, or configure user permissions, a customizable solution will allow you to align the software with your unique processes.

7. What kind of support and training does the vendor provide?

A new CCM system is only as good as its implementation. If users struggle to understand the product, they won’t use it. In fact, strong vendor support can improve customer satisfaction by 50%. From onboarding to ongoing support, the right vendor will ensure that your teams are fully trained and supported throughout the system’s lifecycle.

8. What are the total costs involved, including hidden fees?

While functionality and performance are critical, 30% of businesses cite hidden costs as a major concern when evaluating software. The true cost of a CCM system goes beyond the initial price tag. It includes maintenance, upgrades, and additional user licenses. Make sure you have a full breakdown of all costs upfront.

9. How does the vendor plan to update and improve it?

With technology ever evolving, it's important to choose a system that can adapt to future changes. 65% of companies prioritize futureproofing when selecting a new solution. The vendor’s product roadmap should include plans for ongoing updates and enhancements to ensure your system remains relevant and continues to support your business as new technologies emerge.

10. What do other customers say about it?

70% of buyers rely on customer reviews when making purchasing decisions. Look for feedback from businesses in your industry or of similar size. Customer reviews can provide insights into the system’s strengths and weaknesses, helping you gauge whether it’s the right fit for your needs.

Conclusion

Choosing the right CCM system is crucial. It can significantly impact your business's efficiency, compliance, and customer satisfaction. By starting with these key criteria, you'll be well on your way to finding a solution that fits your current and future needs. For a more in-depth look at each of these considerations, download our Checklist for Choosing a Customer Communications Solution to guide your decision-making process.

10 Questions to Ask When Selecting an Internal Communications Solution

So, you’re tasked with improving internal communications at your organisation. You’re well aware that what you’re doing — , company intranet, printed magazines or something else — isn’t working to improve engagement or provide effective communication to teams, but where do you go from here?

Determine how you can redefine your strategy for the better with your answers to these questions.

#1: What internal communications tools are out there?

In this digital world, we have a variety of options (at a variety of price points) beyond from chat software, to cloud technology and even custom platforms.

Employee communications platforms are one cost-effective solution that leverages technology and implements some of the newest best practices, including making communication circular by inviting employee participation.

#2: What are your marching orders?

What is the overarching company strategic direction and vision? How does internal communications and your role fit in? Have you been asked to find better ways to promote your organisation’s values, and then to ensure communication helps deliver on those promises?

For example, if increasing team safety and compliance is an organisational initiative, are you able to transmit and deliver urgent safety information? Is part of your role to highlight individual contributors in fun and inspiring ways? Are you responsible for ensuring all communication is on-brand?

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Make a list of all the internal communications responsibilities that dovetail from the broader organisation vision and goals.

#3: What types of communication do you need to put out there?

Again, make a list. It might look something like this:

  • CEO’s blog
  • Company and industry news
  • Employee recognition
  • Urgent news
  • Policy updates
  • Employee training
  • Safety information
  • Team-specific communication

#4: What devices do your users have access to?

Is your workforce diverse and desk-less? While some team members may have computer and access, you may have quite a few whose only device for receiving company information is their smartphone.

What does that tell you? You need a solution that takes advantage of the “smart” in smartphone. The ideal smartphone-ready solution, such as an app, will allow for dynamic displays of multimedia content, push notifications, and other rapid, interactive communication.

#5: Who will your users be and how will they be engaged?

If the answer to the first part of this question is, “All of our staff, naturally,” then you’re likely interested in a solution that is inclusive and readily accessed by all, whatever device they are using and wherever they are.

And yet, an inclusive solution doesn’t mean you’ll want to blast every team member with every message. The best technology solutions these days take a page out of the marketing playbook, offering the ability to segment and target messages to the right audience for maximum engagement.

#6: What types of content do you want to generate, and where will that content come from?

If you’re unsure of the answer to this one, that’s OK. Being in the process of selecting a new communications solution means learning about the different types of content that are available to you in today’s digital landscape. Everything from video to polls to highly personalised content to company resource documents can be brought together in one comprehensive solution such as an employee app.

As well, when you’re accustomed to the communications team being the only responsible party for publishing content, it’s eye opening to realise that content collaboration can come from every corner of your office and even every location around the globe.

User-generated content is a great way to promote the work of individual teams, allow team members to raise awareness of what’s important to them, and to even recognise their peers.

#7: What do team members want?

If you’ve conducted a workplace survey recently, you may have some good insight into the particular pain points at your organisation. Even concerns raised that seem to have nothing to do with internal communication can be good fodder for retooling your communications strategy, since strong communications raise morale and engagement.

Some examples: If lack of recognition is an issue for employees, look for a tool that offers innovative ways to recognise employees, such as a peer-to-peer recognition functionality. If employees are feeling left out of company decision making, look for a tool that encourages comments and other feedback to the CEO and management.

#8: How big is your team, and do you have access to someone with technical expertise?

One challenge with technology tools is the reliance on that person or team — internal or external — who can help you build, implement, administer, and even troubleshoot your tech tool of choice.

If you have a small team without these technical resources, you may be interested in a platform-based solution that anyone can easily maintain. Our employee communications apps run on an easy-to-use content management system (CMS), empowering anyone with access to publish content and view analytics. 

#9: Is security important?

Let’s face it: Your employees are likely tech savvy, and if you’re not providing them with sophisticated technology solutions for communication, then they are probably communicating using popular apps like .

The trouble with employees taking matters of internal communications into their own hands is that many of these solutions — and therefore the employee conversations that are happening on them — aren’t secure. Look for a solution that prioritises the latest in security and compliance.

#10: Do you want to stay innovative?

If you’re considering a new technology tool, then the answer to this question is probably yes. Look for solutions that continually add new features, so you can keep engaging your workforce.

In line with staying innovative is the ability to see metrics about content and user trends. Having your data dialed in allows you to really know what your employees need and want, not just from internal communication, but from their very occupation and the business that employs them.

This knowledge brings great value to what you do every day in your role, and when you share it with others internally, can help the entire organisation improve.

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