Does your CRM actually reduce work, or add it?
A CRM should take work away from you. If it adds work, it is a tax on every call.
This is a fast audit you can run in minutes to decide whether your CRM reduces work or quietly increases it.
The two-column test
Write down the steps you take before a call and after a call.
If the after-call steps are longer than the before-call steps, the system is adding friction.
Before the call should be short:
- open the list
- tap the contact
- see the last context
After the call should be even shorter:
- one-line note
- one next step
If you have to jump tools, fill five required fields, or batch updates at the end of the day, the CRM is adding work.
The 7-minute audit
Run this quick audit with five calls:
1. Time the logging. If it takes more than 30 seconds per call, it is too heavy. 2. Check the next-step list. Can you trust it without manually cleaning it up? 3. Check context. Can you see the last email or note without switching apps?
If any of these fail, the system is not reducing work. It is pushing it to later.
Signals the CRM reduces work
- call list is ready when you open it
- note and next step live in the same screen
- email context sits beside the contact
- reminders resurface follow-ups automatically
Signals the CRM adds work
- required fields after every call
- context split across tools
- end-of-day backlogs
- unclear next steps and duplicate follow-ups
How to make it lighter
Start with the minimum viable workflow:
- capture outcome and next step only
- keep the email thread attached to the contact
- log the note immediately on mobile
- keep the list short and action-first
The goal is speed, not perfect data. Perfect data never happens when the system is slow.
If you want a CRM that removes steps instead of adding them, start here: