I’ve been on two CRM platforms in 25 years. Both switches were painful, expensive, and took longer than expected.

But I don’t regret either one.

The challenge is knowing when the pain of switching is worth it versus when you’re just chasing features you won’t use. Here’s how I think about it now.

The Hidden Costs Nobody Mentions

Data Migration

Getting data out of your old system and into the new one is never as simple as vendors promise.

Expect:

• Incomplete exports: Some data doesn’t map cleanly between systems
• Format mismatches: Dates, addresses, and custom fields require cleanup
• Historical loss: Interaction history, email threads, and notes often don’t transfer fully
• Duplicate contacts: Merged records separate, separate records merge

Budget 40-60 hours of data cleaning for a solo agent, 100+ hours for a team.

Training Time

Your team knows the current system. They don’t know the new one.

The productivity dip lasts 2-4 months. During this time:

• Tasks take twice as long
• Mistakes increase
• Frustration rises
• Some people never fully adapt

If you’re switching during a busy market, this hurts more than you expect.

Integration Reconnection

Every integration breaks when you switch:

• Portal feeds
• Email sync
• Calendar connections
• Document management
• Marketing automation
• Trust accounting links

Each integration needs reconnecting, testing, and usually some troubleshooting.

Opportunity Cost

Time spent on CRM transition is time not spent on revenue-generating activities.

If your team spends 100 hours combined on the transition, and your average hourly productive value is $200, that’s $20,000 in opportunity cost before any direct costs.

Calculating True Switching Cost

Here’s a rough formula:

Switching cost = Migration labour + Training time + Productivity loss + New subscription setup + Opportunity cost

For a team of 5 agents, typical range is $30,000-$60,000 in total costs, spread over 6-12 months.

That’s not a reason to never switch. But it is a reason to be sure.

When Switching Makes Sense

Your current system is being discontinued

The real estate CRM market has consolidated. If your platform is sunsetting or being merged into another product, you’re going to switch eventually. Better to do it on your timeline than someone else’s.

Core functionality is broken

If your CRM can’t do something fundamental—can’t handle your listing volume, can’t integrate with required systems, crashes regularly—you need to change.

“Missing a nice feature” isn’t the same as “broken.” Be honest about which you’re experiencing.

Your team has genuinely outgrown it

Entry-level CRMs work fine until they don’t. Signs you’ve outgrown your system:

• Workarounds outnumber standard processes
• Team members keep data outside the CRM
• Reporting requires manual data extraction
• New hires struggle to learn the accumulated complexity

The maths works over 3 years

If a new system costs $500/month more but saves 10 hours/month of team time, and your time is worth $100/hour, the value is positive within months.

But be conservative on time savings estimates. Vendors always oversell efficiency gains.

When to Stay Put

You’re chasing features you won’t use

New CRM demos are impressive. All those features! But be honest: will you actually use them?

Most agents use 20% of their CRM’s capabilities. Switching to a system with more features often means having more things you don’t use.

You’re frustrated with implementation, not the tool

Sometimes the problem isn’t the CRM—it’s how you’ve set it up. Before switching, consider whether better configuration, training, or workflows could fix your issues.

Hiring someone to optimise your current system often costs less than switching.

You’re mid-campaign on major listings

Never switch CRMs while significant transactions are in progress. Wait for a natural lull—typically January or June in Australian markets.

The team isn’t prepared to commit

CRM transitions fail when people keep using the old system “just for now.” Everyone needs to commit to the switch, or data splits between systems and chaos ensues.

If you can’t get buy-in, don’t start.

The Switch Process (If You Decide To)

Phase 1: Preparation (4-6 weeks)

• Export everything from current system
• Clean and standardise data
• Document current workflows
• Set up new system with proper configuration
• Run systems in parallel

Phase 2: Migration (2-3 weeks)

• Import cleaned data
• Connect integrations
• Test all workflows
• Train team on new system

Phase 3: Transition (4-8 weeks)

• Switch primary operations to new system
• Keep old system read-only for reference
• Address issues as they arise
• Document new processes

Phase 4: Completion (2 weeks)

• Confirm all data transferred correctly
• Shut down old system access
• Complete any remaining training
• Celebrate actually finishing

The Platforms Right Now

For Australian real estate, the main options are:

AgentBox: Most common in independent agencies. Strong integration with REA Group products. Good local support.

Rex: Growing market share, particularly in boutique and prestige segments. Modern interface, active development.

VaultRE: Newer entrant with focus on user experience. Popular with agents who’ve used legacy systems and want something fresher.

Salesforce-based: For larger groups with specific requirements and technical resources to maintain customisation.

Each has trade-offs. The best choice depends on your size, priorities, and technical capability.

Making the Call

Ultimately, ask yourself: what’s the cost of not switching?

If the answer is “frustration but we can function,” probably stay put.

If the answer is “losing business, burning out staff, or failing compliance,” make the change.

CRM switches are investments. Like any investment, they should have clear expected returns and realistic assessments of costs.

Don’t switch for features. Switch for fundamental improvement that justifies the pain.