Research background and purpose:
Selecting an appropriate CRM platform is a critical yet complex decision for organizations aiming to optimize digital marketing effectiveness. This complexity arises from diverse functional requirements, cost considerations, and market uncertainty. The purpose of this research is to provide a systematic, objective method for evaluating CRM alternatives to mitigate the risks of manual or biased selection processes.

Design/methodology/approach:
The study introduces an integrated multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach. It combines Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy AHP), used to determine the relative importance of evaluation criteria, with the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), which ranks the alternatives. The methodology was validated through a real-world case study at Test Mentor Co., Ltd., involving a sensitivity analysis across 45 different scenarios to ensure results were robust

Findings:
The results identify HubSpot CRM as the most suitable platform for the case study, followed by Zoho CRM and Salesforce CRM, while Microsoft Dynamics CRM ranked the lowest. Additionally, the study reveals that subscription cost and reporting capabilities are the most influential criteria driving the selection process in this context.

Value added and limitations:
This research adds value by offering a datadriven, repeatable framework that transforms qualitative requirements into quantitative rankings, providing actionable insights for businesses. While the sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of the findings for the specific case study, a primary limitation is that the rankings may shift based on the unique strategic priorities or budget constraints of different organizational environments.