Investing in a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) application to store your customer data is a wise decision. While the expense and headache from moving from whatever system that you are currently using, whether that be spreadsheets or calendars, can show some growing pains, in the end you will find that your investment of time and money will pay off in a streamlines and secure method for tracking your customers and sales. Gone will be the days of "where did I leave that business card" and tedious tracking of sales to determine when you need to preemptively call on your customers.With so many features though you might wonder what the best CRM application is for you and your business. What bells and whistles can help you do your job more efficiently and save you time by automating tasks that you have been doing for years yourself or paying someone else to do? With a dizzying array of CRM products out there how is one to know which company to go with and where can you get the most bang for your buck?
Microsoft is a logical choice when it comes to a CRM system. With many different flavors of CRM there is sure to be one that suits your needs and your business. With the added bonus of integration with the Microsoft Office suite, a Microsoft CRM might be the way to go for you and your business. Many users also like the fact that they are familiar with the Microsoft interface so learning how to use the new CRM isn't quite so foreign to them as they might have expected.
NetSuite is another CRM vendor that you might want to check out if you are in the market for a CRM application. With many of the same features as other CRM applications, NetSuite is a web based CRM service which means that there are no servers to buy or maintain or tedious rollout as you work CRM servers into your network. NetSuite takes care of all of that, relieving you of many of the headaches commonly associated with having an in-house CRM app. No need for a database administrator or a programmer to fix the application if or when it breaks. You are completely hands off which is money in the bank.
Sage also offers some very nice offerings when it comes to CRM applications for small to growing businesses. With many different forms of CRM applications to suit your business model and your business size, Sage is one company that you should check out especially is you are a small business with plans of growing in the near future.
Of course, if you are on a tight budget or you are a startup with very little money to put into a CRM application, SugarCRM might be just the thing for you. SugarCRM is an open source CRM application, which means that it is completely free. If you are a little bit handy with computers (or know someone that is) you can have a your CRM up and running in a day. As an added bonus, as your business grows you can move to a "Pro Version" of Sugar that comes complete with support. Honestly, SugarCRM is one CRM that you should look at if you are new to using a CRM application.
In short, no matter what direction you head in your choice of a CRM application, you will find that you will be unable to do business without one once you get past the growing pains of learning how to use it and make it work for you. If you like looking at reports, forecasting trends and keeping an eye on revenues and sales then you will be like a kid in a candy store with a new CRM application.
