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How to Choose the Best CRM for Your Company
If you want to gain insight into your customers and their needs, CRM software is certainly a great way to do it. There are many options when selecting CRM solutions for your business. After you have done your review of your company, one of the first decisions will be if you want a web based solution or on-premises installation. Choosing the best CRM in this case boils down to if you have the infrastructure and manpower to handle an installation. On the flip side, there is a lot less control over your data with a web based system.
A second consideration is what kind of cost is involved. As you begin your research into which customer relationship management solution will be the best CRM for your company, you probably will not think of an open source CRM package. The misconception is that since they are freely available to anyone, you get what you pay for, and the software will be either not secure or obsolete before you see the full benefit of its implementation.
Web Based CRM
There are also many reasons to choose a web based CRM software package. The most obvious one is ease of access to the program for your employees. Additionally, start-up costs are much lower as compared to more standard commercial applications. Paying a monthly user fee or a subscription for a top CRM is always less expensive in the short run. Not having to worry about IT infrastructure upgrades is also a benefit. The third reason is the ease and speed of implementation and training of your employees. Finally, most web based companies allow you to take advantage of the ease of integration with your other software programs.
On-Premise CRM
On-premises installations are also available by some of the biggest and best CRM software companies. If your company has the proper IT infrastructure to handle a project of this size, and if you have the money to afford the up-front costs, it makes sense to keep your information secure in your own servers.
Next, check out the features you feel you need to get the best CRM for your business. Some features will definitely make your life easier. Make sure there is a quality import/export feature. This will allow you to easily enter your customer information from your current database, as opposed to re-entering every piece of information into the software. More important features are the analysis and reporting tools available with the software, and real-time access to that info.
Choosing the best CRM software for your company is a big challenge. However, follow some of these simple steps and determine what best fits your company culture and your current situation. When you have made your decision, don’t forget to try out the company’s program first as nearly all give a 30-90 day free trial, just to make sure you are comfortable with your decision.
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