The Perfect CRM Solution

How do you describe the perfect CRM solution? Well, it is something that is going to change a lot of potential customers into new customers and existing ones into lifelong ones. Sounds simple enough?

Well, the purpose of CRM is simple but the methodology behind it isn't. You need to ensure that you hire the right CRM solution vendor or else the very purpose of using the CRM is defeated.

When you look up for a CRM vendor, you will come across thousands of vendors in the market. While many of these vendors focus only on the corporate market, a huge number of them focus exclusively on the small and medium sized business market. It is not easy at all to choose one on the basis of the pricing. It is the features that matter the most.

Here are some of the features that you need to look for in a CRM solution.

• Seamless integration with your existing tools : You certainly do not want to spend a lot of money on upgrading your current tools to match with your CRM. The database conversion has to be painless.
• No IT hassles: Hosted CRM solutions are far more flexible than on site CRM because they are delivered over the internet. You do not have to worry about constant IT monitoring and support.
• Easy upgrading: You should be able to upgrade to any new features easily without having to make major changes or shut the system down.
• Customization: I should have mentioned this in caps because it is the single most important and determining factor that will decide whether the CRM solution is ideal for you.
• Scalability: The system should be scalable and any number of users should be able to use it.

So when you are about to choose a CRM solution, ensure that you choose a CRM that has all the above mentioned features.

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A Short Introduction To CRM Software

Customer is the king as far as a growing company is concerned. This attitude will help any company to achieve more profit over a period of time. Everything you can do for customer satisfaction is worth. Each effort you are putting forward to increase customer satisfaction will return by way of increased profit and add to the goodwill of the company as a whole. A good Customer Relation Management - CRM software will help an organization to achieve its ultimate goal of complete customer satisfaction.

A good CRM System helps to manage the entire customer related functions with a completely integrated software. Right from generating the leads till the time of converting it to a sale could be tracked through this software. Apart from this, the CRM software should be able to process the functions related after sales service and dealer authorization etc.

A good CRM calls for using latest technology and analytical tools. The data collected through CRM software is very valuable in terms deciding the future of the company and for other major activities related to improving customer satisfaction and thereby profits. A good CRM system also offers the users complete control over their operation and added security for the data.

Implementation of CRM Package should be done with utmost care. While the core of the CRM Software remains the same, many of its other functions can be customized for the end user. An expert CRM consultant can offer you customized reports, which can be generated through the CRM data already gathered.

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CRM in Core Sector Companies

I have interacted with many experts in CRM/ERP development and implementations. Almost all of them opine that CRM has limited scope in Capital goods industries. They are not quite right. CRM, Customer Relationship Management was developed primarily to focus on customers of consumer goods, Telecoms and Banking industry.

Today also the almost 80-90% CRM implementations have been in these sectors only. CRM as of today has not been fully accepted in Engineering Procurement and Construction, Capital goods and Core sector companies. These companies are not alive to the benefits these CRM modules can bring about. CRM is a concept and not necessarily a software package developed and marketed by few software behemoths. CRM implementations is supposed to bring with it Best Practices, Evaluation of customers profile, Management of leads/inquiries, Sales closures, Grievance redress and Order execution and closure.

All these activities are quite relevant in Core sector companies as well. However, not necessarily in the same format and style. CRM implementations in these companies require lot of domain knowledge. CRM in Telecoms, Banking and Insurance are mostly standardized. However in organizations dealing in capital goods, the modules are required to be developed based on unique business processes and market dynamics of those organizations. Very few players have requisite wherewithal for developing and implementing these kind of processes. But potential and necessity is there to implement CRM in these sectors also.The benefits arriving out of implementations will be manifold. There will be data classification, trends analysis, market projections, customer complaint analysis, competitors' assessment, Procurement styling etc which will aid decision making. CRM has a long way to go in Core sector companies. The journey has not even begun.

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CRM on Demand - Software As a Service

Suddenly, the whole small to medium sized business market seems to be infatuated with 'On demand CRM' also known as 'Software-as-a-Service' (SaaS). Why this sudden surge in the number of companies opting for on demand CRM over traditional on-site models?

With the advancement in technology and the internet making huge inroads into the lives of people, customers have become more product savvy. They only expect the best from any business and even a small amount of complacency on the part of any business can lead to the loss of a customer. Hence, small businesses relied on software automation and data analysis to improve customer loyalty.

However, they had to rely on a patchwork of applications as CRM was only available for large scale enterprises. So CRM vendors started working on a far cheaper and flexible version of CRM that is best suited for SMBs. The result is on demand CRM.

On demand CRM has been carefully marketed as the perfect integration point for SMBs. The favorable cost factors, the convenience in setting it up and the hardware-free maintenance are some of the reasons why SaaS has really taken over.

But, as a SMB, you should be slightly more careful while choosing any CRM on demand. I will explain the reasons behind this.

1. Most CRM on demand software comes with a three to four year contract attached to it. This means, that you are stuck with it for that period. So you better be careful about what you choose.

2. Not all on demand CRM software is flexible enough to be integrated with existing software applications. If it cannot be done, then it will end up costing more in the long run.

If you are new to the concept of on demand CRM, then seek advice from a CRM consultant who can give you the right advice and help you choose the best hosted CRM.

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ERP Brazil: SAP Business One – Localized Portuguese Version By Andrew Karasev Platinum Quality Author

In previous short articles we have been discussing the options for international company (branches of multinationals with headquarters in US, UK, Australia, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain) to implement so-called localized MRP in Brazil. We covered Microsoft Dynamics NAV, AX, CRM. This small article is dedicated to SAP and its mid-market and small-to-midmarket MRP application – SAP Business One. SAP BO in Brazil is available in March 2006.

• Local taxes and regulations. CNAE, CPF, IE, IEST, IM – localization supports these rules and taxes

• Multilanguage. SAP BO has advanced language support in comparison to other localized ERPs: Oracle E-Business Suite, Navision, Axapta, JDEdwards – in SAP Business One you can switch language (from Portuguese to English for example) in the same user session for the same company. Multilanguage support in our opinion enables tight control to financial officers in headquarters for their Brazilian or any other overseas subsidiary.

• Transactional consolidation. SAP integrates SAP BO into its family of ERP systems. SAP BO has transaction consolidation module. Just to give you some excurse – you can use two mechanisms to get cross companies consolidated reporting – using data puling (and original currency historical exchange rate multiplication) mechanism – typical example would be FRx reporting for Great Plains, Solomon and other ERPs. Second and more reliable way is – transaction consolidation – when you physically move transactions (adjusted for the reporting currency) to the image of your subsidiary and then run report over your branches databases. Transactional consolidation makes SAP Business One attractive ERP option for Spoke-and-Hub ERP integration model, when subsidiaries use SAP BO and consolidate transactions to the corporate ERP – mySAP or SAP R/3

• Multicurrency. It is supported in all modules (just in case if you have experience working with multicurrency, available for the GL only).

• Customizations. SAP Business One SDK enables you to tune screens as needed, if you think that end-user intuitive modification is not sufficient. If you need to deploy local programmers – they should be experienced in COM objects programming.

• Competition. As you can expect – you see two types of competitors – local ERPs (Microsiga and Datasul to name major) and international: Oracle E-Business and JD Edwards, Microsoft Navision, Axapta and Solomon (Great Plains is not localized, but local support is available through Alba Spectrum)

If you need help – give us a call: São Paulo: +55-11-3444-4949, USA 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, Europa: +44-20-8123-2580, +45-36-96-5520 or help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is ERP consultant at Alba Spectrum Technologies (http://www.albaspectrum.com http://www.greatplains.com.mx http://www.enterlogix.com.br) - Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, MS CRM, SAP Business One, Oracle Financials and IBM Lotus Domino Partner, serving corporate customers in the following industries: Aerospace & Defense, Medical & Healthcare, Distribution & Logistics, Hospitality, Banking & Finance, Wholesale & Retail, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Placement & Recruiting, Advertising & Publishing, Textile, Pharmaceutical, Non-Profit, Beverages, Conglomerates, Apparels, Durables, Manufacturing and having locations in multiple states and internationally.

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Call Center CRM Software

CRM is a process or methodology used to learn more about customers' needs and behaviors in order to develop stronger relationships. To enable organizations to serve customers better and more efficiently, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is used.

The strategy of using a successful CRM is usually implemented through a software package designed to support these processes. There are some major areas that the CRM software focuses on including service-automated processes, personal information gathering and processing and self-service. The software attempts to integrate and automate the various customer-serving processes within a company. Customer information is stored for future use by the system. The company aims to make cost savings and enroll new customers by providing the customer quick and efficient service, and also maintains a ready to access database of the customer's information. CRM solutions can also be used to allow customers to perform their own service via a variety of communication channels. The CRM packages may also include contact management software stores, tracks and manages contacts, leads of an enterprise.

The package contains the enterprise lead management software that helps the firm to manage, track and forecast sales leads. Some of the types of CRM softwares are self-service CRM and survey management CRM softwares. Self-service CRM software enables web based customer interaction, automation of email, call logs, web site analytics and campaign management. Survey Software automates an enterprise's electronic surveys, polls, and questionnaires and enables customer preferences.

Many of the CRM packages can integrate with Windows-based packages combining email, calendars, contacts, and tasks and much more into one powerful yet easy to use program.

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Brazil: ERP Selection - Oracle, SAP, Microsoft

In the beginning of 21st century we can recognize the trend in international business. Multinational corporations are moving their manufacturing facilities and sales operations to Brazil. Typical scenario – regional office is established in Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro and manufacturing facility in Salvador, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Belo Horizonte, Recife, Manaus, etc. The first step in establishing controllable operations is ERP system implementation – this formalizes the chain of command, decision making and management. In this small article we will give you Brazilian ERP market review for midsize and large business. We will compare Microsoft Business Solutions, Oracle, SAP as well as local ERP vendors: Microsiga and RM. Let’s come to the topic:

• Local versus International brand. We do not pretend to be the judge, just pluses and minuses. Local brand ERP has local market experience, tax, typical chart of accounts, payroll specifics implemented. They are probably very competitive if you are Brazilian business. However if you represent multinational company or corporation – you should think about users experience for your international management team, IT centralized support and things like these.

• SAP. If you are committed to SAP solution - SAP Business One is probably the system of choice – it has transactions integration to SAP, CRM, MRP/Production, POP, SOP, HR, Multilanguage, multicurrency. SAP Business One is just localized for Brazilian ERP market, especially we should mention localized tax engine. SAP tested its localization with 7 pilot implementation in 2005. You should be looking for SAP Business One customization partner (who is licensed to develop customizations and integration in SAP Business One SDK). SAP Business One sits in Microsoft SQL Server and is written in C++ - it also has integration with MS Office on the level of COM objects

• Oracle. Oracle E-Business Suite, also known as Oracle Financials (as part of Oracle E-Business Suite) and Oracle Applications is natural choice if your Headquarters in Europe, USA, Australia or elsewhere is committed to Oracle platform. Oracle has long time presence in Brazil and is very good choice.

• Microsoft Business Solutions Navision & Axapta. Microsoft is currently on the way of merging/integrating its applications – this is known as Project Green, in September 2005 new marketing name was introduced- Microsoft Dynamics. Respectively Microsoft Navision and Axapta became Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics AX. More traditional solution for Brazilian market is Navision. It has very strong position in both Europe (where it is recommended by Microsoft in all the countries, except UK – where both Navision and Great Plains are in use) and USA- especially in manufacturing sector. Axapta, however is newer and respectively its design should be more geared toward new technological trends. Axapta should be released for Brazilian market in 2006

You can always appeal to our help and expertise – in our Sao Paulo office we have all these systems expertise, plus Microsoft CRM, MS Great Plains, Lotus Notes Domino. Please give as a call São Paulo 55-11-3826-3449, USA 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew is Great Plains specialist in Alba Spectrum Technologies (http://www.albaspectrum.com) – Oracle, SAP, Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, Microsoft CRM Partner, serving clients in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Belo Horizonte, Recife, Manaus, Lisboa, Coimbra, Porto, Cascais and having locations in multiple states and internationally.

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Web Based CRM Solutions

CRM solutions are business strategies that assist in building a healthy relationship with customers. They have become a milestone in the marketing strategies of modern business organizations. Earlier, CRM solutions had been based on client-server architecture. A few draw backs of the client-server model CRM solutions led to the development of web based CRM solutions. Web based CRM solutions are business strategies intended mainly for e-commerce.

As the World Wide Web serves as the platform in web based CRM solutions, the software need be installed on a single server. The installed software can be accessed from any remote location, and any change made in the software will be reflected throughout the system. The client-server model CRM solutions do not support remote access or wireless devices. But, web based CRM solutions have facilities to access wireless devices like PDAs and WAP-enabled mobile phones.

In a web based CRM solution, only the central server has to be maintained. Thus, web based CRM solutions are very cost effective. When compared with client-server CRM solutions, web based CRM solutions are more flexible and easy to maintain. As the web based CRM solutions are based on Web, they can be distributed faster than the conventional CRM solutions and client-server CRM solutions. Also, adding of new clients in a web based CRM solution is very easy. The number of users in web based CRM solution is unlimited.

Netgain, Upshot, SAP, Clarify, ONYX, Trilogy, Oracle, Siebel Systems, and Firstwave Technologies, Inc. are some of the leading vendors in the web based CRM solutions.

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Various Types of CRM Packages by Zoe Soto

Business heads and owners have increasingly been interested in implementing a customer relation manager (CRM) software package to enable a more cohesive functioning of the various departments of the organization such as sales, marketing, and production. But a question that puzzles most people is which brand or which type they should go for. There are a number of brands of CRM software suites. Software giants such as Microsoft, SAP, and Oracle have their own CRM software applications. Apart from these, there are a large number of medium and small players who provide what they call cost-effective and highly efficient packages.

Then there are various types of CRM software applications based on their functionality such as Collaborative CRM, Campaign Management, Sales Intelligence CRM, Analytical CRM, Operational CRM, Sales Force Automation, and Geographic CRM. A person who does not have some sort of exposure to this field can easily get confused. So, how would a person find the most suitable software application for his or her business from this dense CRM jungle?

The first thing one has to understand is that there is no CRM package that fits all businesses. The CRM package you should select depends on the characteristics and nature of your business such as volume of business, types of items sold, and the frequency of advertisement campaigns. So, one has to do a detailed research about various CRM packages before selecting a suitable one.

About the Author

I'm Zoe Soto; I work for Streamline Solutions, a company that provides you a solution for your CRM needs. You can visit us at Microsoft CRM and CRM Software