“30% of marketers say having disparate data sources is a main reason why they can’t glean useful insights from customer data.”

“Sales reps saw productivity increased by 15% when they had mobile access to CRM applications.”

Emerging Software technologies have captivated minds of hundreds and also created sufficient confusion different terms used interchangeably, like

• • open source CRM
  • mobile CRM
  • industry specific CRM

etc.

So there are doubts and strong debates going on about which CRM you should implement.

CRM softwares are available

• 1.    In the Cloud ( SaaS/subscription based access )
  2.    As On-premise solution
  3.    As Hybrid deployment

These 3 are primarily different implementation types of any single CRM.

Therefore regardless of setup, you must check that your CRM provider gives you assisted mobile app also, for all 3

• Android
• iOS &
• Windows.

When choosing CRM setup, key factors to consider are:

• 1.    Your customization needs and proportionate complexity of system
  2.    Degree of security & scalability available in the context of specific deployment
  3.    Integration requirements with existing systems
  4.    Skills available inhouse – your IT support and resources
  5.    Pricing model and cost effectiveness for long term

Ease of access in paramount to your business success.

Few CRM vendors offer the flexibility to migrate from one deployment model to another.

In this text, we shall asses advantages and disadvantages associated with On-premise and Cloud based CRM only.

Not sure for what to do?

Go for Hybrid deployment.

In this case, you buy licence or an instance of CRM software which is restricted to certain number of users.

Then, you can download and install CRM on your premises or can select a 3rd party hosting provider of your choice.

This minimizes dependency on your CRM provider should hosting settings related help is needed.

My Opinion:

On-premise deployment, mostly.

This gives you 360 degree flexibility for integration and customization.

One important concern is that hosted CRM provider holds your sensitive data that you do not want to expose.

SaaS CRM nullifies possibility of any type of ownership – be it on single instance of closed source software that you paid for.

Real World Example:

If you are an individual who uses softwares and computers to store your personal data for years now, you might be aware of or have heard sophisticated data backup software namely ‘Acronis True Image’.

It gives software installation on-premise per user basis and its web based client is also offered along if you don’t want to use desktop version.

It is an excellent example of a complex software provider who gives both – On-premise and SaaS at a cost of one.

So you can look for similar kind of providers in CRM domain.

This gives you feeling of both

• • Data security &
  • Possessing of some “real” thing or software
  • Hope this discussion helps you make informed decision.

CRMTiger helps SMEs and freelancers save time and efforts by nurturing customization of leading CRM software tools.

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