CRM Systems - Online or Desktop

[saltire]

I'm thinking I need to start using a proper CRM in our business. I've looked at things like ACT and Salesforce but they all seem way more than what I need.

I'm thinking that an online option may be preferable as I already use GMail but there really are a myriad of options out there and i'm not even really sure of what I want exactly.

I'd love to find out what the important aspects of a CRM are for you and what you actually use at present. Even some ideas around how you use the system would be amazing.

Thanks

 

[Acu-IT]

CRM are not a 1 size fits all.

Personally what good for us may not be even on your list of requirements.

Personally we use a version vtiger which we have heavily modified to suit our specs. (also use studiocloud for simple small just basic short term trackng projects)

Certainly we not even use it to its' full capabilities but for us quickly knowing where enquiries are coming from and tracking any changes has allowed us to know where best to spend our cash.

Lots of other reasons but in a recession being wise with spending a bonus.

Will warn you though CRM to use are not just a 5 minute setup they take allot of time and effort from both you and your staff to get implemented properly for your business processes.

A badly setup CRM could end up being a very large costly mistake if not tailored to your requirements. By costly i mean in time/labour not just money.

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

I actually agree with Acu-IT. CRM is never a one size fits all. It really depends on how you intend to use the system.

If you're already using Gmail then maybe having a look at some of the CRM's that integrate well with it like CapsuleCRM or even Nimble.

I actually use Nimble myself and find that it really meets my needs. It's a very basic system out of the box but I prefer it that way and can add my own fields to suit my business. This is far better than many systems that simply give you a basic record that you cant change or edit. Where Nimble differs from most is it's social media integration. If social media is a part of your business then Nimble really is a great choice as it will synchronise all the contact information and communication you've had with a contact across, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Pretty powerful when you see it in action.

We pretty much do all our email etc within Nimble and also monitor our social media accounts and lists directly within it as well. We create any tasks etc for follow up etc via Nimble but use Toodledo to keep track of them.

We've also tried things like Salesforce and SugarCRM but to be honest we found them all really bloated and overkill for what we need.

Good luck with your search