We Blog CRM

Last week, Salesforce.com announced that one of its customer relationship management (CRM) and Force.com customers, Granicus, built 20 custom CRM applications in 20 weeks on Force.com, Salesforce.com’s enterprise cloud computing platform. Granicus is an award-winning cloud computing provider that needed to manage its growth with these applications. Granicus built and delivered these apps five times faster because of Force.com’s advanced capabilities as opposed to traditional platforms.

Granicus has grown rapidly in the past three years. The cloud computing provider needed a way to streamline its business processes, including sales, finance, human resources, marketing, project management, technical support and deployment departments. Granicus was able to build and deploy applications to manage this growth and control its business processes by using Salesforce’s Force.com platform. Efficiency and productivity dramatically increased within Granicus’ departments because of these applications, allowing the company to expand and achieve its goals.

Some of the customized applications that Granicus built on Force.com include a human resources app, which makes hiring and recruiting processes faster and easier. Granicus also built a regionalized accounts application, which allows the company to assign accounts and run reports. Another custom app is the sales proposals app, which creates proposals and determines client product configurations. The sales proposals app was built in only one week.

Granicus executives are very pleased with Salesforce’s Force.com platform and the new CRM applications. The program and API manager at Granicus, Jay Killian, commented. She said, “The secret to making your company successful on Force.com is to find a specific business problem to solve. It’s easier than you think to get started with a proof of concept app and then get it rolled out. To manage our fast growth, we built 20 custom apps in 20 weeks and now have our entire company on Force.com.”

The cloud custom application deployment was a success. Now, Granicus can build a sales proposal in 10 minutes instead of 2 hours. Project deployments were streamlined through a web-based tracking tool. Also, workflow was automated and Granicus now has the ability to quickly and easily develop applications without taxing resources.

Research firms Forrester and Gartner agree, Microsoft Dynamics CRM is ahead of the pack in customer relationship management for medium to large sized businesses. Although recent reports have shown that Salesforce CRM is a cult favorite among SMBs, Microsoft Dynamics CRM has won the popularity contest amongst the bigger enterprises. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is praised for its ability to seamlessly integrate with other Microsoft products; Dynamics CRM is also structured to allow users to create customized solutions with the xRM framework.

Forrester’s report investigated 15 of the leading CRM systems including Dynamics competitors Salesforce.com, Oracle Siebel and SAP. The research agency conducted their CRM evaluation based on operations, sales execution, cost, customer satisfaction, deployment options, business model, and innovation. To further reinforce Microsoft Dynamics CRM’s leading position in the CRM world, Gartner produced a report naming Dynamics as the best option for large enterprises as well.

“It is an honor to be recognized as a leader in the CRM industry that is helping customers seize new opportunities and grow their businesses,” says New Zealand Dynamics Manager, Stewart Gibbs. “We deliver innovation and value to companies in New Zealand around the world by focusing on end-user productivity, business process flexibility and agility, and the ability of our customers to leverage cloud deployment models.”

What makes Microsoft Dynamics CRM so wonderful? The CRM suite is comprised of a comprehensive set of tools and capabilities that allow users to optimize their business relationships throughout the sales pipeline. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is also fully customizable and scalable, making itself a perfect fit for businesses of any size.

“Our customers have reported a number of benefits from Dynamics CRM, such as having the ability to identify and retain their most profitable customers, and being able to better target and manage their growing customer and sales disciplines around sales, service and marketing, while benefiting from a custom line of business applications built on the CRM platform,” explains Stewart.

With all the functions and features Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers its users, it comes as no surprise that both Gartner and Forrester have recognized the software as the one to beat.

“CRM is one of the fastest growing areas of our business. Customers are really starting to see how a CRM solution, both in its pure form but also in a tailored form, can help their businesses manage relationships of all types. The diverse application of Dynamics CRM is exciting to see- from organizations using the application to manage typical customer sales relationships through to managing training programs for apprentices, and even managing the heritage and location of guide dogs. Things have certainly matured since the days of failed large scale CRM implementations. Now customers are seeing fast ROI and benefits realization from a more agile platform. It’s great to see what can be achieved,” says Simon Bright a Dynamics customer and COO at Intergen.

Yesterday, Sage India announced that Reuters Market Light (RML) deployed a Sage CRM and a Sage ERP solution to automate business processes. RML, a commodity pricing information provider in India, needed help with voucher management, complaint management, customer interaction and financial operations. Sage Software, a business management software provider, was able to help RML successfully implement a 100 user pack of Sage CRM and a 5 user pack of Sage Accpac ERP.

Before Sage’s software, RML was using a discrete system that was neither efficient nor easy to use. Now, with Sage, vouchers are quickly generated and dispatched to distributors. Customer information is automatically reflected in the customer relationship management (CRM) system. RML employees can see all relevant customer information, such as escalation history, calls received, interactions and support cases. This enhances customer satisfaction because the RML employees are more knowledgeable about the customers and their needs.

The Sage CRM system is also instantly synchronized with the profile management system, which then automatically activates an SMS service on the customers’ mobile phones. There is also a case management feature in Sage CRM. This tracks all complaints and issues to ensure that each one is assigned, managed and closed.

RML’s Vice President of Operations, Ranjeet Pawar, commented on RML’s decision to implement Sage’s CRM and ERP software. He said, “Today over 200,000 farmers rely on our service to get information which is critical to the way they work therefore it was important for us to automate critical processes which could ensure the information reaches the farmer at the right time and grievances are seamlessly addressed. We were looking for an integrated solution which could give us a single platform for serve our customers.”

Sage India is also excited to be working with RML. The Managing Director at Sage India, Thomas Abraham, said, “We are pleased to partner with Reuters Market Light in their initiative to empower Indian farmers using state of the art technology to provide timely information that enhances overall farmer productivity.”

RML’s business processes were automated and became a lot easier with the Sage CRM and ERP software. Now, RML will be able to grow and increase customer satisfaction.

Everyone wants a piece of the iPad CRM pie and Alauras Software is no exception. Alauras has just unveiled the latest version of its iPad CRM software: Yellow Page CRM+. This move is meant to boost sales force automation capabilities and Alauras will be adding full online compatibility with the iPad. Althought Yellow Page CRM+ was initially focused on specific solutions for Yellow Page publishers, it now supports a variety of other print and online media.

On their seventh attempt (aka Version 7.0), the iPad Yellow Page CRM+ offers improved reporting and eContract automation, new customer service functionality and support for the iPad. Regular Version 7.0 will not see any price increase but its iPad CRM counterpart will be offered at a slight premium.

Why did they decide to move onto iPad pastures? Imagine the silent groan of prospects when they view yet another presentation on a clunky laptop. The iPad not only gives a wow factor but also allows the user to make use of the touch screen device to complete presentations, monitor customer service requests and execute contracts. Video presentations for clients can be managed and signatures can be done on the touch screen by using your fingertip or a Mac-based stylus with this convenient iPad CRM solution.

At the moment, there are two publishers participating in a closed test of the iPad CRM software. One company was quoted as saying “The Alauras iPad CRM offers the efficiency we need, and is proving it creates a speedy and extremely compelling sales experience.”

Alauras is striving for innovation for the yellow page industry with its leap into iPad CRM. With a flexible cross-platform publishing systems, we’re sure the industry will thank them.

SugarCRM, the open-source customer relationship management software developer, has made new friends (and partners) through the success of its Open+ partner program. In just the first half of 2010, SugarCRM has added 50 partners from around the globe.

What’s so special about SugarCRM’s Open+ program? The Open+ program is divided into five classes of partnership (which is further subdivided into channel partner, consultant partner, authorized learning partner, technology partner and referral partner programs). The membership provides access to cloud and on-site technology and solutions, field engagement, access to programs and resources to help develop and grow a partner’s business and sales and training enablement to enhance CRM knowledge and extend reach into the market.

With the help of their partners by selling and deploying SugarCRM’s commercial products, SugarCRM is able to focus on working with the new and existing partners in ensuring their success whilst using SugarCRM.

SugarCRM is also proud to note it has also added Emerge Business Consulting as a new channel partner that is dedicated to serving small to medium-sized businesses. With the great price point and functionality of SugarCRM, there really is no need to look elsewhere for CRM solutions.

SugarCRM, the world’s leading provider of open source customer relationship management (CRM) software, has been chosen by AlwaysOn as one of the AlwaysOn Global 250 winners. What does this honor mean to SugarCRM? Being on the AlwaysOn Global 250 list signifies that SugarCRM has demonstrated leadership amongst its peers and offered game-changing approaches and technologies that are likely to disrupt existing markets and the top software players!

Of course it wasn’t easy to get on the list. The winner is selected by the AlwaysOn editorial team and industry experts spanning the globe based on a set of five criteria: innovation, market potential, commercialization, stakeholder value, and media buzz. For SugarCRM, it was a sweet victory.

What does it mean for Global Silicon Valley? Simply put, innovation is alive and well while accelerating in economic power and scope. It wasn’t easy being chosen as the winner for AlwaysOn Global 250. It was a rigorous three-month selection process and SugarCRM faced competition from thousands of domestic and international technology companies nominated by investors, bankers, journalists and industry insiders.

A big winning point was SugarCRM’s open source model. Their CRM model enabled businesses around the world to have full access to the software’s source code and giving businesses complete flexibility through unlimited customization and integration capabilities. In addition, SugarCRM’s form of deployment has several options, including vendor-hosted SaaS supplied by SugarCRM and cloud-based delivery options powered by the Sugar Open Cloud ecosystem.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM has garnered recognition as a Leader from two leading independent research firms, Gartner Inc. and Forrester Research Inc. Forrester acknowledged Microsoft Dynamics CRM for offering a flexible customer service solution, earning a Leader position in The Forrester Wave: CRM Suites Customer Service Solutions, Q3, 2010 (July 2010) report, while Gartner placed it as a Leader in the Magic Quadrant for Sales Force Automation (July 2010) report.

“With the upcoming release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, customers will reach new levels of productivity and collaboration with a low total cost of ownership, and partners will unlock new opportunities with a single development environment for cloud-based and on-premises deployments,” said Brad Wilson, general manager, Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Such accolades were given for Microsoft Dynamics CRM due to the fact it supports flexible options in deployment (on-premises, on-demand and partner-hosted deployments); how to pay (license, subscribe, finance); and how to use (Outlook client, browser, SharePoint site, other interfaces). Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides strong support for: phone agents; call center infrastructure; agent collaboration tools; knowledge base; customer data management; analytics; email response management; architecture and platform; business process and workflow tools; integration; security; and Web 2.0 tools.

Salesforce.com has moved beyond providing customer relationship management software as a service and wants to be simply the provider of enterprise software as a service. Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com, recently posted an image of two mockups for Salesforce.com ads and asked for feedback. For the first time, it is a refreshing change to see a billion-dollar software company reach out to the community like this – but beyond social media this shows how Salesforce.com is moving from being a customer relationship management focused player, to being a true multi-disciplined technology company. The question asked by Benioff offers a real insight into where Salesforce.com is.

Clearly it is seen as the quintessential SaaS company — but out of necessity for continued growth, it has moved beyond this — Chatter, the AppExchange, Force.com, VMforce are all examples of Salesforce.com wanting to be much more than a simple (or even complex) sales tool. Initially Force.com created a programming platform to allow Salesforce.com customers to significantly broaden the functionality of their applications while the AppExchange created a marketplace for developers to sell those applications. More recently Chatter has sought to broaden the impact of Salesforce.com by creating a social feature set while VMforce moves decidedly down the stack in an effort to offer a platform as a service.

Which is why the simple question posted on Facebook is pretty telling — the cutlines under the ads tell of two fundamentally different propositions –- one limited and focused on sales, the other offering a broader enterprise toolset. I expect the messaging from inside Salesforce.com to becomes less sales-centric going forward as the product and the target market becomes broader.

This is more than just Salesforce.com grappling with its market perception however. Others in enterprise software consider it a threat as well. For example, Microsoft’s patent infringement lawsuit and IBM’s product related reactions to Salesforce’s move to the cloud give an indication of just how seriously the rest of the industry regards the company. While it was a CRM company only, the threat vector was only directed in one specific area, but its moves of late to become a player at every level of the stack has made the industry sit up and take notice.

Customer relationship management (CRM) has become a very important part of the business process.  More and more companies are installing CRM systems to help them find more sales opportunities.  In this modern age, most business executives are frequently on the go.  Mobile CRM applications are increasing in popularity because it allows users to access the CRM system away from their business computer.  Here are five of the best and most popular iPhone CRM mobile applications on the market right now.

1. Salesforce Mobile (FREE)

This CRM iPhone application is free for all Salesforce.com users, but new users can test it out with a 30 day free trial. Get constant access to your Salesforce account with your iPhone and this application. Users can create, edit and delete capabilities on the app because it is completely customizable. There are also filter and search options to find important information quickly. Users can even view dashboards and log meeting details immediately onto their iPhone.

2. SugarCRM Mobile ($9.99)

With a SugarCRM account, you can download this application. SugarCRM iPhone app is customizable as users can configure list and edit views. Easily edit, add or delete records on this app. This is a convenient way to access your SugarCRM account. Easily view customer information and stay up to date on your customer relationship management system.

3. Sales CRM EZ! (Basic: FREE; Pro: $9.99)

This award winning application lets sales managers track sales opportunities on their iPhones. This application produces realistic sales forecasts and current sales pipeline reports. Make sure you meet your deadlines with Sales CRM EZ! for iPhone because the app highlights overdue action and close dates in red. Even view historical sales or outstanding sales opportunities on your phone in addition to comprehensive dashboards.

4. 2Do CRM ($2.99)

This CRM iPhone application is unique because users can make their own CRM system or simply use 2Do’s CRM template. This app will help users organize their business better while collecting important customer information to ensure that the business is maximizing sales opportunities. There are task management, calendar syncing and contact organizing features. There is even a feature that lets users view clients or contacts on a map so meeting up is easier.

5. MS Dynamics CRM ($19.99)

This application requires a Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online account. Users can easily manage contacts or contact related activities with this application. It has syncing, search and attachment abilities. Use the iPhone’s microphone and camera to easily record notes about customers or potential opportunities. All customer information is in one place so it is an easy way to manage customer relationships in an efficient manner.

Now, as customer relationship management (CRM) vendors are making their products more affordable and usable, even for the smallest companies, every company should have a CRM system. Almost all companies already do and they might not even know it! Any way of tracking customers, whether it is simply recording their email addresses or names, is technically a form of a customer relationship management system. It makes a big difference to take a CRM system from a simple spreadsheet to a complex managing system.

A CRM system is useful for many reasons. It helps companies keep track of shopping trends, maintain positive relationships with their customer base and track support issues. Also, sales personnel can send deals or sales information by email to customers to draw them back to their store. Knowing what type of customers a company has is also important because it can help vendors close sales in the future.

Keeping the system continuously updated is key. Also, taking the CRM system from the manual to the managed stage is key. Taking the customer information to the managed level involves analyzing the information users have to bring the sales process to the next level. It also involves investing more, automating business processes, measuring data closely and consistently interacting with customers.

There are two types of CRM systems- upstart CRM and cloud based CRM. Upstart CRM, such as BatchBlue, is ideal for growing businesses, although it does not scale as easily. Cloud based systems, including Zoho or Salesforce.com, are better for larger companies. SugarCRM is another cloud based option which offers an on-demand CRM system.

Choosing and using a CRM system is very important for companies who want to maximize their number of customers. Take your company’s simple spreadsheet to another level and start using a more complex customer relationship management system to get the most out of your customers.