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Small Business Customer Relationship Management
Small business customer relationship management web-based solutions
Solutions for a small business customer relationship
management system need to be different than for a SME (small
or medium enterprise) or SMB (small or medium business). A
SSB owner (small small business) wants to find an affordable
CRM solution and one that is easy to install and operate.
The best CRM for small businesses is a hosted web-based
solution such as
FreeCRM,
CRMbyWeb and
SalesProCRM that offers smooth data integration with a
contact manager, efficient functionalities, and lead
capturing and data sharing. All of these features are vital
for a small business's sales, service, and marketing CRM
strategy.
Since small businesses (SSBs) don't have a lot of
personnel on staff, and anyone who is in CRM training is
taking time away from their job duties, finding a fast and
easy CRM solution is key for success. Unlike the larger
SMB's who have more staff members, and can afford the higher
priced software and monthly fees from
Siebel or
ACCPAC
International; CRM software for a small business has to
have a lower cost of entry and lower total cost of
ownership. The CRM solution also has to function without a
server infrastructure and without a complex IT network.
Overall, SSB's will gravitate to the CRM solution that
focuses on timeliness, so that the business can be able to
respond to potential problems or opportunities faster than
its competition. Staff and clients must be informed about
the relevant customer data in order to use this information
for generating more leads and retaining existing customers.
A look at some competitive small business (SSB) CRM
solutions
-
FreeCRM (www.freecrm.com) -- This software is
available for free to customers because of its limited
storage capacity and its use of banner advertising.
Customers also have access to 128 bit SSL encryption,
data that is backed up hourly, contact, e-mail and lead
management and document sharing, as well as import and
export functions that work well with database software
such Act!, GoldMine, Outlook, and other database
applications. Unlike a SMB CRM solution like ACCPAC CRM,
which integrates with existing IT solutions, and offers
training and support services, FreeCRM keeps its CRM
solution simple, yet is fast and secure.
-
CRMbyWeb (www.crmbyweb.com) -- This CRM
application emphasizes customer maintenance and would be
an ideal for a service-based business like a doctor's
office. It features a customer self-service area for
customers to submit their information directly online to
the CRM database to check the status of their cases, and
to review order history, invoices or pay online. The
Customer Maintenance function is the key feature for
this software because of its ability to add, review,
update, and delete customer information. The feature
also manages locations and contacts, maintains
information on leads and prospects, accesses account
activity reports, prints labels, and sends mass e-mails.
In fact, Customer Maintenance is linked to the
calendar/scheduling areas, the quotes area, and most
importantly to the ordering area. Unlike Siebel's
multichannel capabilities and centralized data
integration, CRMbyWeb is designed for servicing a single
customer and would be ideal for a small small business
in the service industry.
-
SalesProCRM (www.salesprocrm.com) -- This CRM
solution is easy to use and is available in several
editions for customers, including a free one that can
later be upgraded. The editions include the Enterprise
Edition with forecasting and document library, the
Personal Edition-Plus, with bulk data importing and live
support, and the Personal Edition-Free. This CRM
solution of the three small business (SSB) CRM solutions
is perhaps the most comparable to the ACCPAC software
SMB solution because of its database and e-mail
integration systems, although SalesProCRM does not have
PDA or wireless capabilities to connect to a mobile
sales force.
Characteristics of an effective SSB CRM solution
Smaller businesses can least afford to waste valuable
time and financial resources on ineffective CRM solutions. A
strong CRM solution for an SSB will have the following
characteristics.
- Increase the productivity of the company's
salesforce, so that more revenue can be earned with
fewer salespeople.
- Target customers and prospects that would be most
likely to buy, and would not spend time on those
customers who be less likely to buy. |
- Convert the staff into product or service experts
who will gain skeptical customers through their
knowledge and expertise, and keep them coming back.
- Increase profits, revenues and customer
satisfaction.
Today, a small business owner in a SSB has a lot of
choice in the small business CRM solution market. Looking at
FreeCRM, CRMbyWeb, and SalesProCRM, plus many others, is the
right step for building the business. While these CRM
solutions may not have all of the capabilities and features
of a Siebel or ACCPAC CRM solution, these solutions will fit
the small business and help it better respond to its unique
customer relationship management and marketing needs.
Also See: [ Web-Based CRM Solutions, Systems & Data Security Management ]
[ Hosted CRM Solutions & Hybrid Solution Advantages ]
[ Overview & Benefits of Small Business CRM Software Solutions ]
Home Page:
[ CRM-Software-Guide.com ]
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