What is the best online/cloud-based CRM software? Here at Softwarefit, we streamline the review process so you can find the CRM that suits your business needs and get back to what is important – your business! We base our reviews on what real people are saying and publish informative white papers.
What does cloud-based mean? – Cloud-based means that the CRM software and it’s data is stored online. Most CRM companies are very secure, but it is important that you work with a trusted CRM partner. Most CRM vendors provide a value-added service greater than what the actual software company itself can provide. Most CRMs on the market are cloud-based.
Cloud-based vs On-Premise – If you’re still confused about weather to host online or on-premise, read this relative article, “Cloud-based vs. On-Premise ERP“. Even though this article is in regard to ERP, it contains many of the same themes.
Cost difference of cloud-based – By now you’ve figured out that cloud-based software is often much cheaper than on-premise. Because of legality issues, some industries (such as healthcare) may be required to host their data on premise, but most are in the cloud.
The price point – Between cloud-based crm software varies drastically, making an online model the more economical choice for smaller businesses. There is a CRM for every budget and our white paper will go into details on the pricing breakdown.
Download our complimentarywhite paper for a complete CRM comparison which will compare and contrast the market leaders in customer relationship management both on the cloud and on-premise.
Comparing Microsoft CRM and Salesforce is like comparing apples and oranges. Both cloud-based CRMs are excellent products with strong benefits, but both also have distinct differences as well. It just boils down to a matter of preference. To get a better handle on which product is the right fit for your business, we have written a brief comparison of the two.
Overview
Customer relationship management (CRM) software is a crucial part of any business plan. Regardless of the size of your business, CRM software allows you the opportunity to engage your customers and build your business. Though services can vary from software to software, there are some core elements that remain the same – data management, customer tracking, workflow automation and reporting are all key points to look for when selecting the right CRM.
Pricing
Salesforce is available in five different editions with a price range to suit the budget of nearly any business. Starting at $5 per month and reaching $300 per month at the top level, Salesforce brings 15 years of experience in the CRM industry to the table.
Compared to Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics CRM has three pricing levels. Essential is $15 per user per month with Basic hitting at $30 per user per month and Professional clocking in at $65 month. Microsoft has been a top player in the CRM and marketing automation industry since 2003.
Features
Though Salesforce has been a decisive leader in this competition for several years, Microsoft Dynamics is rapidly making up ground.
Salesforce boasts some innovative, exclusive features. The CRM pioneer offers features such as Sales Cloud and AppExchange as well as the Service Cloud. With these exceptional features does come a higher price point than Microsoft Dynamics, but this is a product that does provide bang for your buck.
Microsoft Dynamics has the advantage of name recognition and is backed by one of the top companies in the software industry. Microsoft Dynamics also offers a more affordable base price point and can be customized to specifically suit the needs of an individual business.
To learn more, check out our in-depth white page comparison here
When talking with prospective CRM users, we hear the same issue time and again. “We know we need a CRM product, we just don’t know where to start.” Oftentimes, this is the most frustrating part of your CRM search. My response to people is always: “I understand. You don’t know what you don’t know.” A saying I learned from my mother in adolescence, but which has stayed with me to early adulthood, much to my chagrin.
Well…it’s time for you to “get in the know.” That is why we created “10 Questions to Ask Before Choosing Your CRM Software.” In order to find out what the best CRM solution is for your business, you need to know the specifics about your business needs. This whitepaper will help you delve deeper into your CRM needs so you’ll have a full checklist of requirements before you buy. This will help you pinpoint which CRM solution is perfect for you and which ones won’t be a fit.
If you’re researching a new CRM solution, this whitepaper was made with you in mind. Don’t miss out, download it now!
What are the best CRM add-ons? We review products for Sage, SugarCRM and MS Dynamics. Now you get to customize your solution to increase user-adoption and ROI. There are some really powerful third party integrations out there. We have created a CRM software reviews post on the top 5 CRM software add-ons for 2014, here they are:
Collabspot – Gmail for SugarCRM
Integrates with: SugarCRM
Collabspot brings CRM directly into your inbox – and is the add-on SugarCRM users have been begging for.
A sales email platform that integrates CRM with Gmail – collabspot offers seamless integration to SugarCRM, the fastest growing CRM system on the market today. Collabspot allows SugarCRM users to work directly from their inbox which has shown increased productivity and user adoption rates – as well as much desired simplified data entry! What more could you ask for?
Collabspot is designed to enhance sales by allowing users to keep track of and manage customer info from Gmail. Collabspot It’s the perfect plug-in for any salesperson or avid email user because the inbox is where things happen.
DocuSign – the gold standard in eSignature technology
Integrates with: Salesforce.com, SugarCRM, NetSuite and Microsoft Dynamics CRM
DocuSign for CRM helps sales users close more business more quickly. Imagine a tool that allowed your customers to sign contracts from any browser within minutes – and then updated your CRM data at the same time. Sounds pretty good right? That’s DocuSign.
Sending a contract or any other type of document for electronic signature is simple using the DocuSign for CRM connector. Just click the “Send with DocuSign” button from an Opportunity, Account, Contract, or Quote object to send related documents to the appropriate recipients. Once a document is signed, it is automatically brought back onto the record as a signed PDF, and the status of the document’s progress is tracked the whole time.
DocuSign’s key features are:
Send documents from any Opportunity, Account, Contract, or Quote object
Track the status of documents
Configure and customize to any business process using DocuSign APIs
QuickBooks Integration
Integrates with: Salesforce and SugarCRM
A seamless integration between SugarCRM/Salesforce.com and QuickBooks, Intuit’s accounting software for small businesses, enables organizations to streamline accounting and more efficiently manage customer relationships so they save time and close more deals. This QuickBooks integration is listed on the Intuit App Center.
By leveraging this integration, SugarCRM/Salesforce.com users can view account payment status, payment terms, days aging, account balance, and other QuickBooks information inside of their CRM. Additional features include syncing and creation of new Accounts, Products, Quotes and Invoices between Sugar and QuickBooks.
Google Apps
Integrates with: Salesforce.com
Jitterbit – Integrate Any App
Integrates with: SAP, Oracle, Siebel, Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, SugarCRM… and just about everything else.
