The next step in choosing a small business CRM solution for your business would be web-based, client side/ hosted or in-house. In-house or hosted solutions each offer advantages. Hosted CRM solutions are typically thought of as easy to implement, secure and accessible. However, if your employees will not have regular internet access, online CRM software may not be feasible.

You might consider an in-house solution if you are looking for a solution that easily integrates with your back-office and third party applications as part of a strategy to integrate your applications across the organization. A small but fast-growing organization may choose a hosted CRM solution that allows it to gain quick access to market-leading CRM features and functionality without having to invest up front in hardware or software. Where a large business that already has an in-house CRM solution may decide that a hosted solution is the perfect way to rapidly extend their CRM capabilities to a remote division.

An in-house solution allows for customized features and other advantages with an internal IT department that can give support. The benefits each of these alternatives brings to the company should map to your business goals and strategy.

If the business goals have been defined accurately, another consideration is in the budget for the solution. The lowest initial cost or TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) should not be the only factor in a decision as the upfront costs only make up a portion of the overall investment. Only an estimated 30% of a CRM solution’s costs can be attributed to the initial software purchase; the remaining 70% goes to:

• Customization
• Integration
• Maintenance
• Deployment
• Training
• Upgrades

If your business is looking for a “bargain” application then you are likely to be shocked with the higher than anticipated cost of ownership. You may fail in your endeavor if you do not take into account your budget and the TCO.

Planning for future growth with a scalable product can be critical depending on your growth strategy. SMB’s (server message block) do not want to spend time developing and deploying software for their customers. They want to use it. Your choice of vendors should also factor into your decision will make the enhancement process painless. The vendor can help while selecting a system with a consistent and readily upgradeable architecture. A well-defined, well-documented and proven roadmap to accommodate growth is a minimum requirement. Vendors that stand by their products never abandon their customers.

It may take up to a height 3-6 months to develop the average in-house CRM solution. Although, hosted CRM solutions only take a few weeks and in some cases users can start using the service in real-time as soon as they sign up. A CRM for a small business may prefer the quick fix to get up and running quickly. Mainly because the speed of deployment of a hosted CRM solution often speaks to the midmarket company, which is concerned with keeping costs down, while making the best technological investments for its business needs, but the solution they get will most likely not be “robust”. Deployment may halt the company’s direction for time and for a smaller business this could be critical. Determining if the length of deployment will impact the business can determine if a solution is right for you.

Many businesses industries have solutions that are customized for a specific product or service, and then some are able to be easily adapted further at minimal cost. If you have a specific need that is critical to the overall company objectives, a tailored solution might be the answer.

Choosing a system that works with your existing infrastructure can be critical. This would avoid pulling out existing systems requiring employees to adapt to multiple new technologies the same time and threatening the success of your CRM implementation. Choosing a CRM tool that pulls data from older programs or allows back office information to be used to better service the customer are something else to consider in your choice.

Choosing a reputable vendor with a reliable product is a factor for consideration as well. Choosing a vendor that will continue to be reliable and viable years from now and provide continued service can impact your decision as well.

Any contractor software vendor who really wants your business will offer a free trial evaluation. This lets you test the software, its features and determine if it will be used. It will also allow you to evaluate how much training, if any, your employees may need to learn the software and be patient with. The functionality of the program and its extra features may help you make your final choice.

Many of the choices that typically comprise a CRM solution can be solved when you have determined your business goals. There are so many software products available, it cannot be doubted that shopping around will help you make the best decision. Without a clearly defined business goals not even the top selling CRM solution can guarantee success you. The CRM solution must fit all your business goals, now and for the future. In order for the solution to be effective, employees must use it, it must increase productivity, and it must map to what it is that drives the company. The satisfaction of your customers and the health of your business depend upon it.

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Tags: contractor software, Small business CRM, software for contractors

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 19th, 2008 at 3:52 am and is filed under Business, Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.