subject: Factors To Consider When One Is Choosing A Hosted Crm [print this page] Hosted CRM is an online tool that is used by organizations to manage their sales processes and is always provided by a vendor, who charges a subscription fee for the services. There are various applications in the market, and one is supposed to select the best alternative to suit his or her business. Choosing a product from the multiple vendors can be challenging even to the most seasoned business people. This process can, however, be facilitated by taking into consideration some factors, which include:
The security provided by the software. Information security should be guaranteed because sometimes it may contain vital customer details. Losing this data to unscrupulous cyber criminals can be detrimental to the business. Before deciding on an alternative, one should research on the software in terms of their vulnerability. Another thing is the ability of the providers to back up their systems, so that in case of a crash, important information can be retrieved. This will ensure that the data is kept well, away from potential harm.
The need to import previously held data from another system to the hosted CRM. If there is any need to transfer information, an organization should go for the one with data import capabilities to avoid manual inputting of data, which can consume a significant amount of time. This also ensures that all the necessary information is transferred successfully without losing any due to human error.
Subscription fee charged for the service and the overall cost involved. The application subscription should not be too costly. It should always be within the stipulated budget and should not strain an organization financially. Organizations might be tempted to blindly embrace new systems, which might not be worthwhile having. This has a very serious implication on the business and should be avoided at all cost. Indirect costs, such as the ones incurred on training should be watched as well.
Ease of integration. An organization should consider the compatibility of the hosted CRM with its existing systems before settling on one. This will save on the cost that the company will have to incur in acquiring new hardware. The online application should easily fit into the organization systems, without necessarily making modifications.
Interface of the online tool. The application should be user friendly, and easy to operate both by the employees and the clients. A complicated interface will only serve to discourage prospective customers who are trying to log in. It is even further disturbing when employees are running a system they do not seem to understand. An organization should always go for an interface that enhances the customer experience while using the tool.
The period allowed for trials by the hosted CRM provider. Just like any other software the vendors do offer a trial period. The time provided in this case should be considerable to enable one to assess the capabilities before deciding whether to accept or decline the offer. One should never yield to the pressure from the vendors trying to make a sale only to cost the company. The organization should always go for products with a considerable trial period.
