subject: Crm System Industry Experiencing Explosive Growth Since Affordable Solutions Have Arrived [print this page] There is no doubt about it, customer relationship management software (CRM systems) offers a huge advantage to business who adopt the technology. A good CRM package assists your workforce and helps them build strong relationships with your client database.
As an added benefit most CRM systems offer business tracking. A CRM with tracking enabled can show you; who your customers are (i.e. demographic info, location, preferences etc.), where they came from (how they found your business or the source of new clients), what they buy, how often they buy and how regular contact affects their buying habits. Knowledge is power. By intimately knowing your clients you can make much more strategic business decisions and boost profits accordingly.
Despite the significant advantages provided by a good CRM system the uptake by established businesses has in the past been surprisingly small. A few business owners allude to implementation trouble or slow software as their reason for steering clear of the CRM trend. However the primary reason business owners reject CRM systems is actually price.
It's a simple matter of return on investment. CRM systems give you a lot but they used to be so expensive that the costs far outweighed the benefits for most small businesses they also used to cost big bucks. In the past if you purchased an internally hosted CRM system you had to pay for a licensing fee, internal server equipment, installation, calibration and many other hidden costs. It could easily run into the tens of thousands even for small companies of 5 staff or less. Many people looked to web based CRM to reduce costs but with fees of $100 per month per user it just wasn't reasonable for companies on a budget.
That was all in the past. A new generation of CRM providers has burst onto the market, bringing quality CRM software at easily affordable prices. These systems are web based, meaning there is no need to buy expensive server equipment, they are also compatible with most existing hardware (they even work on smartphones and tablets). Most allow you to get started for free and your fees only increase with data usage. And their paid packages are very reasonable. You can get a powerful CRM system with all the bells and whistles for under $100 for up to 5 usersand 4000+ contact records.
They say 'you only get what you pay for'. But with the new generation of CRM systems this is just not true. Despite their lower prices they offer software which is equal to or better than the old systems. It's faster, easier to use and more powerful. By offering free training videos and easy customization options they have made CRM systems accessible to budget conscious companies.
When CRM systems are affordable there is no reason not to jump on board. This is reason behind the CRM surge and why the sector will continue to grow so long as new generation CRM providers continue to offer such value solutions.
