The company I work for is starting to head down the path of CRM, we're exploring our options to see what is available and what can be a useful solution for us.
There is of course the SaaS/Software decisions, as well as Open/Close system element. Here are some quick thoughts on the situation.
SaaS vs Software
- Either gives you a good bit of flexibility, SaaS is much more flexible than it used to be
- SaaS makes the accessibility of the system that much easier
- Software used to make it easier to administer on a granular level, but that's not a compelling case anymore
Open vs Close
- Open source options make it easy to find a low-cost initial system to explore and test
- Either is going to require customization, and this can often mean a special consultant
- All Closed system sellers are going to claim that enhancements and customizations of Open systems make them brittle, and problematic to upgrade, which is true
- But that also begs the question of how easy is it to upgrade from the Closed system
- And which specific opens (Open or Closed) are going to allow for the export of data from the system (the "data roach motel" conundrum)
Any option available seems to have a rather steep learning curve, and customization challenge. These aren't particularly good reasons to avoid a CRM solution, if that is in fact in the best interest of the organization. In fact, one can argue that this is a prime example of "fail fast forward", get the implementation going so you can figure out what has gone wrong.
To me, that is what makes a low-cost initial tool something important to consider. You can readily pilot the option in a low-risk manner. But there is always the element of opportunity cost, time spent on the pilot, etc.
Posted via email from Christopher's posterous
