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01.15.09 Small Businesses Want Straightforward CRM  By Jim Berkowitz Here's an article by Greg McNevin, worthy of some commentary, SMBs Want Simple, Accessible CRM: According to US customer relationship management (CRM) software provider LogicBright, small business CRM users primarily stick to the basics when using CRM products, leaving many of the features being built into modern solutions superfluous. The company says that with CRM software packages springing up all over the place, the marketplace is getting increasingly complex, and doing so unnecessarily according to its research data. While it doesn't give numbers of demographics, LogicBright says that it has surveyed users on what they want in a CRM package, and found that 81 percent want to use their CRM as a straightforward contact manager that is accessible by all employees. Extra features such as mobile phone support, or an offline versions of the software are not needed according to the survey, with users preferring a basic system everyone in the business can access simultaneously to share company and contact information. "It is no secret that in a troubled economy companies are looking to reduce their expenditures," says Steve Schmidt, president of LogicBright. "It all comes back to keeping it simple and giving [..] customers what they ask for."
This is the kind of rhetoric that starts to proliferate when times get rough and budgets are tight. I do believe that as the CRM market has matured, more and more functionality has found its way into some of the leading CRM packages. However, the question that each individual SMB needs to answer is, is this functionality needed or is it just adding unnecessary complexity? That answer to that question my friends is maybe, or maybe not. The notion that ALL SMBs are, or should be, looking for simplicity is foolish. CRM is NOT just about technology, it's about improving an organization's ability to get, keep and grow customers. So, before any organization spends its precious time and money looking at CRM software alternatives, it must critique its current situation and identify the specific areas where improvements need to be made. Technology should be viewed as a facilitator for making these improvements. So, when looking at technology alternatives it's imperative that one evaluate the ability of each product to help. That's where a given product's functions and features become relevant. If a simple, easy to use CRM product doesn't have the features that are needed to make desired process improvements, then it won't be of much use. If it does have what's needed, then great! Comments About the Author: Jim Berkowitz is a seasoned executive with more than 30 years of professional services and project management experience related to Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Financial Management (Accounting & ERP) software solutions for small, mid- sized and Fortune 500 companies. As a Sales Force Automation and CRM Consultant, Jim has assisted more then 100 companies with the design and implementation of custom CRM solutions. Mr. Berkowitz is the founder and President of CRM Mastery, Inc.; a company dedicated to serving small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) by offering affordable tools and guidance to help them plan for and succeed with their CRM initiatives. |
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