Many small to mid-size businesses continue to manage their business using basic contact management tools and an Excel spreadsheet.  They have become so comfortable with this process that they may have overlooked the value offered today through the use of CRM or customer relationship management software.

Why should these businesses consider CRM?  The answer is clear.  In order to respond quickly to customer inquiries and new sales opportunities, follow-up on leads and get proposals out the door your staff regardless of their position needs immediate access to vital customer information.

The strength of today’s CRM software is that it provides you with a single consolidated database that enables you to capture, track, manage and share information throughout the organization. This allows sales and support personnel to become much more efficient and productive in their jobs.

The second reason is that CRM software programs have become very affordable and easy to use.  Online, or what is commonly now referred to as cloud based CRM systems, require no IT investment and there is no hardware or software to install.  Many of these systems are operational in just a few hours or less, and there are dozens of alternatives that have been specifically designed for small to mid-size businesses.

The link below lists a group of the top cloud based CRM solutions.

http://www.cloudtweaks.com/2011/05/10-cloud-based-crm-services-to-help-manage-your-business