You may have heard the old story that no one goes to a hardware store to buy a drill, they buy a drill because they need a hole.  The same can be said about CRM systems.  If your requirement is to simply manage contacts, then select a contact management system and don’t worry about all the other bells and whistles you may be excited about.  On the other hand if you are trying to build your brand, generate more leads or manage the sales process you may need a more robust CRM system.

CRM systems are also available in-house or on premise, hosted by a third party vendor or as cloud based CRM systems that are deployed over the internet.  You need to once again consider your business requirements when selecting how you would like your CRM system deployed. If you staff is all on-premise, an in-house CRM system makes good sense. But if your sales and support organization operates remotely or from a home office, a web based CRM system would be a better choice.  Also look for a vendor that will spend time with you and help you to determine the applications or functionality you need and the best deployment option for you.  Those that won’t assist you before the sale will certainly not help you after the sale.

[Image "3D Character and Question Mark" by o5com on Flickr under Creative Commons license]

The problem lies in the fact that most businesses view CRM software as some sort of turn-key “out of the box solution” like an appliance that you plug-in the wall.  It’s not.  CRM is complicated and requires proper training and customization to address unique business requirements.  Part of the problem also comes from a failed CRM selection process whereby management has not taken the time to outline their business requirements.  As a result, they often select a solution based on popularity and price only to find out later that they made the wrong decision.

Small to mid-size businesses looking for help with the CRM selection process will find substantial value in the attached white paper, available from the link below.

Don’t Make a CRM Buying Mistake – 7 Points to Consider

Image “We Deliver” owned by Chris (cc)

The term hosting can be confusing to the consumer.  Some companies refer to their CRM offering as hosted CRM, on-line CRM, web based CRM or cloud based CRM and there is a significant difference between simply hosting data and storing it in the cloud.  Regardless of the difference, what is most important here is to understand that the proper storage, management and protection of your data doesn’t come cheap.  Tier 1 companies tend to offer high quality services in this area and as a result cost more than the lower priced ones that do not.  So if you think one CRM vendor is a bargain over the others, you may want to ask about their hosting service. You may find this to be a significant reason for the difference in cost.

Tier 1 – Enterprise Level CRM Providers

While targeted primarily at the Fortune 1000 companies, CRM software providers in this category traditionally have a few things in common.

• They offer comprehensive functionality covering all aspects of front office business operations for account management, sales, leads, marketing and customer service
• They have a highly scalable platforms that support several thousand users
• They support multiple languages and multi-currency
• They offer application programming interfaces or API’s that enable disparate system integration
• They offer best in class hosting or cloud computing services
• They offer a High level of customizability and good customer support
• There are many third party packages that may be integrated with these CRM programs.

Companies in this category include Oracle, SAP, Microsoft and Salesforce.com

Tier 2 – Mid-Market CRM Providers

Mid-market CRM providers offer  good functionality that often rivals that of enterprise level systems, but typically do not support multi-language or muti-currency although some do.  The top rated Tier 2 providers offer the following:

• Good functionality with strong focus on account and contact management, e-mail integration, sales and lead management .  Some offer customer support or help desk and project management as well.
• Robust scalable platforms that support hundreds of users vs. thousands like enterprise level programs. Very good customer support
• May support multi-currencies, but typically not multiple languages
• Several offer the best in class hosting or cloud computing services, same as the enterprise players
• Fairly customizable with minimal programmer intervention in most solutions
• Some third party package integrations are available

The most popular companies in this category include:  Commence CRM, Microsoft CRM, Sage – (mostly in Europe), Salesforce.com and Sugar CRM

Tier 3 – Small Business CRM Providers

If basic contact management, e-mail and a sales forecast is all you require, there are several good inexpensive small business CRM solutions to choose from.  Don’t expect however to get advanced  level functionality such as security permissions, robust reporting, or automated workflow. Customization is often limited to adding a few custom fields if at all. Most small business CRM solutions offer:

• Weak functionality as compared to mid-tier CRM offerings
• Non scalable platforms that will not perform well with large data sets or larger number of users
• Customer support limited primarily to e-mail
• Rare support for multi-currencies or multiple languages
• Second or third tier hosting or cloud based services
• Minimal customization if any

Companies targeting this sector include: Zoho, Highrise & Avidian.

Buyer’s remorse is the result of executives being part of one of two camps which I call Camp “A” and Camp “B”.

Mistake #1 – Camp  “A” Executives believe the following:

All CRM systems are alike.   So let’s simply select the least costly one.

What management is really saying here is that a CRM solution is just not that important to the business or they just don’t have time for a lengthy evaluation.   There may be no specific business challenge that they are trying to address, but the staff says they need a CRM solution so they are willing to approve one as long as it’s inexpensive and does not tie the company to a long term contract.  Companies that take this path traditionally have very low utilization rates and often discontinue their utilization of the system within a few months.

Executives that are in  Camp “A”  often  discover that they have  gotten exactly what they paid for; a solution with limited functionality, poor customer service and perhaps even uncertainty with regard to where their data is being hosted or how they can  get it in case of an emergency.

Mistake #2 – Camp “B” Executives believe the following:

All CRM systems are alike.  So let’s just pick the most popular one.

What management is saying here is that all CRM solutions are pretty much the same so let’s not waste too much time evaluating systems that we have no interest in. Let’s pick the two most popular ones, the ones with all the “BUZZ” and marketing hype.  I call this the me-too decision. Camp “B” executives make the common mistake of assuming that if everyone else is talking about a specific solution then it must be good and the best one for our business.

The fact is that all CRM solutions are not all alike, but you need to know where to look to uncover the differences.  Most people spend too much time evaluating features, functions and price which is fine, but there’s a lot more to know before selecting the right solution.

Let me offer two examples.  Today’s most popular CRM solutions are hosted or cloud based. Do you know the difference?  Well they are quite significant, yet most vendors utilize the terms interchangeably and get away with it because the consumer just doesn’t know the difference and doesn’t know what to ask.

What about a product’s architecture?  Do any of you remember the popular CRM system called Entellium?  This low cost offering was very popular a few years ago until customers discovered that the system was not designed for scalability.  Generating reports for example, took so long that the vendor instructed customers to only run them at night.  Entellium eventually closed their doors and many customers lost all their data – Ooops!

So what can you do to ensure you don’t get buyers remorse?  First, don’t be a Camp “A” or Camp “B” executive.  CRM software is not a toy.  You will need to invest the appropriate time to identify your business challenges then assess which products can functionally address those challenges. Once this is complete, you are ready to ask the tough questions and narrow down your final selection.  I have written a white paper which I believe will help you with this process and ensure that you don’t get “buyers remorse”.

The attached link will take you to my white paper:

Don’t Make a CRM Buying Mistake – 7 Points to Consider
http://www.commence.com/downloads/7pointstoconsiderLC2.pdf

About the Author: Larry Caretsky, is the president of Commence Corporation, a leading provider of web based CRM software for mid size companies and small enterprises.  Caretsky is the author of several white papers on the subject of CRM software.  They are accessible via the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

One Central Database of All Customer Information

First is data consolidation. This enables you to capture, track, manage and share vital customer information with the people and departments that require it to efficiently do their jobs.  Previously known as contact management, this functionality is traditionally found in even the most basic CRM systems and is fine for those companies simply looking to get away from managing their business using an Excel spreadsheet.  But what if you need more?

Drive More Business and Close More deals

The next core functionality requirement most businesses have is how to get the telephone to ring more. Most businesses need more leads and may not have a structured sales process in place to ensure that both new leads and the sales cycle are properly managed to closure.  While lower cost CRM systems offer some basic sales management and reporting, you need to consider a mid-market offering that offers the work flow processes for creating marketing campaigns that generate new leads, qualifying or scoring the leads and automating the entire sales process.

Improve Your Customer’s Buying Experience

Lastly, providing world class customer service may be the difference between earning new and recurring business and losing to your competition.  More robust CRM systems offer a customer support application that provides service representatives with access to a complete customer profile. This enables them to react immediately to customer inquiries or complaints. Higher end CRM systems may also include a customer portal that allows the customer to check the status of their order or service ticket or edit their profile right within the CRM system.  This new self-service component provides customers with a better buying experience and gives your business a leg up on the competition.

Choosing a CRM Vendor

So now that you are thinking about your specific business challenges it’s time to start short listing some CRM vendors.  Most CRM companies target a specific market based on the functionality they offer.  The most basic low cost contact management solutions tend to sell to small office or small home businesses, while mid-market CRM providers focus on companies that have greater business requirements.  Enterprise CRM solutions offer scalable platforms that can support hundreds and even thousands of employees and as such tend to focus on this market segment.  So the question you need to ask is where do you fit?

Next, I would take a look at the CRM vendor’s track record. How long have they been in business? How many customers do they have that are similar to your business and what level of customer support do they provide?

While there are dozens of CRM software providers in the industry, one of the most popular CRM systems that appeals to mid-size and small enterprises is Commence CRM.  Commence has been providing CRM software solutions to this segment for more than twenty years and has been rated one of the best CRM software programs based on its robust functionality and attractive price points. Commence CRM is a web based CRM solution that provides online real time access to data from anywhere in the world.  What is also appealing about Commence CRM is that it may be deployed as a cloud based CRM program or implemented on premise.  Commence is ideal for mid-size companies that need a robust online CRM solution at an affordable price point.  For more information about Commence CRM software, visit the company’s web site at Commence.com.

TINTON FALLS, N.J. /

Commence has addressed both concerns which should bode well for the company’s continued success in the CRM sector.  Commence has been offering site licensing options to their customers for some time.  Even smaller companies with less than twenty users can purchase a block of licenses that allows them to add up to twenty users at no additional cost and the blocks are discounted from the standard pricing.  This has made Commence CRM an appealing choice for smaller organizations.

In order to better serve the interest of larger organizations, Commence has also announced the ability to deploy their online CRM software on premise.  This new deployment option will also offer site licensing plans to ensure that the customer’s cost does not get out of control if they require additional users.  The deployment of CRM software on premise is also not available from competitors like Salesforce.com.

For the past twenty years Commence Corporation has continued to pay close attention to our customers’ requirements.  The site licensing program coupled with an on premise deployment model for larger organizations is a clear indication that the company is working hard to earn their business. For more information about Commence Corporation’s cloud based online CRM software visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

About Commence Corporation:

Commence develops and delivers a diverse suite of award winning CRM software that integrates people, processes and technology.  Available on premise or online as a hosted service, Commence CRM solutions are utilized by several thousand businesses to streamline sales, marketing, customer service and front office business processes.

Media Contact:

Nicole Reed
marketing@commence.com

The techniques for marketing and building brand awareness have changed radically in the past decade and the Internet has become one of the most powerful vehicles for introducing new products and services.  The problem with the Internet is that it is becoming more and more like television where people seem to believe that anything they see or read about is true.  Most people are aware of how Internet search engines work:  The companies that are listed in the top three positions have simply paid more than the others, but the consumer does not seem to care. They assume that if you are listed in the top position then you must be the best at what you do.

Customer Relationship Management software is a good example of this. Companies like Microsoft and Salesforce.com are willing to out-bid everyone to hold the top positions, but does this mean they are the best solutions for your business?  What’s interesting about the CRM software sector is that industry experts have indicated that as many as 70% of all CRM systems fail to get implemented or fully utilized.   If this is true, does this mean that the top rated CRM or leading CRM providers have a 70% failure rate?  I can’t say, but it does make one question whether selecting a CRM solution that is top rated on the Google search engine means you have selected the best CRM solution for your business, doesn’t it?

The Formula for CRM Success

The good news for the consumer is that there are a number of very good CRM software programs available from companies that are not listed in the top three search engine positions. One of these companies is Commence Corporation. Commence has been providing CRM software solutions to mid size companies and small enterprises for more than two decades. While the company is not listed in the top three spots, Commence offers perhaps a more compelling statistic: positive customer testimonials and one of the highest success rates for implementation and use of their CRM software.

One of the reasons for this success is that Commence doesn’t just sell CRM software. The company combines the CRM software with a proven implementation plan and a set of CRM “best practices” for sales execution and sales optimization. The implementation plan outlines the company’s responsibilities and those of the customer along with a timeline to ensure the project remains on track.  These CRM best practices have been designed by a team of highly trained sales professionals that help companies create and implement a proven sales methodology resulting in better sales execution while ensuring timely and accurate reporting.

Over the past two decades, Commence Corporation has established a proven track record for helping companies to become a more efficient sales and service organization.  Many of these companies have remained customers for as long as the company has been in business.  This certainly illustrates that the Commence CRM software complemented by its CRM best practices have provided a winning formula for its customers.  Unfortunately, you won’t find this listed on the Google search engine.

Learn more about the Commence CRM product and best practices at www.commence.com or consult with our CRM experts at 1-877- 266-6362.

TINTON FALLS, N.J. /PRBuzz/ March 10, 2011

“We are essentially asking customers to take the Pepsi challenge” says Larry Caretsky, president of Commence. “A few years ago Salesforce CRM was the only game in town” says Caretsky, ” but not any more. The gap has closed and they don’t offer anything more than we do at much higher price points.  The objective of this program is to simply introduce Commence to potential customers, and let them decide which product is better for their business.  If they can demonstrate that our solution is not comparable based on the key CRM features most businesses use at a lower cost we will offer them the opportunity to use our solution for free for the first six months, then decide if they wish to continue with it or not”.

Customers that have reviewed the key features of both products have found Salesforce.com to be cumbersome and complex, while Commence CRM is easier to use and navigate and also less costly.

Another advantage for larger customers is that there is no on-premise offering available from Salesforce.com. Commence CRM can be hosted via the cloud or implemented on-premise as a CRM server appliance.  This is extremely attractive to large customers that want to control their CRM system and keep their data in house. While Commence may not be as well known as Salesforce.com, the company is no stranger to the CRM space. Commence has been providing CRM software solutions to mid-size and small enterprises for two decades and has several thousand customers around the world.  To learn more about Commence CRM, visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com or call Commence sales at 1-877- 266-6362.

About Commence Corporation:

Founded in 1988, Commence develops and delivers a diverse suite of award winning CRM software that integrates people, processes and technology.  Available on-premise or online, Commence CRM solutions are utilized by several thousand businesses to streamline sales and customer service front office business processes.  As a result, Commence clients increase workforce productivity, generate positive customer interactions and reduce operational cost.

Media Contact:

Nicole Reed
marketing@commence.com

As a software reviewer I have spent more than a decade looking at business solutions for the enterprise and mid-market space. While all the hype and fanfare traditionally surround the mainstream players, every so often I come across a smaller, less-known company whose products do an even better job than the big players of meeting the functional and financial requirements of the customers they serve. In Human Resource software an unknown company like NuView Systems of Wilmington, MA will go head-to-head with giant PeopleSoft or Oracle, for example, and sometimes win. In payroll, unknowns like OPEN4 of Addison, TX or Genesys Software of Methuen, MA win accounts from known giants like ADP and Ceridian.

I have recently found the same unexpected power and value to be available from lesser-known providers in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) space. While we industry analysts and gurus tend to pay homage to the big guns like Siebel and Microsoft, smaller companies like Commence Corporation of Tinton Falls, NJ that may not appear on our analyst radar screen are quietly meeting customer needs in the CRM sector.

Commence has been supporting the business requirements of small to mid-size companies for more than a decade and has an impressive track record for delivering quality products and services. Positioned squarely between low-end contact managers and costly, overly complex higher-end solutions, Commence CRM strikes a nice balance among functionality, ease of use, and low cost of ownership.

Full Range of CRM Applications

The company offers a full suite of applications from contact management and sales automation to marketing campaign management and customer support (or help desk). In a nice marketing stroke, the applications are modular in design yet fully integrated, so you can purchase just what you need. I found the product’s functionality to rival that of many higher-end solutions costing thousands of dollars more.

Commence Corporation’s long history as a provider of database management tools is apparent when looking at the underlying architecture of the product, which is easy to customize without programmer intervention. End users can even personalize their individual desktops to the way they work. The well-designed, flexible interface makes the system intuitive and user friendly. The architecture also does an excellent job of supporting the client not connected to the server. Commence offers a utility called “Sync Link,” which enables an authorized end user to copy database information to a laptop or hand held device for remote use. The user can update the remote device with FTP synchronization, e-mail, or VPN.

The Contact Management component of Commence is quite robust and similar in design to offerings from mainstream CRM companies, meaning it’s account centric as opposed to contact centric as in less powerful systems. A feature, called connection controls, allows you to link one-to-many or many-to-many relationships. With connection controls, for example, you can manage and track multiple companies or multiple partners that may be involved in an opportunity or a project. This linking is a powerful differentiator and one I have not seen in other CRM products.

The Sales automation system supports lead management, opportunity or pipeline management, telesales/telemarketing, forecasting, and reporting; and it meets the functional checklist of traditional mid-market sales force automation systems. One of the product’s strengths is the ability to deploy automated business processes. Sales people, for instance, can ask the system to identify any potential opportunity that has not had any activity linked to it for a period of time, such as a telephone call, direct mail piece, or on-site meeting. They can then direct the automated business process to automatically perform a function such as send a fax, letter, or press release based on “what if” scenarios. Commence also enables the company to incorporate a standard sales methodology for managing pipeline activity or create its own if one is already established.

Addressing Special Needs of Small to Mid-size Business

The Marketing application does a good job of supporting campaign management. Customers can plan a campaign, establish a budget, assign tasks, estimate results, and track responses. They can incorporate mailing lists within the product, making it easy to update the lists and also track marketing cost and activity by prospect. The marketing application is fully integrated with the sales system, enabling the automatic transfer of leads from marketing to the appropriate sales representative or sales team.

The Support or Help Desk module very capably manages service tickets, contracts, and problem resolution. The system tracks call duration and can quickly associate contracts and service levels with products purchased. I like the mail merge feature that enables a support representative to notify and provide a documented resolution via e-mail to customers. The application also incorporates a comprehensive knowledgebase feature that allows the support rep to attach an article to a service ticket for easy and fast problem resolution. (The product does not, however, enable customers to access this knowledgebase without purchasing an add-on component.)

Commence has a robust report writer built into the product, and each application comes with a large number of pre-built reports. The company states that the custom report writer reduces the cost and reliance on third-party reporting products such as Crystal Reports. While the product does free the user from such reliance on outside vendors, the lack of analytical reporting that evaluates customer buying trends and patterns as provided in higher end systems is a weakness in Commence. (The company indicates that such reporting is planned for its next release.)

Commence also supports desktop integration with seamless links to desktop applications like MS Word and MS Outlook.

During the past twelve months we industry analysts have begun to take an increased interest in small to mid-size business (SMB). Reports indicate that the SMB space is underserved and that the requirements of smaller businesses are significantly different from enterprise companies. We have been asserting that ease of implementation and use, along with a low cost of ownership, are the driving factors for the purchase of CRM systems among the small to mid-size business community.

Companies like Siebel and others have made attempts to scale down their solutions and costs to better serve these requirements but have failed to achieve their goal, and, while web based solutions seem to be growing in popularity, client server-based systems like Commence CRM are delivering on the promise for functionality, ease of use, and value for small to midsized companies.

Bigger, then, does not always mean better. Nor is fame any guarantee of quality, though in the world of software it generally is the basis for higher pricing. For companies looking for a comprehensive, easy-to-use solution at an attractive price point, this is one CRM solution worth further investigation.

About the Author: Jim Meade, Ph.D., is author of The Human Resources Software Handbook: Evaluating Technology Solutions for Your Organization, published with John Wiley Publishing He has a 20 year history in the software industry, has reviewed more than 100 software packages for magazines such as Human Resource Magazine, and is author of 24 books on computers, including several in the bestselling Dummies series.

Customers Offered Big Discounts on Top Rated CRM Software

TINTON FALLS, N.J. (March 01, 2011) – Commence Corporation, a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management software (CRM), is offering new customers big discounts on their world class online CRM software during the month of March.  “March is the company’s fiscal year end and we are looking to sign up as many new customers as possible” says Larry Caretsky, president of Commence Corporation.  “In order to achieve this we are offering substantial incentives to earn their business. We appreciate that customers have a lot of options to choose from, but Commence is a top rated CRM solution from a company with a twenty-three year track record of performance.  The incentives we are offering should make the selection of Commence an easy decision over competitive offerings.”

“We are taking a page out of the college basketball March Madness program says Tom Gibson, a senior account manager with Commence.  In week one, the first (64) companies to sign up will get the first incentive, in week two, (32) companies will receive a different offer, in week three, (16) and so on until the final week.  Each week the offers will be posted on the company’s web site in the CRM pricing section.  This is an exciting program that will provide exceptional value to new customers continued Gibson.  I am confident a large number of them will take advantage of it.  It’s a “win-win”; great for the customers and good for Commence Corporation”.

About Commence Corporation:

Founded in 1988, Commence develops and delivers a diverse suite of award winning CRM software that integrates people, processes and technology.  Commence CRM is used by several thousand businesses to streamline the front office business processes that directly impact sales execution and customer service.  As a result, Commence clients increase workforce productivity, generate positive customer interactions and reduce operational cost.  For additional information visit www.commence.com or call 1-877- 266-6362.

Media Contact:

Nicole Reed
info@commence.com

As a leading CRM software provider I can appreciate the competitive nature of the industry and how hungry for business all CRM vendors are.  But I continue to see something on many of the CRM vendor’s sites that I find disturbing, and that is the “Buy Now” button.  The reason I feel this way and you should too, is because CRM software is not a toy or an electronic gadget that you buy over the Internet with a credit card, and if you think it is, you’re dead wrong.

CRM is a business strategy and a commitment to streamlining the internal business processes that impact how you market, sell and provide service to your customers.  CRM software programs that address these key business requirements need to be carefully reviewed and will require you to engage the vendor before, during and after the sale in order to maximize the value you will realize from their CRM solution.  High quality CRM solution providers like Commence Corporation complement their CRM software with a set of best practices for sales management and sales execution.  This provides value added services to the customer while differentiating Commence from other CRM solution providers.

CRM vendors whose business model relies on the “Buy Now” button have made it perfectly clear that they either have no interest in understanding your business requirements or perhaps do not have the resources to engage you in direct conversation.  Either way this is not the type of CRM vendor I would recommend doing business with and may be the main reason so many businesses that have gone this route are not satisfied with the CRM solution they selected.

I do appreciate that the majority of these CRM solution providers offer a very low cost  product and because of this they simply cannot afford to offer any type of service that requires human intervention.  But let me ask you this:  Who wins here? you or the vendor?  The “Buy Now” button only works for companies that are buying a CRM solution based solely on price.  These companies traditionally have not done an appropriate job of documenting their requirements and as such they don’t fully understand what the CRM system will provide for them.  As a result, they believe all CRM systems are alike and therefore use price as their main selection criteria.

Here is my point.  If you are serious about addressing specific business requirements and improving the operations of your business you’ll need to take the time to properly document your business requirements and challenge the vendors you are interested in to demonstrate their ability to meet those requirements.  Top rated CRM solution providers like Commence CRM will gladly accept this challenge and provide the advice and counsel to help you make an informed decision.   Many other CRM vendors will suggest you click the “Buy Now” button.

About the author: Larry Caretsky is president of Commence Corporation and the author of several white papers on the subject of CRM, including 7 Points to Consider Before Selecting your CRM system, Getting Back to Basics and Best Practices for Sales Execution and Management.  These papers are available on the Commence web site at www.commence.com.

“Web based hosted solutions have addressed the difficulties associated with deploying traditional client/server based CRM systems, but utilization rates remain low and customer renewals have been problematic. This is a direct result of a business model that does not include the services required to ensure customers are successful with the solution. Areas such as change management, sales coaching and the use of CRM best practices are required to ensure a measurable return on investment.  Customers are beginning to realize that CRM is a strategy, not merely a software application, and in order to be successful they will require the expertise of the CRM provider.   Commence is bundling in these services with our new web based solution in the same way we have done for twenty years with our traditional client server offering.  The result is happier customers and much higher renewal rates than competitive CRM offerings.  We have one of the highest renewal rates of any CRM company in the industry”, says Caretsky, “and it’s because of these value added services. That is what makes Commence different”.

Commence is considered a Top 10 CRM offering for the middle market and a high quality, lower cost alternative to Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Salesforce CRM.  For more information about Commence CRM and the company’s CRM best practices, visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

Commence Corporation is one of these companies.  Commence has a rich history and has been providing on-premise CRM software to small enterprises and mid-size companies for more than two decades. In fact, Commence was the original developer of IBM Current, a desktop contact manager, and SuperSELL, IBM’s sales force automation offering. As such, Commence is no stranger to the CRM sector.  A few years ago the company expanded its product line by migrating its award winning desktop CRM software to the cloud.  Commence is one of the only companies that offers its customers the “freedom of choice” to deploy the software via the cloud or on premise.

Why Commence Makes Sense

One of the key CRM selection criteria that are driving customers to Commence CRM is that the company does not force you into a “pre-defined” box. Salesforce.com forces customers like you to select a specific product edition that locks you into a set of pre-defined features or limits the number of users you may have based on the price you paid. In fact, Commence does not have any restrictions of any kind.  The product is modular in design which means you can select the functionality you require today and add additional modules or users at any time without incurring a substantial price increase, just because you switched to a different “pre-defined” box or edition, or added additional people.

If you took a survey of companies that have selected CRM software, you will discover that many of them fell into the feature trap, where they ended up paying for more functionality than they end up using. This is because the vendor has forced them into buying a product edition with pre-set functionality as mentioned above.  This just doesn’t make sense.  To make matters worse, the majority of these companies are utilizing functionality that is standard in most quality CRM solutions like Commence, such as account and contact management, activity management, sales management, lead management, and Outlook and email integration.  Add those that also use it for marketing campaigns or mobile access and you have covered the lion share of the market.  Commence offers all of the above along with a help desk or customer support module, a document library, a project management application and integration with accounting systems like QuickBooks.

The point is this:  Trusted CRM providers like Commence have leveled the playing field and can provide similar functionality to products like Salesforce.com at a fraction of the cost.  If you’re an organization that requires a lot of users, the cost savings with Commence can be substantial.  If you are considering a CRM solution, take a few moments to evaluate Commence CRM. To learn more about Commence visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com or ask for a free CRM trial and experience Commence CRM for yourself.

Why are so many people disappointed with their CRM system?  Nigel Park, Managing Director of TPS Consulting believes he has the answer.  “Customers are simply not experts in selecting CRM software.  I often find that they have not properly documented their critical requirements list.  As a result, these firms have tendency to shop solely on price because they perceive that all CRM offerings are the same. They find out later that there are limitations they were unaware of.  Another reason customers may be hesitant about making a decision is because the vendor’s free trial offering does not enable the customer to truly ensure that the software meets their requirements.  The free trials often consists of a vanilla out of the box program that is not tailored for the customer’s business so while free, they have limited value.  Unique work flow capabilities may not be incorporated in the trial versions and other key components such as e-mail integration that traditionally involve some assistance from the vendor cannot be properly tested.  And because it’s just a trial, customers are unable to take advantage of the vendor’s expertise in helping them to realize the maximum value from their software.  I don’t blame the vendors says Park, because they cannot afford to address questions, tailor the software, integrate e-mail, and provide support services for a free trial, but if I am a customer I want to ensure that the software will work as advertised,”  he concluded.

Commence Corporation has introduced a unique solution to this problem by offering customers a 90 day pilot program that includes the company’s award winning CRM software coupled with a set of best practices that ensure that the customer attains immediate value from the solution.  “We appreciate that customers may be apprehensive about making a CRM decision and may not fully understand the value they can realize from our software, said Larry Caretsky, president of Commence Corporation.  We want to mitigate the risk for them by providing them with an opportunity to utilize our software and provide the professional expertise to solve their business requirements.  Our professional services staff will implement the software, assist the customer with the customization they require, integrate their e-mail, Outlook, calendar, mobile devices, and even provide training.”

View the full press release.

There are quite a few Basic small business CRM applications, or what I like to refer to as productivity tools. There are Mid-market CRM solutions and Enterprise level CRM systems.  Vendors traditionally offer their CRM solutions as either web based under the Software as a Service (SaaS) model where you pay a monthly fee, or on premise.  A few now offer both deployment models.

Basic CRM software

These programs were at one time called contact managers and are generally designed to be productivity tools.  They provide the ability to manage your contacts and accounts, your calendar, e-mail, notes, history and even create a sales forecast. In addition, they also traditionally include a mail merge feature that allows you to quickly produce letters and merge the name and address fields.  Many also enable integration with popular mobile devices like the BlackBerry, iPhone and the new Droid via a synchronization program that resides on your PC.

Designed primarily for the small office, home office market (SOHO) these are affordable and worthwhile companions for businesses with limited requirements.  The downside to these applications is that they are traditionally sold as out of the box or ready to use crm solutions that are not scalable and are limited with regard to customization.

Mid-market CRM software

Mid-market CRM software takes contact management to the next level and has a strong focus on automating the sales process. They offer a robust set of functionality for lead qualification, lead management, opportunity management, pipeline management, sales activity management and sales forecasting.  Sales reporting is also very good, with both text based reports and analytics on sales activity and sales performance.  Many now also offer marketing management applications that enable marketing professionals to create pre-scheduled direct mail and e-mail marketing campaigns targeted at a specific group of companies or people.  The sales and marketing functionality is fully integrated with the contact management software allowing you to capture, track, manage and share vital customer and prospect information with the people and departments that require it to efficiently do their jobs.  The strength of mid-market CRM systems is their ability to fully integrate information from multiple departments therefore providing all authorized employees with a 360 degree profile of customer and prospect information.  Some mid-market programs also include a help desk or customer service tickets application.  Adding service history to the customer contact and sales data can play a vital role in improving sales execution and customer service.

The mid-market CRM software space is highly competitive. What separates many of the products from each other is their ability to integrate with disparate systems such as accounting and ERP systems, the ability to customize the applications, mobile support and the experience level of the vendor’s implementation and service staff.  Unlike basic low cost CRM software packages, many of these products are quite comprehensive and require a commitment from sales management and the proper training in order to realize the value they can bring to your business.

Enterprise CRM software

Enterprise CRM systems cover much of the functionality mentioned above, but are designed to support large numbers of users. The programs are quite comprehensive and offer a deeper level of sales, marketing and customer service functionality.   They may offer multiple sales processes for example, one for customers and one for prospects, security permissions down to the field level and the ability to manage high transaction levels.  Project management functionality is often found in enterprise level systems along with integration to social networking sites.  These systems are also highly customizable and offer (APIs) Application Programming Interfaces that enable the integration of a large array of disparate systems. Enterprise CRM software also traditionally supports multiple languages and multiple currencies making them ideal for large companies that operate globally.

If you are a large Fortune 1000 company with requirements for multi-language and multi-currency support your choice will become very clear as there are a limited number of quality vendors to choose from.  If you’re a small to mid-size company the choices are so numerous that it’s difficult to differentiate one from another.   You may want to review my free report, Don’t Make a CRM Buying Mistake, 7 points to Consider Before Selecting Your CRM Solution.

About the author: Larry Caretsky is the President and CEO of Commence Corporation, a leading provider of web based and on premise CRM software for small to mid-size businesses. Caretsky is considered an expert in the subject of CRM and has written several white papers on the subject. They may be accessed via the company’s web site at www.commence.com. Commence supports several thousand customers in more than 22 countries around the world and has outlets in North and South America, Europe and Asia.

I think people have grown tired of the term CRM and often look at CRM software packages as nothing more than a commodity.  Perhaps this is why price has become such an important decision criteria.  Heck, if they are all the same, why not buy the least expensive offering.  This makes perfect sense.  But making decisions based solely on price is significantly impacting the CRM sector.

Industry analysts continue to document that more than 70% of CRM systems fail to get properly implemented or utilized.  This concern was once blamed on systems that were simply too hard to implement and too hard to use. The Internet and the introduction of web based CRM software was supposed to change all of that, but it hasn’t.  The rate of failed implementations continues to be one of the highest in the software industry.  So why does this continue to be such a problem with CRM software?  Let’s dig a little deeper and find out why.

Customer Relationship Management software is designed to help you organize customer data, build brand recognition, impact sales execution and improve the customers’ buying experience, but CRM software is not a toy or something you purchase over the Internet with your credit card.  Yet many small to mid-size companies believe it is and accept the promise of more leads, increased sales and improved customer service for just a few dollars a month.  There is no implementation fee because the program is web based and no need for training because the product is so easy to use.  And don’t worry about your data we even manage and maintain it for the same low price.

The whole story can be quite convincing, but it’s just not true and has led to frustration and failed expectations.

The successful implementation and utilization of CRM software requires a level of expertise that small to mid-size businesses often do not have.  Those that recognize this engage the services of the CRM vendor or an experienced third party for assistance and the results are encouraging. But not all CRM providers offer this level of service.  The low cost providers do not have experienced sales, marketing or customer service people on their staff to assist you with the implementation or the proper utilization of their software. Customer service consists of nothing more than sending in an e-mail with your inquiry and hoping for a quality and timely response.  Is this the partnership you’re looking for?  This however is exactly what separates a quality CRM provider from the others and may very well determine the level of success or failure your business will realize with Customer Relationship Management software.

So when I say is price killing the CRM industry, this is what I mean.  The CRM sector is one of the most competitive in the software industry with hundreds of offerings and vendors that will do anything to earn your business, but it an industry chock full of promises and short on deliverables. While I stated earlier that more than 70% percent of CRM solutions fail to get properly implemented or utilized, industry reports also point out that more than 20% of companies that selected CRM software did not renew their annual contract.  I suspect this is because they failed to realize a return on their investment.

Don’t fall into the trap of selecting a CRM solution based solely on price. If you fully expect to improve how you market, sell and provide service to your customers you need to invest in a quality solution and a quality business partner.  If you don’t, chances are you’ll become part of the statistic for failed implementations.  For more information about selecting the right CRM solution see my white paper, “Don’t Make a CRM Buying Mistake”  at www.commence.com.

About the author: Larry Caretsky is the president of Commence Corporation, a leading provider of CRM software for small and mid-size businesses. Caretsky is considered an expert in Customer Relationship Management and has written numerous white papers on the subject. They may be accessed via the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

Better known for its on premise desktop CRM software, Commence Corporation has been providing contact management, sales force automation and marketing campaign management solutions to small and mid-size companies for more than two decades.  The company introduced a web-based hosted version of their popular CRM software and is gaining notoriety.   With an outstanding track record for performance, reliability and world-class customer service Commence is a strong competitor and becoming a favorite among smaller businesses looking for a flexible hosted CRM solution with productivity tools that are easy to use.

“Commence web CRM has an impressive and unique user interface that makes the product very easy to use and navigate” says Gary Sanders of OK! Magazine.  “The product’s Home Page or Dashboard is completely customizable by individual or job function.  This allows each user to create a dashboard to the way they work.  The value here is that you can place the functions you use most right on the home page, such as today’s calendar and activities, e-mail, sales opportunities, leads, reminders and even an interactive sales funnel.  We hadn’t seen this in any other CRM solution.  This flexibility enables people to conduct 90% of their daily activities without ever leaving the Home Page and has really improved productivity.” 

Commence Home Page

Karen Deneau, Director of Marketing with Center for Film Studies, needed CRM software that her staff would feel comfortable with.   “When selecting a CRM solution, you worry about utilization, but we were confident that our staff would adapt well to Commence CRM and they have.   We also liked that Commence is modular in design, which allowed us to select only the functionality we required. We weren’t forced to purchase a package with a dozen features we would never use.  Commence’s strength clearly lies in its ease of use.  Within two weeks we had marketing campaigns out the door and leads captured from our web site were integrated directly into the Commence CRM system.  The staff at Commence was also extremely helpful in ensuring that we quickly realized value from their solution.”

Key Differentiators

Commence’s modular design provides the flexibility to start with basic CRM functionality such as Account and Contact Management, E-Mail integration and Sales Pipeline Management, then add additional features such as Quoting, Marketing Campaign Management and Project Management when you’re ready.  Integration to disparate systems can be achieved via an Application Programming Interface or API, and Commence CRM supports the majority of popular Mobile devices.

Another key differentiator of Commence CRM is the product’s lead qualification and sales reporting capability. The leads module includes an automated business process that scores leads based on pre-defined criteria, then color codes them based on how well defined they are.  This capability is unique to Commence CRM, and ensures that your sales team is working on the most qualified opportunities and not chasing tire kickers. 

Lead Scoring Screen

Reporting

The reporting engine offers three levels of data analysis.  A set of pre-defined reports for sales management, marketing and customer support can be viewed with a single click and modified just as easily.  A built in report writer allows you to create customer reports against any field in the database, including custom fields.  Lastly, Commence CRM includes a pre-built set of graphical and analytical reports for all sales activity, marketing, lead generation and customer support.

Reports

Commence offers the freedom of choice to deploy CRM software on premise or as a hosted web based solution and offers a level of functionality traditionally only provided by enterprise level solutions. Commence products are distributed around the world in more than 22 countries and 35 different industries.  The company’s track record for providing high quality reliable products and outstanding customer service make it a solid choice for growing businesses.

About the Author:  Jim Smith is the founder and managing partner of YCHANGE INTERNATIONAL,  a management consultancy specializing in helping small to mid-size businesses expand or execute a turnaround strategy.  Jim is a commissioner for the Housing Authority of Portland, Oregon and serves as a member of the newly formed economic cabinet of Portland. Jim is a motivational speaker and trainer and lectures on Customer Relationship Management in the areas of sales, marketing, business and leadership.  He is an avid blogger on www.ychange.com/ychangeblog.

CRM Herrrreeee, Get your CRM…

Some CRM providers are offering their software free, while others offer lengthy trials or money back guarantees.  Some are even offering the ability to get started immediately by simply entering your credit card over the Internet and voila, instant CRM.   Are these low cost, get your instant CRM marketing programs working?  I think so, but for whom?  Most of the vendors are struggling financially and industry statistics continue to indicate that more than 70% of CRM solutions fail to get properly implemented or utilized. This statistic has gone virtually unchanged in the past ten years, even though web-based CRM solutions were supposed to address the difficulties associated with traditional desktop CRM software, which were labeled as too hard to implement and too hard to use.  So what’s the problem?

What’s causing the failure?

I have been engaged in the sale and implementation of CRM software in dozens of small to mid-size companies and I believe there are three components that are responsible for so many failed implementations and poor utilization.

1. The Traditional Selection Process is Flawed
2. Lack of Executive Management Involvement
3. No Sales Leadership -Failure to understand the Core Competency of the Staff

1) The Traditional Selection Process is Flawed

Most companies continue to select software products the same way they did twenty years ago. They gather a small team of people to survey different departments and document what each department requires in their CRM system, and then create their master list of features.  Some highlight the ‘must have’ features from the ‘nice to have’ or optional ones.   Then they research and contact a number of vendors, watch a product demonstration, and place a check mark next to each feature the vendor offers.  At the bottom of the checklist they total the score and “lo and behold”, the vendor with the most points has the best CRM solution for their business.  If there is a tie in the number of points, then the lowest cost provider wins.  Seems simple enough, but this is a flawed process for the following reasons.

2) Lack of Executive Management Involvement

The executive management team knows better than anyone else the challenges they face.  They must take an active role early on in the selection process and properly communicate the core business requirements to their team. On numerous occasions I have experienced situations where the executive management comes to the table very late in the process with a uniquely different prospective on what the business is looking to achieve with the implementation of a CRM system.  This only serves to embarrass if not alienate the selection team who has wasted valuable time and may have narrowed down two or three vendor selections based on completely different criteria.  In several instances management did not get involved in the selection process at all at all except to approve the expenditure.  The process should start top down not bottom up.

3) No Sales Leadership – Failure to Understand the Core Competency of the Staff

Software does not run your business — people do. Management must take into consideration the maturity of their business processes and the core competency of their staff before embarking on the selection and implementation of CRM software.   This is especially important when it comes to the sales organization that traditionally consists of people with various levels of experience.  The successful implementation of a CRM system requires the engagement of the entire management team and the leadership of an experienced sales executive that is committed to the implementation of a structured sales process and the reinforcement of that structure.  This has nothing to do with the actual software selected and everything to do with a commitment to build an internal infrastructure with mature business processes, mature systems and mature people.  I believe this is one of the single most important factors in determining the success or failure of a CRM implementation and its proper utilization.

Before concluding, if you are considering the implementation of a CRM solution for your business I would like to suggest that you think about CRM software in the following way:

• CRM is Not a Toy – you’re not going to address significant business challenges with a free CRM offering or one that you can buy over the Internet for a few dollars a month. Anyone who believes this is just foolish.  If you are truly committed to improving your internal business processes, such as building brand recognition via marketing programs, implementing a proven sales methodology and creating a support structure for delivering world-class customer service, you need to look at your CRM provider as an integral partner in this process and engage them as your partner.   The vendor’s experience and core competency in mastering the use of their solution is perhaps more important then the solution itself and will serve to ensure that you realize the maximum benefit from their offering.

• Software does not run your business, people do.  I mentioned this earlier, but it is worth repeating. The software should be viewed as simply a tool to automate and streamline your internal business processes.  In order for you to realize a high return on your investment you need to have mature business processes in place, and understand the core competency of your staff.   The implementation of a CRM system should result in a significant level of change within your organization, that’s why you are investing in the process.  It’s paramount to ensure that management is committed to making a change and in reinforcing new internal processes and procedures.  If you do not have this level of commitment you may struggle to realize a return on your CRM investment and fail to become a more efficient sales and service organization.

About the author: Larry Caretsky is the CEO of Commence Corporation, a leading provider of CRM software which can be deployed in a web-based, cloud-computing environment or on premise. Caretsky is considered an expert in Customer Relationship Management and has written numerous white papers on the subject, which may be accessed via the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

Here’s an excerpt including the introduction and you can download the full white paper below:

“Customer Relationship Management is one of the fastest growing sectors of the computer software industry.  In order to gain a competitive edge, companies of all sizes are looking for ways to improve how they market, sell and provide service to their customers.  Many are turning their attention to Customer Relationship Management software as a tool that will enable them to effectively manage their customer relationships before, during and after the sale. “

Click to view or download the full CRM Whitepaper