Commence CRM and Sugar CRM

Posted by Commence on May 24, 2011 under CEO Corner | 2 Comments to Read

A Brief Comparison of Two Middle Market CRM Providers

Mid-size businesses and small enterprises looking for a CRM solution typically focus their energy on a few specific CRM software providers.  Two of the companies battling for a slice of this middle market are Commence CRM and Sugar CRM.  Both are considered high quality alternatives to the more expensive and complex Salesforce.com program, but there are several differences between the two.  This brief report highlights some of the differences that consumers may be interested in.

Functionality: Both Commence CRM and Sugar are comprehensive offerings that rival enterprise level solutions such as Oracle and SAP.  In addition to contact and account management, calendaring and activity management, both solutions support sales force automation, lead management, marketing campaign management, customer support, e-mail integration, document management, mobile integration, reporting and analytics.  Integration with third party accounting solutions is also offered by both providers. Both products offer robust functionality and it is unlikely you will require features that are not offered by either CRM vendor.  Commence also offers an integrated project management solution which is attractive for companies that require this functionality.

Advantage:  Commence CRM if project management is required.

Customization: Both CRM solutions are customizable. Sugar CRM was originally released as a free open source CRM program, but is now sold under an annual subscription license.  The product is written using the PHP language which is not highly regarded as an enterprise level language and while the product can be highly customized it does require PHP knowledge for most customizations. Commence CRM is designed using Java, an industry standard for scalability and high speed performance.  Commence has incorporated a lot of flexibility within the user interface which enables the system administrator to tailor the applications without programming knowledge.  More sophisticated customization however would require Java expertise.

Advantage:  Commence CRM due to industry standard Java programming language.

Deployment: Both Commence CRM and Sugar CRM are online web based CRM solutions that may be deployed on premise or via a cloud computing environment.  Both offer a tremendous advantage over Salesforce.com who does not offer on-premise deployment.

Advantage:  Sugar CRM. Commence limits on-premise deployment to larger organizations.

Hosting & Data Security: Commence CRM has a strategic partnership with Rackspace, the industry’s number one rated hosting facility which has datacenters in the United States, Europe and Asia.   Rackspace provides the highest level cloud computing environment in the industry.  Sugar CRM can be hosted by the client or any third party hosting provider.  This may be of concern to customers looking for continuity with regard to new product releases and high quality support services.

Advantage:  Commence CRM. Rackspace is a recognized cloud computing leader.

Customer Support: Sugar CRM offers several customer service plans. They are separately priced from the product’s annual service fees.  Commence bundles in telephone support into the annual service fee.  Support is provided directly from the company’s headquarters in the United States.

Advantage:  Commence CRM. Telephone support included in annual service fees.

Price: Both products are attractively priced as compared to rival Salesforce.com and offer good value.   Sugar offers two editions: Sugar professional at $360 annually per user and Sugar Enterprise for $600 per user per year.  Commence CRM offers a bit more flexibility with regard to the selection of functionality and price, and lets you build your own CRM system by selecting the functionality you require at a price that meets your budget. Prices start at $220 per user annually and go up to $780 annually per user.

Advantage:  Commence CRM, due to flexible applications selection and pricing.

Image Credit: Sugar cubes by Original uploader was Creet at en.wikipedia – originally by Uwe Hermann source Wikimedia license CC Free photos from acobox.com

Don’t Get Burned by the CRM “Buy Now” Button

Posted by Commence on February 15, 2011 under CEO Corner | 4 Comments to Read

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.

Why is Selecting a CRM Solution so Hard?

Posted by Commence on January 19, 2011 under Commence News, Press Release | 4 Comments to Read

Commence Corporation Makes the Selection Process Easier with “Try Before You Buy” CRM Program

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.

Commence Announces New Product Release with Year End Celebration

Posted by Commence on December 30, 2010 under Commence News | Be the First to Comment

Tinton Falls, N.J. December 30, 2010 — Commence Corporation a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management software for the mid-market is doing a bit of celebrating to end the 2010 fiscal year.  The company has recorded a record number of new customers and just completed the release of a new version of their cloud based CRM product that incorporates a Project Management application and a Customer Service portal.

“The new applications add significant value for our customers” said Larry Caretsky, President of Commence Corporation “ and continue to differentiate Commence in a very crowded market.  The Project Management solution is designed to enable project managers to properly assign resources, manage project delivery dates, stay within budget and address issues before they become a significant concern and impact deliverables. The integration of this information with all other CRM data provides authorized personnel with complete access to full account, contact and project information.”

“The Customer Service Portal is all about enabling our customers to provide customer self service to their customers by allowing customers to update their profile, check the status of a service ticket or access the company’s knowledgebase for information anytime and anywhere.   This capability significantly enhances the quality of service Commence customers can offer to their customers and should give them a leg up on their competition”.

The company concluded the year with a company luncheon that included several international dishes followed by a highly competitive miniature golf tournament inside the company’s corporate headquarters in New Jersey.  “We don’t have the luxury of going outside this time of the year” says Caretsky, “so we had the course set up inside our offices.  We also offered prize money for first, second and third place which made the tournament highly competitive.”

About Commence:

Founded in 1988, Commence develops and delivers a diverse suite of award-winning CRM solutions that integrate people, processes and technology.  Delivered via the popular software as a service (SaaS) model or implemented as on premise software, Commence CRM solutions are used by thousands of businesses to streamline sales and customer service front-end business processes. As a result, Commence clients increase workforce productivity, generate positive customer interactions and reduce operating cost.  More information about Commence can be accessed at www.commence.com or by calling Commence sales at 1-877-COMMENCE.

Media Contact:
Nicole Reed
info@commence.com

Hosted CRM Makes Good Sense

Posted by Commence on November 12, 2010 under CEO Corner | Read the First Comment

Staying in touch with your customers has never been more important than it is in today’s business environment. The competition for every dollar of revenue has never been this fierce and the more the economy continues to stagger along, the harder it gets. If you want to be able to take care of your customers in an expeditious manner you need customer relationship management software that enables you to capture, track, manage and share vital information with the people and departments that need it to efficiently do their jobs.

The days of thinking you could manage all of your customers using a paper filing system are long gone, and in most cases you have far too many clients to even begin tracking in this archaic fashion. Today there are numerous choices when it comes to finding the right CRM software for your business.  For the past few decades the most common solution was desktop based contact management software that was installed on your internal PCs and server.   These programs did a good job of tracking basic customer information, but were limited in functionality and scalability.  Many were also proprietary solutions that required updates each year in order to take advantage of new features or remain compatible with desktop operating systems.  Customers that did not upgrade their software often found themselves in a very difficult and costly position as conversion to current versions of the software were expensive and simply not as easy as they had anticipated.

As with many other platforms, customer relationship management software has begun the move from internal servers to the cloud.  This migration to cloud based computing offers several benefits and customers who have switched to an online CRM service are realizing a higher degree of value than they did with previous platforms. Perhaps the biggest benefit is simply the ability to access data anytime and from anywhere via an internet connection.   In the past, employees using desktop CRM software often found themselves tethered to their desktop computer with access only to e-mail via their cell phone while away from the office.

The newer hosted CRM services have implemented mobile platform support for use with the latest smart phone or handheld devices. This makes it possible for your staff to access information on the go, providing sales people with the opportunity to immediately follow-up on new inquiries while your support team delights your customers with rapid customer service.   Hosted CRM services also provide you with product updates and enhancements that are fully implemented for you and ensure that you remain current with the latest technology advances.  This has proven to be an arduous task for IT managers maintaining in-house environments where the updates must be installed on in-house servers and desktop PCs.

Some company IT executives continue to debate the issue of desktop or on premise CRM software vs. online CRM claiming security concerns and runaway costs for hosted services each year, but industry reports indicate that web based CRM solutions are growing at a pace of more than double that of desktop software offerings. Companies are also finding that security concerns have been addressed and that due to the competitive landscape, online or web CRM offerings are now more affordable than ever.  This makes the case for hosted CRM quite compelling.

If you are looking for a cost efficient way to improve sales execution and customer service and provide your staff with anytime, anywhere access to vital customer data using a PC, Apple Mac, or Mobile device, you should strongly consider an online CRM solution hosted by a reputable company.  If this sounds like the winning formula for you, consider Commence CRM from Commence Corporation. The company has a twenty year track record for delivering comprehensive CRM software applications and high quality customer service.

Is Price Killing the CRM Industry?

Posted by Commence on September 9, 2010 under CEO Corner | 6 Comments to Read

Selecting a CRM solution can be a daunting exercise.  According to industry reports there are several hundred vendors that provide some component of Customer Relationship Management software.  In addition, the price points and list of features available couldn’t be more confusing for the consumer and when people are confused they tend to make their decision based primarily on one criterion, price.

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.

Customers Find Good Value In Commence CRM

Posted by Commence on August 23, 2010 under Customer Success | 6 Comments to Read

Getting an early start in the CRM software industry may have helped Salesforce.com to become a leader in the Hosted CRM space, but another CRM solution provider is making a statement of their own, paving the way for some intense competition in the small to mid-size business sector. 

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 Price Wars Continue, But Who Wins In The End?

Posted by Commence on December 1, 2009 under CEO Corner | Read the First Comment

It seems like manufacturers of Customer Relationship Management software are doing almost anything these days to add new subscribers.   Some are offering free utilization for the first few months, others money back guarantees and a few are even offering utilization of their software as a monthly service with no contract at all.  Price points are all over the map and they have consistently changed to attract new customers.  It’s gotten so crazy that if you need a CRM system right away some vendors will allow you to enter your credit card and for a few bucks you’ll be up and running in minutes.  In some cases the service is even free.  But wait a minute.  Is this a business solution that is going to address my requirements for improving how I sell and provide services to my customers?  It sounds more like I am buying an out of the box contact manager.

The fast sale & low cost craze must be working however, because CRM vendors like Salesforce and Microsoft — two of the recognized leaders — have continued to repackage their offering and lower their price.  Just a few weeks ago a small company of two people could purchase Salesforce CRM for $9 per user per month.  A few months earlier up to ten users could take advantage of this offer.  Recently the program changed again and now five users can purchase the product for $5 per user.  I appreciate that CRM vendors are having a tough time differentiating themselves, but are they now convinced that the sole driver of CRM decisions among small to mid-size companies is price?   This CEO is not.

Warren Buffet once said, “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” Seems appropriate here doesn’t it.   My firm Commence Corporation has been providing CRM software solutions to small and mid-size business for two decades. Most of the executives we work with are entrepreneurial and savvy operators.  Sure they want the best price they can get, but they are more interested in addressing their business requirements and improving their business than finding the lowest price.   Sometimes their requirements are as simple as data consolidation.  They may be managing their customer data using excel spreadsheets or a contact manager and are unable to consolidate and share the information with the people and departments that need it to efficiently do their jobs.   Some are frustrated with their inability to organize and manage their sales organization and are looking for tools and expertise to assist them. But one thing is for sure: they recognize that a CRM tool on its own at any price is not going to solve their business needs.  They want a CRM partner.

Value Added Services, the True Differentiator

So what do I get for $5 dollars or $9 dollars per user anyway?  What level of service should I expect?  Do I get a documented installation plan that will ensure the successful implementation of the CRM system?  Do I get assistance with data migration? What about training?  Is the CRM vendor available to assist my staff with best practices for data consolidation and data sharing, sales optimization and measurement of sales performance?  Will I get the services I need to address my business challenges and improve my business?   After all, this is why I began the search for a CRM system in the first place.

CRM Partner vs. CRM Vendor

Addressing your business challenges will not be met by the selection of a low cost CRM solution, but instead by engaging the expertise and domain experience of a true business partner. A partner will take responsibility of the successful implementation and utilization of the CRM system.   A partner will provide a high level of service before, during and after the sale and supply the industry and product expertise to ensure that you realize the maximum value from their solution.  The only problem is you cannot get a partner for $5 per user.

Commence Differentiators

Commence Corporation has taken pride not only in our top rated CRM software, but in the world-class service we have provided to our customers.  For more than two decades Commence customers have relied on our expertise and domain experience to ensure the successful utilization of our product and the growth of their business.  This partnership between Commence and our customers have ensured their success as well as ours.

See what customers say about Commence and take a look at my white paper “Don’t Make a CRM Buying Mistake” at www.commence.com.