Customer Relationship Management Software And Services

By Hikioez Mentoiz

Two of the leading software developers in the CRM field are Microsoft CRM and Goldmine software. CRM is an acronym for customer relationship management. It is a field in computer technology that helps businesses keeps track of their clients. Also, thru developments in recent years, the CRM system is used as the perfect means to manage, automate and synchronize every kind of business interaction between company and client, be it marketing, technical support, and primarily sales.

The basic functions of the CRM system are three: to acquire, enhance, and retain the customer base. The acquiring of new customers is a much easier job with a CRM system because sales can be done with ease, and at the same time contact management becomes a more efficient part of the whole operation. When it comes to enhancing the customer database, a web-enabled CRM can give clients the advantage of one-stop shopping. This can be achieved with customer service tools managed by a team of service and sales specialists. Probably the most important role of the CRM however, is the retaining of customers. This is because the CRM keeps track of all sales, and therefore can easily identify loyal customers, and reward them.

As I said in the beginning two of the competing software companies that have a firm grasp of the CRM market are Microsoft CRM and Goldmine Software. Goldmine Software has been one of the first companies to implement the CRM system. Since then, the products have evolved to become more and more specialized. In my opinion, this is an advantage and also a disadvantage, of the Goldmine Software. There is no question that the Goldmine Software is competent, this is evident by the fact that it is still one of the leading brands in CRM, the only problem with their newer programs is that they have become too complicated for the average user. Of course the basic program hasn’t suffered that many changes, and all the specific developments are available as add-ons, but it is still worth pointing out that maybe the developers of Goldmine Software have forgotten that simplicity is most often the form of success.

On the other hand, the Microsoft CRM has been catching up pretty fast. It hasn’t been at the forefront of CRM technology but in recent years, it is getting a bigger and bigger share of the market. Its recent success can be attributed to its user friendly interface. It has a strong point exactly where the Goldmine software falls short. Another of its strong points is represented by the tight integration with Microsoft Office and Outlook.

This is a real plus because the interface is much more familiar in this way to employees who have experience working with Windows. On the other hand, what it gains in speed and versatility the Microsoft CRM looses in depths. It is very cumbersome when it comes to very specific and specialized tasks, and it is a hassle to get what you want from it in these kinds of situations.

In conclusion I can say that both these software companies have managed to get their fair share of the ever growing CRM market. Microsoft CRM is fast , and user friendly, perfect for small and medium businesses, while the Goldmine Software is much more specialized, making it ideal for big companies, but harder to use. There’s no question that both these companies will continue to be extremely profitable in the future because of the high demand for CRM systems, but there are a lot of younger software developers putting pressure on them with new programs appearing each day.

The author is an expert in CRM software and solutions and recommends both microsoft crm and goldmine software. To know more, visit the author’s blog.. Free reprint available from: Customer Relationship Management Software And Services.

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Tags: advice, Business, computers, computers and internet, Management, Software

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