Customer relationship management doesn't have to be complex and expensive

February 7, 2007 from ITbusiness by Vawn Himmelsbach – “While the idea of installing customer relationship management (CRM) software can be intimidating to smaller businesses, it shouldn't be. In fact, it doesn't have to be either complicated or expensive for those companies that consider themselves SMBs…

Both small and large companies require a central repository of customer information, says Michael Burns, president of Toronto-based 180 Systems. The most basic CRM systems include a contact management system; but more sophisticated features include sales force automation, marketing automation and service management (but as a small company, some of these features may be overkill)…

At one point in time there was a differentiation between front-end systems, like CRM, and back-end systems, like accounting or ERP, but that distinction is gradually fading, says Burns. Now it's recognized that you require both, and even the most basic of systems will usually contain CRM components. Several accounting packages have tight integration with products from top-tier CRM vendors, for example.

"It's hard for any company that has an application that automates your enterprise to exclude CRM," says Burns. But, he adds, if you don't have it, you're going to have a hard time down the road selling your wares.”

180 View – Great article by Vawn especially considering that she has quoted us.