When it comes to Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, businesses often have two choices: On-premise CRM and On-cloud CRM. This article will focus on clarifying the key differences and pros and cons of each option.

Understanding the distinctions between On-premise and On-cloud CRM can help businesses make well-informed decisions, optimize customer relationship management, and succeed in today’s business landscape.

Related Reading: What is CRM? Top 5 benefits of using CRM software in 2023

On-Premise CRM Software

On-premise CRM is a type of CRM software installed and hosted on the servers and infrastructure owned by the business. When deploying On-premise CRM, the business takes responsibility for all aspects of the CRM system, including hardware, software, maintenance, security, and database management.

Pros

• Data Control: Businesses have complete control over their CRM data, which is particularly crucial for safeguarding sensitive and essential information.
• Customization: On-premise CRM systems frequently provide a high level of customization, allowing businesses to tailor the software to meet their specific needs and operational workflows.
• Security: With full data control, businesses can implement their security measures and protocols to ensure the protection of both customer and business data.
• Operational Efficiency: On-premise CRM software can offer robust operational efficiency and faster data access as it is stored and operated entirely on the internal servers and infrastructure of the business.
• Cost Efficiency: On-premise CRM requires businesses to pay for hardware and software licenses upfront. However, ongoing costs can be significantly lower than cloud-based CRM, making on-premise CRM cost-effective in the long run.

Cons

• High Initial Costs: Implementing on-premise CRM entails substantial initial payments for acquiring servers, obtaining software licenses, and establishing the necessary infrastructure. This considerable upfront investment might pose challenges for some businesses.
• Maintenance:  Businesses have responsibility for all maintenance tasks, security measures, updates, and issue resolutions. This can consume a lot of resources and requires a highly skilled technical team.
• Limited Accessibility: On-premise CRM software is quite limited in terms of remote access, making this system less appealing to businesses with multiple branches in different locations.
• Limited Scalability: Scaling up the on-premise CRM system can be complex and incur significant costs for purchasing and configuring additional hardware and software.
• Software Backup: Businesses must deploy their own data backup solutions to ensure the availability of data in case the CRM system encounters unforeseen issues.

Some popular on-premise CRMs like Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle Siebel CRM,…

On-Cloud CRM Software

On-Cloud CRM is a form of customer relationship management software hosted on the remote servers of a third-party provider. With this software, businesses are relieved from the task of managing and maintaining fundamental infrastructure like servers and central databases, as those responsibilities are handled by the On-Cloud CRM provider.

Businesses can access the CRM system from anywhere with an internet connection through a web browser or mobile application.

Pros

• Easy Deployment: On-cloud CRM systems are typically deployed quickly because they don’t require complex hardware setups or software installations.
• Low initial costs: Cloud CRM solutions often have lower upfront costs compared to on-premise CRM solutions because businesses don’t need to invest in servers and infrastructure.
• Scalability: Cloud CRM can easily scale to meet the growing number of users and changing business needs without the need for additional hardware investments.
• Accessibility: Cloud CRM users can access the system from anywhere with an internet connection, making this software appealing to businesses with multiple branches in different locations.
• Automatic Updates: On-cloud CRM providers are responsible for handling updates and maintenance, ensuring users quickly access the latest features and improvements.
• Data Security: On-cloud CRM providers are highly regarded for their ability to offer optimal security measures to protect customer data.

Cons

• Data Control: The entire data is stored on servers owned by the third-party provider. This raises concerns about data control and security, as well as risks from the provider’s end.
• Dependency on the Internet: Cloud CRM operations rely on Internet connectivity. If the connection is slow or interrupted, it may impact the overall system performance.
• Customization Limitations:  While many cloud CRM solutions are highly configurable, compared to on-premise CRM solutions, they still have limitations in terms of customization.
• Subscription Costs:  Using on-cloud CRM, businesses will incur ongoing monthly or annual usage fees. Initially, the upfront costs may be lower than on-premise CRM, but there are ongoing fees such as user quantity fees, customization fees, etc., which businesses will continuously have to pay throughout the deployment process. This leads to an increase in the total cost of using the cloud CRM system over time.

Some popular Cloud CRMs include Salesforce Sales Cloud, SAP Sales Cloud, Oracle CRM On Demand,…

Related Reading: 

• Explore the 10 best CRM software for large enterprises Pt1
• Explore the 10 best CRM software for large enterprises Pt2

What is The Difference Between On-Premise and Cloud CRM?

On-Premise CRM vs On-Cloud CRM: Which is The Better Choice?

The choice between On-premise and On-cloud CRM becomes a crucial decision in the strategy of deploying CRM. Each type comes with its own set of advantages. On-premise CRM offers high control and customization, while On-cloud CRM is convenient, flexible, and helps reduce the burden of infrastructure and initial costs. 

The ultimate decision depends on the deployment needs, data control requirements, and budget.  Nevertheless, both can serve as valuable tools for businesses to manage customer relationships and amplify operational efficiency. 

Contact SECOMM or call the hotline at 02871089908 today to learn more about deploying and developing a comprehensive CRM system and determine the optimal choice between On-premise and On-cloud.

The recent surge in prioritizing customer experience has significantly impacted the evolution of eCommerce. Therefore, choosing the right CRM among various CRM software solutions to effectively manage customer relationships is crucial. 

Following Part 1, here are 5 other CRM software options for large enterprises worth considering.

Dynamic 365 Sales

Dynamics 365 Sales is a comprehensive Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution developed by Microsoft. The software is designed to assist businesses in managing and streamlining customer interactions, enhancing the sales process’s efficiency.

Its notable capability for scalability and flexible customization has made Dynamics 365 Sales one of the most suitable choices for the complex deployment needs of large enterprises.

Core features:

• Communication Management: Harness the power of Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Teams to enhance team collaboration effectiveness and interact more efficiently with customers.
• Revenue Acceleration: Optimize the sales process and revenue with suggested next actions proposed by Microsoft, helping businesses prioritize their sales activities.
• Predict & Manage Pipeline: Analyze individual and team sales processes to provide automatic in-depth insights and deliver the most accurate forecasts.
• Real-time Insight: Provide real-time insights from sales calls, including customer emotions, market competition, and more, enabling businesses to assess and guide their sales teams effectively.

Costs:

Pros:

• Seamless integration with other Microsoft products.
• Intuitive interface, easy to set up, and shares similarities with other Microsoft solutions.
• Collects customer data from multiple sources and stores it centrally in a single platform.
• High flexibility and scalability for customization.

Cons:

• Rigorous configuration, challenging to change after setup.
• For users unfamiliar with Microsoft products, the interface may be cluttered and challenging to navigate.
• Requires a high technical proficiency and a specific understanding of Microsoft products for deployment and customization.
• Some advanced features may necessitate additional module purchases

Oracle CRM On Demand

Oracle CRM On Demand is a cloud-based CRM designed to assist businesses in managing sales activities, marketing, and customer interactions, and providing in-depth analytical reporting. It is the SaaS version of Oracle’s renowned on-premise software, Siebel CRM. Businesses can use both of these software applications and link them through the ‘Oracle Application Integration Architecture’ and ‘Oracle Fusion Middleware’ software.

Core features:

• Browser & Cloud Support: The software is accessible on mobile browsers and various web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Bing, enabling businesses to access customer data and manage all sales activities remotely.
• Workflow Automation: Create and automate sales, marketing, approval processes, and daily tasks for the team to enhance the overall efficiency of business operations.
• Analytics & Reporting: Additional factors are incorporated into reports, such as personalized content, and enhanced custom sales history, to provide in-depth insights that assist businesses in making better business decisions.

Costs: Oracle CRM On Demand doesn’t publicly disclose its pricing on the website. Therefore, businesses are advised to contact the provider directly for consultation and a price quote.

Pros:

• Intuitive interface with step-by-step setup and usage guidance.
• Flexible and highly customizable with extensive scalability.
• Seamless integration with other Oracle products and third-party applications.
• Provides in-depth reporting and analysis.

Cons:

• Requires internet access for use.
• The pricing for using Oracle CRM On Demand is not disclosed, making it challenging for businesses to calculate deployment budgets.
• While Oracle provides setup instructions, businesses still need technical expertise and a certain level of understanding of Oracle products for deployment and customization.

Related Reading: On-Premise CRM vs On-Cloud CRM: Key Differences

Infor CRM

Infor CRM is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) software designed to assist large businesses in developing and maintaining customer relationships.

Infor CRM is known for its flexibility, scalability, and high configurability, offering a range of features to help businesses better understand their customers, personalize customer experiences, and enhance the effectiveness of sales operations.

Core features:

• Customers 360º views: Provides businesses with a comprehensive overview of customer transaction history, preferences, and behavior.
• Reporting and Analytics: Infor CRM’s in-depth reporting and analytics offer crucial insights for making informed decisions.
• Email Integration: Seamlessly integrates with email platforms such as Outlook and Gmail to retrieve information directly from Infor CRM and send emails to customers at any time.

Costs: Infor CRM doesn’t publicly disclose its pricing on the website. Therefore, businesses are advised to contact the provider directly for consultation and a price quote.

Pros:

• Intuitive interface, easy to set up and use
• Seamless integration with other Infor solutions
• Smooth integration with third-party applications and services
• High flexibility and scalability for customization.

Cons:

• Requires internet connectivity
• The usage cost of Infor CRM is not publicly disclosed, making it challenging for businesses to estimate deployment budgets.
• Technical expertise and a certain level of understanding of Infor CRM are necessary for deployment and customization.

LeadSquared Sales + Mobile CRM

LeadSquared Sales + Mobile CRM is a cloud-based CRM solution that enables businesses to enhance sales productivity and manage relationships with customers and potential customers.

This CRM solution integrates the features of Sales CRM and Mobile CRM, allowing businesses to access customer data and perform essential sales tasks from anywhere, at any time.

Core features:

• Lead Distribution: Evaluate transaction scale, customers, language preferences, and various other critical factors to distribute suitable potential customers to each sales team member.
• Sales Smartviews: Eliminate clutter and boost the productivity of the sales team by displaying tasks in order of priority.
• Mobility: Track and manage the remote activities of the sales team, including automatic check-in/check-out, automatic detection of incorrect check-in locations, automatic reminders for the next meeting, and expedited document sharing and uploading processes.

Costs:

Pros:

• Automates sales and marketing processes.
• Enables the search for potential customers from multiple channels, minimizing the risk of losing potential customers.
• Manages and nurtures potential customers for conversion with AI-built functionalities.

Cons:

• No free trial version is available.
• Requires technical expertise and understanding of LeadSquared for implementation.
• Occasionally encounters server-related issues or problems with internet connectivity.
• Compared to other CRM software, LeadSquared is somewhat limited in providing in-depth reports.

Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a popular CRM software solution used by businesses of all sizes and industries. In recent times, large enterprises have shown particular favor for Pipedrive CRM due to its advanced features that assist in managing sales opportunities and swiftly converting potential customers into clients.

Core features:

• Customizable Sales Pipeline: Set up a customizable sales process with multiple stages to align with the existing sales cycle.
• Segment Leads: Filter, sort, and segment potential customers to create target customer lists for personalized interaction activities.
• Contact History: Track and manage the entire history of all calls, emails, meetings, and notes related to every transaction and contact.
• Revenue Forecasting: Predict transaction volume and revenue within the CRM system. Track and automatically calculate revenue as transactions are updated.
• Reporting & Dashboards: Receive detailed reports on sales activities and sales figures. Monitor progress and achievements in the dashboard.

Costs:

Pros:

• Intuitive and user-friendly interface.
• 14-day free trial available.
• Automation of sales and marketing processes in most service packages.
• Unlimited customization of sales processes through API.
• Multilingual and multicurrency support.

Cons:

• Phone customer support is only available with premium packages.
• Pipedrive is somewhat limited in providing in-depth reports compared to other CRM software.
• Occasionally, emails sent from the Pipedrive system may encounter errors.
• Limited seamless integration with third-party apps and services.

Choose the best CRM software!

So, the article about the 10 CRM software systems part 1 + part 2 has come to a close with the hope that businesses will choose a platform suitable for their development needs. 

By implementing a CRM solution, businesses can quickly build and develop relationships with customers while enhancing collaboration among internal departments.

Contact or call SECOMM’s Hotline directly at (02871089908) for advice and CRM implementation.

The options for CRM solutions are expanding and becoming more diverse. In reality, some currently popular CRM software may lack the flexibility to meet the complex deployment requirements of large businesses.

Nevertheless, there are CRM software designed to offer a digital infrastructure, in-depth technical support, and exceptional features, granting significant customization freedom for large enterprises.

The article below focuses on providing important considerations when choosing CRM solutions and lists the 5 best enterprise CRM software.

5 Things to consider when choosing CRM software

Determine your need

The first important step before selecting CRM software is to clarify the needs and deployment expectations. You can review and assess the pros and cons of the current tools and management programs in use. Following this, the focus should be on the aspects requiring modification or enhancement, all while estimating the customization needs.

Select types of CRM software: On-premise CRM vs On-cloud CRM

Next, you need to the type of software to deploy, which may be either On-premise or On-cloud CRM software. These two software types come with key differences.

For On-cloud CRM, the entire data and software system are stored and managed by a third-party service provider, allowing you to access it through a web browser or mobile application.

Some advantages of On-cloud CRM include:

• Cost-effective usage
• Easy to use and accessible anytime, anywhere
• No need to perform maintenance, security, and software update processes

On the other hand, On-premise CRM stores and manages the entire data and software system locally on the company’s servers and infrastructure.

Some advantages of On-premise CRM include:

• Internal storage ensures security for vital information.
• You have complete control over the software, enabling you to customize the software updates.
• Not dependent on the internet to access and maintain the CRM system’s operations.

Related Reading: On-Premise CRM vs On-Cloud CRM: Key Differences

Check the accessibility

A user-friendly CRM software accessible to users of all skill levels contributes to expediting the deployment process effectively. Specifically, the software interface should be intuitive, easy to install, and allow for seamless import and export of any data type without requiring excessive assistance.

Moreover, businesses should opt for CRM software that is flexible enough to synchronize with their existing operational processes. Typically, the majority of CRM solutions nowadays offer a free trial period of three or four weeks. This timeframe is sufficient for businesses to understand the software’s functionality and assess whether it is the optimal choice for their deployment needs.

Evaluate the ability to customize

Customization is a vital feature of CRM software. Because each business has different models and scales, it’s essential to select CRM software that offers customization capabilities to match your business requirements and smoothly manage your sales processes.

Most CRM software designed for large-scale businesses offers customization capabilities. Nevertheless, while CRM solutions with extensive customization features can facilitate flexible deployment to meet specific needs, they often come with a higher price point.

Pay attention to security issues

The most crucial information stored in CRM software is customer data. Therefore, when selecting a CRM solution, you need to prioritize security.

Currently,  many CRM solutions are cloud-based, meaning customer data is encrypted and regularly backed up to enhance safety and security. However, you should thoroughly research the provider and understand how their data will be stored and secured in the database. This information is typically available on the CRM provider’s website.

5 best enterprise CRM software

According to G2‘s and rankings based on user satisfaction, here are the top 10 CRM software solutions best suited for large-scale enterprises.

Salesforce Sales Cloud

Salesforce Sales Cloud is a part of the renowned Salesforce CRM platform, developed to assist large enterprises in optimizing business operations and maintaining better customer relationships.

Core features:

• Opportunity Management:  Provides details about transactions, including product information, deal stages, pricing, and competitors Allows sales personnel to access real-time information for each transaction.
• Marketing Automation: Automatically creates, deploys, and manages effective online marketing campaigns. Enables collaboration between sales and marketing teams to search, evaluate potential customers, and streamline the sales process.
• Lightning Voice: Allows making calls to customers directly within Salesforce with just a click. Sales representatives can view all contact information updated in real-time to be prepared for any customer conversation.
• Workflows and Approvals: Saves time and simplifies the approval of business requests by designing and automating sales processes with simple drag-and-drop actions. Approval requests include deal discounts, expense reports, purchase orders, etc.
• File Sync and Share: This enables the sales team to quickly search and share up-to-date and accurate content such as presentations, proposals, and contracts from anywhere, helping the business close more deals in less time.
• Reports and Dashboards: Easily create and customize dashboards and real-time data reports to support the decision-making process for the next business steps.
• Sales Forecasting: This enables viewing sales forecasts and specific adjustments suggested for each sales team.

Costs: 

Pros: 

• Enables a 360-degree view of the customer interaction journey
• Offers tools for automating business processes
• Includes a demo for every deployed feature
• High level of customization and scalability
• Superior data security system

Cons:

• Internet access is required to use the software.
• While Salesforce Sales Cloud offers extensive customization, you will face additional charges for adding features or utilities, leading to increased software usage costs.
• The platform provides advanced features, but for new users, navigating through all the features and options available on the dashboard may not be intuitive. You will need to invest significant time in training their teams to effectively utilize the software.
• Migrating data from existing systems to Salesforce Sales Cloud can be time-consuming and may require technical expertise. Businesses can contact the Salesforce consulting team for assistance in addressing this issue.

SAP Sales Cloud

Recognized as a top on-cloud CRM software for large enterprises, SAP Sales Cloud assists businesses in creating an internal collaborative environment, optimizing business processes, and fostering efficient interactions with customers.

Core features:

• Omnichannel Engagement: Provides omnichannel interaction features to enhance customer engagement, streamline the sales process, and complete transactions. 
• Email & Calendar Integration: Integrates with productivity tools like Microsoft Outlook and Google Gmail to automatically synchronize customer data and important information from the current system.
• Predictive Analytics & Machine Learning: Real-time scoring and prediction features help businesses identify potential customers, guide them through the sales process, and offer personalized recommendations for products, sales representatives, and pricing to optimize contract opportunities.
• Sales Performance: Offers detailed sales guidance to help businesses actualize their sales strategy while tracking progress and results with comprehensive information on each salesperson’s actions. Additionally, businesses can integrate with the SAP CX solution suite to boost business goals.
• Productivity & Personalization: Provides features that enhance the efficiency of the sales process, such as tagging, flagging, scheduling, and personalizing fields, reports, and custom fields for easy access and use by sales representatives.
• Back-office Integration & Connection: Integrates with SAP ERP and SAP CX solutions to leverage real-time, valuable information and details to understand sales cycles and seize transaction-closing opportunities.

Cost: SAP Sales Cloud doesn’t publicly disclose its pricing on the website. Therefore, businesses are advised to contact the provider directly for consultation and a price quote.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface that is easy to use.
• Seamless integration with other services in the SAP system, facilitating the sharing of information and data across departments within the business.
• Provide demos for each deployed feature.
• Offers advanced analytics capabilities for customer information and market trends to optimize sales strategies.
• High customization and scalability.
• Ensures the security, regular updates, and accuracy of customer-related information and data.
• Automates business processes.

Cons:

• The usage cost is not publicly disclosed, making it challenging for businesses to accurately estimate deployment expenses
• The seamless integration capability with other SAP services, while advantageous, can be a drawback as businesses become heavily dependent on the SAP system, leading to limitations if a few services from a different provider are used.
• Integrating SAP Sales Cloud with external services is not straightforward and requires significant expertise and resources.
• The high customization capability of SAP Sales Cloud demands technical proficiency and a certain level of understanding of SAP, making it time-consuming for new users to familiarize themselves with the platform.

HubSpot Sales Hub

When it comes to leading CRM providers, HubSpot is a very familiar name for most businesses. The HubSpot Sales Hub solution offers businesses outstanding features to build relationships with customers, manage the sales funnel effectively, and close more deals.

Core features:

• Sales Automation: Set up a series of automated and personalized tasks and emails to streamline the sales process and close deals.
• Conversation Intelligence: Utilize AI tools to record calls with customers to understand how each sales representative interacts with customers and provide timely evaluations and improvement guidance.
• Document Tracking: Support the sales team in creating and sharing sales content, while tracking which type of content customers open, view, or forward, and which content leads to deal closures
• Email Tracking: Use tools like Gmail, Outlook, and HubSpot to send tracked emails and receive notifications for any potential customer interaction with tracked emails.
• Call Tracking: Prioritize daily sales calls based on the HubSpot database. Automatically record call details for contacts in the CRM system.
• Pipeline Management: Create, customize, and control the sales process visually with the “Deal Pipeline Management” feature. On the “Sales Dashboard” page, you can view detailed sales activities, track customer movement through the funnel, and identify and address issues for each customer case to quickly close deals.
• Sales Analytics & Reporting: Choose from available reports or customize individual reports to monitor the progress and performance of the sales team with in-depth and accurate analytical data.

Costs:

Pros:

• Provides 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and hotline.
• Intuitive platform interface and user-friendly CRM features.
• Offers a demo for each deployed feature.
• Provides tools for automating business processes.
• The ‘tracking’ features are well-designed and systematically meet the requirements for monitoring and controlling the entire sales process.

Cons:

• Although HubSpot Sales Hub is designed to be user-friendly, the initial setup, customization, and management of the CRM system may require a significant amount of time.
• Internet access is required to access and use the software.
• The free trial version limits features and permissions, making it challenging for businesses to accurately assess the capabilities of this CRM system.
• Migrating data from existing systems to HubSpot Sales Hub can be time-consuming and may require technical expertise.

Zoho CRM

Zoho is a renowned CRM solution with a variety of features designed to suit businesses of all sizes, enabling them to build and manage customer relationships and optimize sales processes.

Core features:

• Sales Force Automation: Automates sales tasks such as scheduling sales appointments, sending follow-up emails, tracking leads, and updating sales opportunities.
• Marketing Automation: Provides tools to efficiently run marketing campaigns and deliver high-quality leads to the sales department.
• Performance Management: Streamlines business processes, and enhances sales capabilities with insights relevant to changing market trends.
• Product Customization: Use custom fields, buttons, layouts, link data, localize language and currency, and test before deployment.
• Omnichannel Management: Enables businesses to connect with customers across various channels while collecting essential data to support sales calls.

Costs: 

Pros: 

• User interface is intuitive and easy to use.
• Allows integration with multiple applications and services to create a unified CRM system.
• Utilizes artificial intelligence to predict customer behavior and suggest relevant actions.
• High-level security features.
• Offers a 15-day free trial version.

Cons:

• Customer support service is not yet fully optimized.
• Customization process requires technical expertise and significant resources.
• The trial version limits many features, making it challenging to evaluate the platform’s capabilities.

NetSuite CRM

Another prominent CRM software for large enterprises is NetSuite CRM. This is a cloud-based CRM platform designed to help businesses manage interactions with current and potential customers, partners, and suppliers.

Core features:

• Sales Force Automation: Provides businesses with an integrated sales process, covering lead management, upselling, cross-selling, and quoting to sales forecasting, order management, order fulfillment, and commissions.
• Marketing Automation: Builds, deploys, and measures the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Tracks potential customers and identifies the moment they are ready to make a purchase, transferring potential customer information to the sales department.
• Customer Service Management: Creates and automates the management process of customer cases, ensuring that customer inquiries are quickly addressed with the answers they need.
• Partner Relationship Management: Controls all aspects of the sales and marketing process between the business and its partners with real-time updated information.

Costs: NetSuite CRM doesn’t publicly disclose its pricing on the website. Therefore, businesses are advised to contact the provider directly for consultation and a price quote.

Pros:

• An all-in-one solution for various aspects of eCommerce such as sales, marketing, and customer service.
• Exceptional customization capabilities to meet the specific deployment needs of each business

Cons:

• The usage cost is not publicly disclosed, making it challenging for businesses to accurately estimate deployment costs.
• Businesses are required to pay the entire deployment cost upfront for the initial setups.
• Users must subscribe to an annual license, incurring additional fees before using this tool.

Related Reading: Explore the 10 best CRM software for large enterprises Pt2

The Bottom Line

Leveraging years of valuable experience supporting various businesses in the deployment of CRM solutions, SECOMM offers valuable insights to help businesses swiftly identify appropriate software and expedite the implementation process.

Contact or call directly to SECOMM’s hotline at 02871089908 for free consultation.

According to Fortune Business Insight, the projected value of the global Customer Relationship Management (CRM) market for 2023 stands at $71.06 billion, with expectations to surge to around $157.53 billion by 2030, exhibiting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12%. 

CRM, a software solution, delivers numerous advantages for both sellers and buyers. This tool empowers businesses to forge enduring, meaningful relationships, yielding substantial profits. Meanwhile, customers can enjoy personalized and high-quality experiences.

The following article delves into the detailed definition of CRM, common types of CRM software, core features, and the benefits when businesses use CRM solutions.

What is CRM (Customer Relationship Management)?

CRM or Customer Relationship Management is a software solution crafted to help businesses efficiently manage their relationships with both current customers and potential leads.

The CRM system is designed to carry out specific tasks, including:

• Gathering customer data from diverse sources and storing it in a centralized database.
• Automating repetitive processes in sales, marketing, and customer service.
• Guiding the management of customers and prospects throughout their purchasing journey.
• Identifying opportunities for up-selling and cross-selling.
• Improving collaboration efficiency within the internal operations of the business.

By utilizing CRM software, businesses can eliminate the need for using scattered spreadsheets and apps. This helps overcome limitations, offering robust features for performance analysis and gaining insights into customer interactions.

Types of CRM Software

Deployment Classified

• On-premise CRM: This is typically employed to store essential internal data. Under the On-premise CRM model, businesses take responsibility for securing, maintaining, and updating the system.
• On-cloud CRM: It enables businesses to access the system remotely from any device with an internet connection. In this case, the CRM service provider takes on the responsibility for ensuring security, maintenance, and system updates.

Related Reading: On-premise CRM vs On-cloud CRM: Key Differences

Function Classified

• Operational CRM

These CRM systems are crafted to help businesses manage sales, marketing, and customer service activities. The main goal of CRM software is to generate a pool of new potential customers, nurture these leads, convert them into loyal customers, and retain them through effective marketing strategies and top-notch customer service.

• Analytical CRM

While the Operational CRM system helps businesses enhance customer attraction and retention, the Analytical CRM system allows businesses to understand how potential customers move through the sales funnel. These CRM solutions gather, store, and analyze customer data, delivering detailed insights into customer interactions with the business.

This facilitates businesses in assessing the effectiveness of marketing, sales, and customer care initiatives, allowing them to make necessary adjustments.

• Collaborative CRM

The main goal of Collaborative CRM software is to improve customer experience and streamline business processes by enabling communication and data sharing among internal departments and external stakeholders (suppliers, partners).

While operational and analytical CRM systems also allow for data sharing, collaborative CRM places a greater emphasis on enhancing the customer experience.

It is especially favored by businesses with extensive customer databases that necessitate tight collaboration between departments (sales, marketing, customer care) to ensure the optimal customer experience.

Top 6 Core CRM features

Contact Management

The first important feature to mention in CRM software is Contact Management. This feature allows businesses to store information related to customers and potential customers on the platform, ranging from their names, phone numbers, email addresses, and job details to more in-depth data such as interaction history and how each customer interacts with the business.

Lead Management

Lead Management is one of the core CRM features. This feature supports marketing and sales efforts by:

• Attracting potential customers from various sources.
• Organizing data related to potential customers.
• Segmenting potential customers based on criteria.
• Creating a scoring framework to assess conversion potential.
• Automating personalized interactions to foster relationships.

Pipeline Management

The Pipeline Management feature provides businesses with a visual overview of potential customers and existing transactions. Deals are separated into different stages of the pipeline. This helps sales representatives understand the status of each potential customer and aids them in deciding which leads to pursue.

Email Management

Utilizing the Email Management feature, businesses can seamlessly integrate their email functionality with CRM software, facilitating the sending and receiving of emails directly within the CRM system interface. 

This streamlined approach saves time, eliminating the need to navigate between various tabs for email communication and ensuring no missed opportunities to engage with potential customers.

Workflow Automation

The next crucial feature in CRM solutions is Workflow Automation, which comprises three fundamental aspects: Marketing Automation, Sales Automation, and Customer Service Automation.

Marketing Automation

The ‘Marketing Automation’ feature helps businesses simplify the marketing process by designing trigger elements for specific actions of customers and potential customers, such as:

• Sending a welcome email to potential customers when they sign up for an account.
• Sending a survey email after they have used a product for a certain period (e.g., 90 days).
• Providing customers with information about related products to what they have purchased or sending discount codes for products left in their shopping carts.

In summary, the automated marketing process in the CRM system utilizes the “if-then” logic to automatically trigger interactive activities after customers or potential leads perform specific actions.

Sales Automation

Similar to ‘Marketing Automation,’ the ‘Sales Automation’ feature also uses trigger elements to help sales representatives automatically provide purposeful interactions with customers at specific points in the sales process.

Additionally, Sales Automation assists sales representatives in scoring and managing potential customers, while automatically generating sales forecast reports, enabling businesses to make informed decisions.

Examples of sales automation process:

• Invite potential customers to subscribe to the newsletter when they first visit the website.
• Automatically send a follow-up email if they go silent (for example, 36 hours) after receiving a product quote.
• Automatically assign potential customers to different sales representatives.

Customer Service Automation 

‘Customer service automation’ in CRM solutions refers to the use of automation technologies to enhance and optimize the customer service experience.

This may include using chatbots for online support, sending automatic notifications and updates to customers, automating the handling of basic customer requests and inquiries, and various other activities to save time and streamline workflows.

Analytics and Reporting

The ‘Analytics & Reporting’ feature in CRM solutions plays a crucial role in analyzing data and generating reports to help businesses gain a deeper understanding of their business performance, customer interactions, and market trends.

This is an important tool that enables businesses to make decisions based on accurate data, improve customer interactions, and optimize business strategies.

Top 5 CRM Software Benefits

Improve Customer Relationship Management

CRM software plays a pivotal role in enabling businesses to gather and store comprehensive information about customers, including interaction history and personal details. This helps understand customers and creates a personalized interaction experience, from providing better services to developing appropriate outreach strategies.

Streamline Business Processes

CRM systems help automate many aspects of the business process, such as sales management, marketing, and customer interaction tracking. This results in increased work efficiency, minimizes errors and enhances the ability to interact effectively with customers.

Enhance Customer Service

CRM platforms provide tools such as automated chatbots and customer support systems, facilitating the swift resolution of customer requests and inquiries. This enhances the customer experience, builds trust, and increases the chances of establishing long-term relationships

Facilitate Informed Decision-Making

The CRM software’s data analysis features contribute to a more profound comprehension of customer behavior, business performance, and emerging market trends. This empowers businesses to make informed decisions and anticipate future developments.

Enhance Internal Collaboration

CRM software facilitates tight collaboration among different departments within a business, working together on the platform. This encourages the exchange of information and internal interactions, ultimately enhancing data consistency, feedback capabilities, and accurate responsiveness to customer needs.

Boost Your Customer Engagement through CRM Solutions!

There’s no doubt that CRM software offers incredible benefits to businesses. From efficiently managing customer relationships to optimizing business processes and providing the best customer experience. CRM is not just a tool but a viable strategy that helps businesses build and maintain relationships with their customers.

Over the years, SECOMM has been accompanying many clients in developing CRM solutions. We have observed that in a competitive business landscape, choosing the appropriate CRM software is as crucial as understanding customers and implementing CRM strategies. 

Contact SECOMM or call the hotline at (+84)28 7108 9908 for a free consultation.