Managing your database of customers is key to running a successful business. Without a good CRM (Customer Relationship Management) database, you have no way of managing your interactions between yourselves and your clients, customers and prospects. When an implementation is effective, people, processes, and technology work in synergy to increase profitability, and reduce operational costs. There are a number of commercial solutions, such as Sales Force, which provide such a facility, but what many people don't realise, is that there are some very good free solutions (open-source - free to use software developed in a collaborative manner by a group of like minded individuals). Open source software has now entered the mainstream. If you use a Google Android phone, An iPhone or even a set top box, the chances are that at least some of the software powering it is 'free' and open source. So can you trust it with your data?
The open-source CRM marketplace is dominated by two heavyweights - SugarCRM and vTiger. They're both open-source, and they both run on web servers. As such - they're in the cloud (on line) - which means that back up is looked after for you, support is provided and the database maintained. What's more - you can access the data from ANY web enabled PC on earth - as long as you have the right username and password (yes, they are secure!).
Vtiger came to being as a fork from the SugarCRM code base. The SugarCRM team originally released SugarCRM under a license that permitted people to re-distribute as their own as long as they recognised the original authors. With that being said, they share a similar history and the base features are very similar. The Vtiger team have given the project a more community feel whilst the SugarCRM team have pushed the enterprise solution. Their functions are very similar - and often it is personal preference as to which you use.
At ClystNet, we use both on a daily basis.
As a general rule, if you don't requrie much customisation, vTiger is an easier system to get to grips with. It works 'out of teh box' and allows good customisation, but not to the level and depth that SugarCRM does. We tend to find that our smaller clients who need a fairly straight forwards CRM solution are better served by vTiger.
SugarCRM, which was the original, seems to have far more third party applications giving it additional functionality. It also has an excellent module buolder application available for it, which at ClystNet we use to heavily customise the database for our customers needs. You end up with a database working exactly as you want it, with all of teh functions you want - a fully customsied solution, but at a fraction fo teh cost of a normal commercial solution.
Both vTiger and SugarCRM can be designed to match your website and company image. In the same way that vTiger started out as a version of SugarCRM that forked off (the code still references SugarCRM) - you can have a version of vTiger or SugarCRM that looks like a custom built database just for you - with your own commercial branding!
So, if they're free, how do they compare to the commercial heavyweights, likes Sales Force? We think they're better! They offer the same functionality, but they're cheaper and far more customisable. They've been downloaded millions of times, so theer is a good chance you have already used one - but due to teh level of customisation and dressing up they receive, you probably didn't realise.
At ClystNet, we can deploy, support, customise and host both databases. For up to around 10 - 20 users, the monthly cost including basic support starts at £40 including hosting. So that works out at around £2 per user, per month. Compare that to Sales Force!
Drop us an email and we will provide you with details of our online demo versions of both databases. Play around and see what you think - we know you will be impressed!
