Web-Based CRM: Faster Results, Increased Sales

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Executive Summary
Many companies recognize the strategic importance of CRM solutions, yet three roadblocks—time, money, and resources—can derail, or have already derailed, detoured, or delayed CRM initiatives. As the pace of business accelerates and the economy goes through its cycles, alternatives are desperately needed to lower many of the hurdles CRM deployments traditionally face. Instead of delaying or abandoning strategic CRM initiatives because of problems with time, money, and resources, organizations now have an option for enabling their top-line revenue objectives with a new software delivery model. This model has been proven to be more cost-effective and to deliver faster results by offering Web-based CRM as a service over the Internet for a monthly fee—hosted CRM.

The software industry survived its first three decades with a predominant model: customers buying licenses for software that was installed at their site. Only in the past two years have we seen the success of the new delivery model. It has gained momentum because it shares the risk between the software vendor and the customer, eliminates the costly upfront investment of people and money, and delivers results in days to months instead of years. Previously, hosted CRM had targeted the small and medium-sized businesses; however, it has been proven to be a viable alternative to premises-based deployment for Global 2000 companies because it delivers faster results with far less pain and upfront costs.

This Report examines in detail how current CRM technology enhances the sales process along with how integrated marketing technology can improve sales effectiveness in this post-Internet, economically challenging environment.