If you've been following developments in the web application market, it's no surprise that CRM software enthusiasts are gasping at today's announcement of Google Gears for GMail.
For the uninitiated, Google Gears is a small software patch that allows a web browser to download specific pieces of software code to be run once the browser has disconnected from the network. This afternoon, Google's developers released a version of Gears that allows its highly popular e-mail service to operate more like a desktop e-mail client when access to the web has been interrupted.
Any sales professional who has endured the pain of a network disconnection while using a hosted CRM system can understand the promise of today's development. Users of desktop CRM applications may not feel like this is big news, especially if their systems synchronize with master databases. However, the growing popularity of browser-based CRM software has created demand for highly flexible tools that can be used in the field or during flight.
Google Gears also addresses another common concern of web-based application users: that a sudden communications or power failure can cause them to lose key information about a deal or a client. Hosted CRM applications with the ability to cache data like Google Gears can compete for customers against traditional, desktop-based CRM applications.
Already, developers for a number of hosted CRM applications are fielding questions from clients about whether an offline data cache styled after Google Gears might be included in their future releases. As developers find ways to extend the reach of web browsers, enhancements to hosted CRM applications can ultimately blur the line between what's on the web and what's on the desktop.
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