Yesterday, I made a quick reference about CFOs and CIOs who battle each other over every scrap of a company's IT budget. As we inch our way into the new year, it's becoming obvious that budgets are under tight scrutiny at companies of all sizes.
Solo entrepreneurs are looking at every penny going into and going out of their enterprise. Startup companies once known for lavish parties and broad hiring are scaling back and laying off. In this environment, it might sound like a tough pitch to get CRM software approved in your organization.
Hosted CRM is a great solution, especially for smaller companies. There's no hardware to install, and it can automatically be used in the field with the help of wireless cards. Many hosted CRM vendors now offer limited trials or discounted startup costs for new clients.
Still, any new hosted CRM project must first past muster with the executive who signs the checks. You'll need to convince your CIO that your bottom line will improve when you implement hosted CRM. And, if you're the person who pays the bills in your company, you may even need to convince yourself.
White papers and case studies that profile the results of similar hosted CRM implentations in your industry can help you determine whether you're making the right investment. Thanks to competition and a gradual decrease in technology costs, hosted CRM services seem to become less expensive every day. Trying one out in a proof of concept on yourself or on a small team can help you decide which platform best suits your needs.
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