Eating CRM Software Leftovers in the New Year

Very few companies want to spend money on CRM software in 2010. Frankly, very few companies want to spend money on anything in 2010. Ironically, most customer service experts already note that the right CRM systems could actually save a company from the fallout of the global recession.

Still, most systems managers will find themselves with smaller-than-ever budgets for CRM software maintenance and expansion. Here are three strategies for making effective and cheap CRM software decisions over the coming months:

• 2010 may not be the best year to undertake a total CRM software overhaul. However, it could be a great time to invest in middleware tools that can bridge legacy systems with the web or with more modern interfaces. In past years, "putting lipstick on a pig" might not have appealed to CIOs. In today's economic environment, a new interface or a cobbled-together functionality may be just enough to breathe life into an aging CRM application.
• Vendors of existing CRM systems are eager to keep your company's long-term business. Many vendors have announced special pricing packages for upgrades, along with freezing or rolling back seat license fees for 2010. If your CRM software contract is up for renewal this year, you may want to leverage the buyer's market by locking in better rates.
• Layoffs at major software development companies have pushed talented programmers into the role of entrepreneur. A new wave of web-based CRM applications is hitting the market, going beyond the hype of "web 2.0" with heavy duty features at minimal cost. Some companies may have to look past the previous-year dealbreakers of "cloud computing" or "shared data center" to see the real benefits of scrappy, new CRM systems.

Companies can learn to navigate 2010 by being frugal without giving up on their core customer service beliefs. CRM systems and their vendors are changing, too. This could be the year that the overall value of CRM software really shines in your organization.