When facing a difficult decision, especially in business, it is important to weigh the pros and cons of your choices. After choosing to use a customer relationship management (CRM) solution, your first choice is to decide whether you want an on-premise or online deployment. The right deployment option depends on your available resources and business goals. Here are few questions to get you started.
- Do you have the right nuts and bolts? If you have existing hardware or the resources to purchase the necessary hardware and software licenses, then an on-premise option may work for you. You will also want experienced IT staff or a contract with a software provider to keep your on-site CRM functioning properly. On the other hand, if you don’t have the budget or an IT department, then an Online CRM option will be your best bet. Online deployments offer lower start-up costs and you only pay for what you use.
- In a hurry? It takes time to install the right hardware and software for an on-premise deployment. In addition, major customizations increase the deployment time due to the time needed to tweak the software, test the solution, and train your team. An online deployment takes much less time to implement, especially if you don’t require any significant customizations.
- What are your accessibility needs and security concerns? On-premise CRM solutions do not require an internet connection, so you can access your data from the office computer quickly and easily. However, it would be difficult for field or sales staff that is out of the office to access an on-premise solution. Online deployments make it easier for employees that regularly work remotely to stay in contact and collaborate with each other, as well as with the office team. Both on-premise and online deployments are very secure. On-premise users will likely have their own virus and backup measures in place. Online users protect data during transmission with encryption, firewalls, and other security measures. In addition, software providers that provide hosting services often have advanced backup and other security measures to protect stored data. An argument can be made that online security can be better than many in-house solutions, but that depends on the business and their in house resources and IT team.
You already have a big pro on your list by choosing to implement CRM software. Now you need to decide which type of deployment will best suit the resources that you have at your disposal and your business goals. Contact Rimrock Corporation for additional guidance on choosing the CRM software solution and the deployment method that is best for your specific business needs and goals.
By Rimrock Corporation, Canadian Microsoft Dynamics CRM and ERP Partner
Online CRM Versus CRM On-premise is a post from: CRM Software Blog