Since this question is asked every year (or more) by a current or prospective OneAccord client, I thought others might benefit from it:

I admit that the answer — “It depends” — can be a bit frustrating until you think about the fact that Oracle has a different business (and therefore different requirements) than Starbucks . Analogies:

• The running shoes that support your body, running environment, climate, etc. may not be the best (or even healthy) for my body.

• The truck that works for one business may be far more (or less) than what another business needs.

It sticks out in my mind that, when I cofounded the local CRM Association chapter a few years back, there were 600 CRM solutions on the market!  Some that integrate with ERP/accounting/etc; others are standalone.  Some run and store data locally; others now are “all web” (Software as a Service).  Some work with channel partners; others just the direct sales force.  Some are better for professional services companies, others are better for manufacturing companies, others….  And on and on.

There are two classic problems in implementing CRM across a business [enterprise] and recognizing a return on the investment:

1. High failure rate in deployment, because of poor project mgmt. and eventual leadership/financial burnout.
2. Low buy-in/adoption by salespeople, who don’t enter data fully/consistently — thus reporting is meaningless

IT folks tend to buy on “technology fit”, whereas the best system for the organization overall is usually found by assessing business requirements followed by IT requirements.  One of the best sayings I ever heard was: CRM is not a software package; it’s a business orientation.

I am always happy to chat with a business leader about this kind of question and intended company direction, without obligation — just call me.  I know how helpful it can be to have a “real” conversation with a vendor who not only has experience with — but is not a reseller of — entry level systems such as ACT, Goldmine, and Outlook with 3^rd party extensions ranging through mid/high level systems such as Salesforce.com, Peoplesoft Vantive, SalesLogix, and MS-CRM.

PS. If this is not a priority at the executive level, here’s are two self-serve resources you can pass along to your IT guy/gal!  www.CRMguru.com and www.DestinationCRM.com .

Paul Travis is a principal at OneAccord Partners based out of Seattle with 25 years of experience in high technology, marketing, and consulting. He has also co-authored the book Leadership on Demand: How Smart CEO’s Tap Interim Management to Drive Revenue. His blog is www.60-Second-Marketing.com. Paul can be contacted at 206-910-2222.