What Are SMBs Looking for in a System?

Grant Wattie
Member

Posted 04-Apr-2005 05:03 PM
Are small businesses looking for online solutions or their own inhouse installation? At what price does CRM become too high to justify? Do they want simple easy to use solutions or more complicated integrated functionality? What functionality exactly do most small businesses require?

As a CRM vendor with solutions for the small business market I have views on all of these questions, but are my views biased or simply wrong?

In my experience as a CRM vendor, and as a small business owner of many years, I believe small businesses are looking for easy to use, intuitive solutions but with the same functionality that can be found in individual point solutions like ACT, Quickbooks and Outlook. The problem with these solutions is remote access and integration. On the other hand, existing CRM solutions are too complicated and offer functionality that is really designed for the salesforces of large companies. A price point of $10 to $25/user/mth is affordable, however anything over $50/mth is becoming out of reach for most small businesses.

I think small businesses want an online solution to get started, however most want the ability to access and control their own data and the flexibility to move to an inhouse installation as their needs change.

What do you think?

President
BrowserCRM Ltd
http://www.browsercrm.com
Integrated CRM, Email and Groupware, online and server download. Source code and WebMAT for developers available.

Gwynne Young
Managing Editor, CustomerThink
Member

Posted 20-Apr-2005 02:26 PM
[Posted for Jay Curry]

Grant:

Your questions are legitimate from the CRM software supplier’s point of view, but what about the SME owner/entrepreneur?

He may be less interested in web-based vs. in-house installation than "What's in it for me?"

Most companies get far less "share of wallet" from their customers than they could. If your application can help your customers:

* Determine the share of wallet for each customer
* Target those customer for upgrading
* Aid in the upgrading process

Then your customers will make a lot of money.

In short, don't focus on the cost of the system, focus on the increased profits it will deliver!

Jay Curry
Jay Curry Associates
jay@jaycurry.com
www.jaycurry.com
www.voice-of-the-customer.com

Cathy Allington
Member

Posted 28-Apr-2005 02:29 PM
Hi Grant:

"I think small businesses want an online solution to get started". This comment worries me—you are looking at your product as Jay says, in terms of your own solution—not from the outside in.

Most small businesses do not even know the difference between an online solution and something inhouse.

It's hard when you have your own product as your bias is towards this, but you really need to take a step back and find out what SME's do really need. They want something which is easy and quick to learn, but more importantly, they want something which helps and guides them through the CRM process.

"OK, we have all of these customers—what is it that we can do with them now"? As Jay says, you find out the "WIFM", and then focus around that. You should try and keep the technology out of it—just focus on the benefits to them.

For example, the benefit is not that your solution is online, it is that they don't have to invest in more infrastructure, and their remote offices and salespeople can still have access to customer data wherever they are. And without costing them an arm and a leg.

Most small businesses have basic needs in terms of CRM—they simply want to be able to communicate easily with their customers. Start them off simply, and help them grow with the process as they achieve results.

Cheers
Cathy

www.gyob.net.au

Virendra Gandhi
Member

Posted 03-May-2005 01:54 PM
I agree with Cathy most small businesses have basic needs in terms of CRM—they simply want to be able to communicate easily with their customers they may also require to have their epaper trail automated this should start them grow with the process. All this has to be free and open for integration so that they don't have to invest in more infrastructure, and their remote offices and salespeople can still have access to customer data wherever they are. And without costing them an arm and a leg. Cathy you have hit the nail on the head.

John Powers
Member

Posted 05-May-2005 07:00 PM
Small business are looking for better ways to create and grow relationships with their customers. Most small business owners do NOT even know what 'CRM' means—let alone look fo CRM solutions. "Share of wallet" is a term that is understood by, and used in, the enterprise world. Small business owners have domain expertise in their business, NOT CRM best practices. My experience is that those SMBs savvy enough to employ technology to assist them with CRM are using solutions like Constant Contact www.constantcontact.com to communicate with their best customers and bring them into their franchise with special offers. Do-It-Yourself email marketing companies like Constant Contact allow SMBs to publish professional communications and send them to their customers at a reasonable price. These services allow SMBs to practice CRM techniques and not even know they are doing it.

Posts: 1 | Registered: 05-May-2005 Reply With Quote