The CRM blogosphere has been buzzing with reactions to SugarCRM's latest release, most of them favorable. High on the list of highlights is a mobile app for the BlackBerry and the iPhone.
Last week, SugarCRM made version 5.1 generally available. With its beta release earlier this year, the open source CRM provider broke new ground, providing innovations in business intelligence and an intriguing mobile app for the BlackBerry and the iPhone.
Hardware, people and ROI all factor into the argument for hosted CRM.
By Rick Cook - Inside CRM
One of the major questions surrounding hosted CRM, or CRM as SaaS (software as a service), is an economic one: Do hosted CRM solutions from vendors like SugarCRM Inc. and Zoho save you money?
First, of course, the answer depends on your particular circumstances. You need to carefully compare costs — both open and hidden — before choosing between a hosted or on-site solution. "[Hosted CRM] is not a silver bullet and it's not a panacea," said Martin Schneider, direct of product marketing at SugarCRM. According to Schneider, that's why SugarCRM offers an on-premise version of SugarCRM as well as its better-known hosted version.
Still, Schneider noted that there are many economic benefits to hosted CRM. They include savings in hardware, installation, support and personnel, as well as some less obvious ones.
