Our new eNews feature– “Ask Charlie,” in which customers like you ask business-solution related questions of Charlie Kemmerer, MCG’s Vice-President of Front Office Solutions.

Question:

Dear Charlie: As a medium-sized business, we know we need to jump into the CRM pool, but we’re intimidated by the range of products available. I’m particularly concerned about the benefits of an on-site system versus a hosted or web-based solution. Can you help me boil down the essentials of the advantages of each? Thanks! Indecisive in Indiana.

Answer:
Dear Stuck: Mobile solutions can both streamline your company’s customer interactions and make them more dynamic, thus more responsive! Mobility also appeals to your PDA-happy sales reps, so they use the application more fully. Software for handheld devices and the web should be an important part of your CRM budget, but they do call for special considerations. For example, does the system allow you to cut out extraneous screen info so the user sees only what they need without clutter? For example, SalesLogix for Pocket PC’s mobile client can also be easily customized using visual drag-and-drop design tools.

Also, does your IT department have the resources to support this technology? While wireless and mobile solutions are definitely coming down-market, they still require infrastructure to implement and maintain them across the enterprise.

Good luck!

Email Charlie at charliek@mcginc.com for a FREE copy of the "Top Ten Questions to Ask Your CRM Vendor" white paper.

Got a question for Charlie? Let us know