SalesForce.com initially was on the leading edge of CRMs, and is an excellent product for some businesses. But it is not for everyone!
A lead management system does not have to be complicated to give the right insight.
In the world of CRMs, there is not just one solution that fits everyone the same. In talking with people who used SalesForce and then quit, their main frustration was that either there was way too much functionality that it became too complicated to use, or that it was ending up to be way more expensive than they had anticipated because of the programming and time required in order to get it to do what was needed in their business.
It is true that most CRMs are not plug and play. They require a certain amount of programming, and some of them are nothing more than an empty shell that houses a lot of programming that will have to be done before the CRM is of any use for more than an address book and note keeper. (Which, by the way, can be found for free if you just do a Google search.) >
If you are a small business owner or manager, you definitely need more than a contact management system, even if you are technologically-challenged! You need a way to track all your leads, your sales, and your marketing as well as your customer database and all that is included with that. You need a way to see the real data upon which you can base your sales and marketing decisions. You absolutely need a way to see the types of sales you are getting, as well as what it costs to get a sale by lead source, and by salesperson! You need to know when and how to be reminded to follow up with previous customers for additional services. Salesperson productivity has to be increased. You need an easy way to track your prospects from the initial moment of contact, and work them through the relationship and foster that for a lifetime. You need your salespeople to have all their customer information at their fingertips, so that there is no reason for lack of communication between the office, the salesperson and most importantly, the customer.
Because of all the data a business owner needs to run a successful business, it is only natural to look for a CRM that will provide for those needs. That is exactly why and where SalesForce has come into the picture, and they have done a commendable job of it for big business! Huge business! Government-run businesses, airlines, banks, and yes, even some small businesses. The small business owner; however, has other options that are much simpler, yet provide the insight small business owners need to run and grow their businesses profitably without having to spend thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars and time programming in order to get a workable CRM solution.
CLICK HERE to listen to things to consider when tracking marketing!
P.S. Profit Pro CRM was created specifically because a roofing and remodeling company was unable to find a tracking software available that was ready to use, right OUT OF THE BOX with no extra programming required in order to give the data necessary to grow a business profitably.