CRM Comparison

When comparing CRM costs, prices and features, first consider what you want your customer relationship management software to do for your organization.  Develop a list of the features that you need and start looking at the various offerings.  You'll find some CRM options that don't offer the options you need while others offer far more than you will ever use.

Microsoft (R) CRM, Salesforce.com (TM), ACT! (R) and Goldmine (R) are among the most popular CRM systems on the market today.  There are a number of "boutique" CRM systems designed for specific industries as well as enterprise CRM systems.  Some of these systems are actually built on the systems described above.  Since the appeal of the boutique systems is narrow and the price of the enterprise systems is high, they do not have the popularity of the systems mentioned above and are not covered here..  

Contact Management vs. Customer Relationship Management
If you are a single user or very small organization looking to organize your contacts, Goldmine and ACT! are potentially good options.  Experts offer often refer to Goldmine and ACT as "Contact Management" systems rather than full CRM system.  They have a narrow range of options and are priced lower than full CRM systems such as the Microsoft and Salesforce offerings.  The primary focus of these programs is to manage contact data to allow the user an organized and simple system for follow up and management. If organized contacts is your organization's primary goal, these systems can offer you a good value. 

Customer Relationship Management
Larger organizations need to have a centralized database which allows information to be shared across the accessing users.  Microsoft CRM and SalesForce are built on relational database platforms.  These systems are fully functional and each offers advantages over the other.  Both systems offer significantly more capabilities than contact management.  

Features
Both Microsoft CRM and Salesforce offer separate lead, contact, account and opportunity management along with activity management and marketing modules.  Other CRM features can include complex scheduling, case management, service management, product catalogs and more.  

Powerful "workflow" engines allow the CRM system to automate some routine tasks, such as sending "welcome emails", creating user tasks and updating related records.  This feature is standard with all versions of Microsoft CRM, but only standard with the fairly expensive "Enterprise" version of Salesforce. 

In general, the  Microsoft CRM's pricing structure is more streamlined, most features are included with all levels of the software.  Salesforce's pricing matrix is more complex and, once past the most basic levels, more expensive than the Microsoft model. 

Deployment
Salesforce is offered as a subscription (Software as a Service/SaaS model).  Users access their data over the internet.  Multiple users can log into the same system at the same time and information is passed back and forth between those users.   

Microsoft's CRM is currently in it's 4th release and is marketed as Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0.  Microsoft CRM is offered both as an online subscription (Microsoft CRM Online) or as on-premise software which works in conjunction with Microsoft SQL server (traditional software model, hosted on a server or servers).  On-premise CRM can be setup as an internet facing deployment (IFD) which allows users to access the application using an Internet Explorer browser in the same fashion that Microsoft CRM Online or Salesforce users access their systems.  As with Salesforce, multiple users can work in the database simultaneously with work shared between users.  Microsoft offers one online version and three marketed on-premise versions.  

In comparing Microsoft with Salesforce, Microsoft CRM holds the upper hand in the areas of price, integration with popular Office software (not surprisingly), customization and overall functionality.   Salesforce holds the advantage in the areas of built in dashboard reporting and mobility offering.  Some users also prefer the standard Salesforce form layout.  

Click here for Microsoft CRM Price List

Click here for Microsoft CRM Customization information

Click here for Saleforce information

Legal Mumble Jumble:  We make no representations as to the completeness or accuracy of the information contained on this website.  Pricing is subject to change without prior notice. Please email us if you note a major discrepancy or would like to comment on our site.  Microsoft and Microsoft CRM are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation a Washington Corporation
Salesforce.com is a registered trademark of Saleforce.com Inc., a California Corporation Goldmine and ACT! are trademarks of the

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