If your company is researching CRM software solutions, no doubt on-premise vs. cloud deployment is a key question on your list. For good reason, this is a high priority debate among prospective CRM buyers. That is true because a case can be made for either type of deployment.
Making technology investments for your company involves many factors which must be taken into consideration. Of course cost is relevant to any discussion, but so is evaluating your business’s unique requirements, challenges and resources.
As the Cloud becomes more mainstream, you will be seeing more consistent support, customer incentives and increased security. In fact, estimates indicate that cloud based CRM now accounts for over 80 percent of licensing. Here at Green Beacon, 75 percent of our new clients, small and midsized as well as large companies representing a variety of industries, have chosen to implement Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online.
While Green Beacon does not strictly advocate one strategy over the other, we do believe CRM online is an option you should seriously consider. Here are 9 good reasons why:
- No on-premise hardware required. Your cloud hosting provider owns and maintains all the necessary hardware. This saves you money on the large initial investment in technology.
- Simple pay as needed pricing. Rather than paying for the software and maintenance fees, cloud based CRM will be paid for on a regularly scheduled basis and the monthly cost will include all licensing fees. Your costs will be predictable and easy to budget for.
- Reduced IT costs. Your cloud hosting provider owns and manages the server. They take care of all backups, maintenance and configuration. They do the technical part so you can just get on with your business.
- Managed databases. With on-premise implementation, your staff is responsible for your database performance and indexing. With the cloud, your cloud hosting provider takes care of monitoring performance, indexing and other aspects related to database management and optimization. They make sure that your database runs smoothly.
- No worry about backups. Your cloud hosting provider is responsible for daily backups which are available to you if you should need to restore any data.
- Always up to date. You will always have the latest version of the software available to you as your cloud hosting provider automatically and seamlessly provides updates as they are released. Typically, CRM Online updates are available first, sometimes months ahead of updates available for on-premise.
- Faster implementation. Deployment in the cloud is faster and less disruptive than on-premise implementation and requires little IT support from the customer.
- Increased security. Your cloud hosting provider is charged with maintaining the highest standards of security and they have the technology and expert staff to ensure it. For example, for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online customers, Microsoft provides 5 layers of security protection, including EU and ISO27001 standards compliance. Microsoft also offers a Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Government that is FedRAMP-compliant.
- Increased availability. Your CRM system is available anytime, anywhere there is internet access. In an increasingly mobile society, it’s reassuring to know that your business can keep running even if your office is inaccessible. This mobile availability is perhaps the most enticing feature of CRM Online.
These 9 points may address some of the questions and concerns you have had when considering your choices for CRM implementation. To learn more about CRM online options and how to determine which strategy is best for your business, download our eBook, “CRM On-Premise or Online? A Guide to Help You Decide.”
Still have questions or concerns? Contact the CRM experts at Green Beacon
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