Who Takes the Lead? CRM Online vs CRM On-Premise

One of the most obvious, yet complicated decisions to make when considering CRM online vs. on premise is, “who will manage the system?” Yes, there are distinct advantages to having your CRM system maintained outside your own four walls. That being said, there are also a number of reasons why you would want to do the opposite. With the growing focus of cloud computing you can spend hours, even days reading about why cloud based solutions are the correct choice.

However, no two businesses are alike and with that understanding make sure to consider the following questions before making your final decision.

• Do I have existing severs or hardware I’ve already invested in?
• Will I ever have to upgrade hardware components?
• Who or how will updates to the system be installed?
• If a new version is released can I easily jump to this new system?
• Who do I call if I experience performance or functionality issues?
• Will I have the opportunity to transfer employees to different duties?
• Will some of my employees lose their jobs?
• How do I control the access to my CRM instance?
• Is the data in my CRM secure?
• What new skills might I need to learn if I deploy online? On Premise?
• What direction will the company take in 2 years? 5? 10?

These are, but a few of the questions that may be spinning around in your head when thinking about how and by whom your CRM system is managed. The challenge in implementing any piece of software is what will happen after the initial implementation. This includes everything from daily operations to the return on investment that your business is counting on.  A CRM system can truly revolutionize your business, but only if you and your team truly consider and document exactly what you want out of it. CRM Online vs CRM On-Premise, your business, your choice!