Thanks for the article. CRMs can be difficult to choose, so comparisons are helpful. I work for a SugarCRM partner and know that platform, so I can provide some knowledge from that side of the table.

SugarCRM does provide mobile web pages for use on any smart phone, it does have a workflow automation engine, and Sugar does have a thriving partner network, just like Microsoft, to help companies successfully implement their CRM.

I hope that’s helpful in better lining up the solutions for companies to make CRM decisions. Thanks.

I think you were pretty accurate on the product features side, save for one thing: SugarCRM’s commercial editions (Professional and Enterprise) do in fact offer highly robust mobile tools – all fully customizable, as well as an offline client. And, these features are provided at no extra charge, unlike some other CRM providers like Salesforce.com for example that has been known to charge up to an additional $50 per user per month for mobile access. That is more than our base cost for our entire product! (In truth, I admit I am not totally aware of MS Dynamic’s CRM mobile pricing – if it is not an included feature.)

Again, product aside, my real issue was with the depiction of SugarCRM as a CRM product that users simply by “with the push of a button.” This is simply not true. SugarCRM has a dedicated internal sales team that helps identify a prospect’s CRM needs and shape their deployment map for them as best they can – then all accounts are given a “customer advocate” that aids their successful roll out of the Sugar product.

As a CRM provider, we understand the importance of adoption and proper installation to best align your CRM software with your people and processes. We would never simply leave our customers alone on an island – so to speak – to figure it out for themselves.

To be fair, I realize a lot of outside observers find some confusion between our free and open source Community Edition and our paid editions. While we do not “support” the free editions, even those users can access a wide mosaic of support options – including our user and developer forums, our open documentation, wikis, etc. In short, we are measured by our users’ success or failure – and most of our resources are dedicated towards insuring success.

Additionally, you note the importance of having a trusted partner helping businesses get off on the right foot. At SugarCRM, we agree that in many cases, a third party with domain or product expertise can speed your time to productivity and ROI. That is why SugarCRM has built a strong partnership of nearly 300 VARS and resellers – all dedicated to insuring our users’ deployments go smoothly and provide value into the organization.

I think that we can all agree that regardless of the product or technology, CRM is about people and process first – the software is secondary. And I believe that whether you are a VAR partner like yourself selling one product, or a partner like Levementum selling SugarCRM – your business is dependent on insuring customer success. This is something I know we can all agree upon.

Mitch

As a CRM evangelist and blogger myself, I wanted to reach out regarding some of the information here in this post. Now, of course I am biased being a SugarCRM employee, but I also feel that it is my job to clarify our product features and business model when I honestly feel we are misrepresented.

I think you were pretty accurate on the product features side, save for one thing: SugarCRM’s commercial editions (Professional and Enterprise) do in fact offer highly robust mobile tools – all fully customizable, as well as an offline client. And, these features are provided at no extra charge, unlike some other CRM providers like Salesforce.com for example that has been known to charge up to an additional $50 per user per month for mobile access. That is more than our base cost for our entire product! (In truth, I admit I am not totally aware of MS Dynamic’s CRM mobile pricing – if it is not an included feature.)

Again, product aside, my real issue was with the depiction of SugarCRM as a CRM product that users simply by “with the push of a button.” This is simply not true. SugarCRM has a dedicated internal sales team that helps identify a prospect’s CRM needs and shape their deployment map for them as best they can – then all accounts are given a “customer advocate” that aids their successful roll out of the Sugar product.

As a CRM provider, we understand the importance of adoption and proper installation to best align your CRM software with your people and processes. We would never simply leave our customers alone on an island – so to speak – to figure it out for themselves.

To be fair, I realize a lot of outside observers find some confusion between our free and open source Community Edition and our paid editions. While we do not “support” the free editions, even those users can access a wide mosaic of support options – including our user and developer forums, our open documentation, wikis, etc. In short, we are measured by our users’ success or failure – and most of our resources are dedicated towards insuring success.

Additionally, you note the importance of having a trusted partner helping businesses get off on the right foot. At SugarCRM, we agree that in many cases, a third party with domain or product expertise can speed your time to productivity and ROI. That is why SugarCRM has built a strong partnership of nearly 300 VARS and resellers – all dedicated to insuring our users’ deployments go smoothly and provide value into the organization.

I think that we can all agree that regardless of the product or technology, CRM is about people and process first – the software is secondary. And I believe that whether you are a VAR partner like yourself selling one product, or a partner like Levementum selling SugarCRM – your business is dependent on insuring customer success. This is something I know we can all agree upon.