The fastest and best traditional Customer Relations Managers were written for Windows. First, there was Packrat and Commence, then TeleMagic and GoldMine, and who can forget Symantec Act! When a customer calls, you answer the phone, look up their name, and start taking call notes within seconds.
Well, after the early days, Salesforce came along and made a multi-billion-dollar investment convincing well-heeled corporations that ponderously slow web applications could be somewhat effective at taking down customer notes. Management bought on – because they are talkers, not note-takers. The note takers of the company do not agree, which is why most salespeople no longer make notes about their customers. By tying key customer support, marketing and accounting features, Salesforce has convinced the world that CRM belongs in the cloud.
“On-premise” CRM is a self-hosted and in-house CRM alternative, as opposed to data storage in the cloud. On-premise gives you complete control over your data and is typically significantly less expensive than a cloud subscription. You have complete control and visibility over your database with its own CRM, allowing it to be entirely customized and user-specific.
Because of its high level of data security, on-premise CRM is more appealing to consumers. The in-house structure provides greater privacy and less chance for security breaches. When you can “own” your on-premise software, you have the benefit of having it on a psychical device rather than a corporate-owned cloud to which you have subscription access.
There is nothing that CRM in the Cloud does better than CRM on your PC. Here are five things that are worse:
Unstable Platforms
A Cloud-based solution is totally dependent on your PC browser and can fail any time your Chrome or Firefox browser updates. Features and systems you use every day can suddenly become unusable or disappear altogether.
A CRM on a PC is stable, and updates are in your control. Links to associated products like Outlook, Word and Excel are always available.
When a company chooses a Saas platform product, it gives up control over the key systems and related hardware to unseen third-party service providers. With on-premise CRM, the client houses and manages all components. In many cases, out-of-sight and out-of-mind mean out-of-order. Most small entrepreneurs prefer the control you can have by using a simpler local CRM solution that runs on your laptop or in your office.
Snail Speed and Refresh Delays
Cloud-based systems use multiple screens just to search for a record, with many screen taps and mouse clicks. It’s all about the platform and none about your customer. You will constantly wait for screens to refresh. Then you need to verify that the system saved the data you just typed. With on-premise CRM, you can quickly access your database regardless of your internet connection.
Software on your PC runs faster than browser-based tools. Time for yourself – when a customer calls, how fast can you get to their record in your database, taking notes about the call? A good desktop PC system can get you there in 5 seconds or less – including the data lookup. This speed ensures you are productively handling your service, and not just fighting your tools.
Complex Layers of Security Cannot Keep You Safe
With Cloud-based systems, if you miss a payment, your data is wiped out without you knowing. There’s no way to get it back. With a system on your PC, you know exactly where the data is. Backing it up and securing it is clearly in your control, and no one can take that from you.
Customer information is very sensitive and protected. Because the servers containing client information must be handled by the vendor, some businesses just do not feel comfortable with the on-demand method. With on-premise CRM, businesses can be certain that the necessary safeguards are in place to ensure that their client data does not get into the wrong hands.
Database Access is Controlled by Low Paid Contractors Half a World Away
During an AWS outage, any tool hosted on that platform might fail, leaving you unable to do your business. Google Cloud is only slightly better in security and performance. Cloud Services like AWS use dozens of internal tools, any one of them able to create one of their famous Outage disasters.
Ever Increasing Monthly Fees
With Cloud-based CRMs, there is never an end to monthly payments. If your credit card changes and you miss a payment, your data will be erased. While hundreds of staffers, contractors and overseas techs can see your data, there is no one to call and no one who can help you if it gets erased. With a PC-based CRM, your data is safe and secure on your PC, and any tech you hire can help you back it up or move it to a new PC.
Over a five-year life span, SaaS systems cost five to ten times the one-time price product they replaced. Quickbooks at $300 is now Online for $330 per year. Adobe Creative Suite for $560 is now online for $720 per year. These costs can double if you add a second user to your account, even if they log in just one time per year.
Cloud CRM Solutions
Instead of troublesome Cloud-based CRM, an on-premise solution is much more stable and affordable option. “On-premise” CRM is a self-hosted and in-house CRM alternative, as opposed to data storage in the cloud. On-premise gives you complete control over your data and is typically significantly less expensive than a cloud subscription. You have complete control and visibility over your own database with its own CRM, allowing it to be entirely customized and user-specific.
An affordable on-premise CRM option is DejaOffice. DejaOffice is a note-taking tool for your computer that syncs with your phone, making it easy to take notes, schedule follow-ups, and assign tasks. Make a shared database that everyone in your office may access. DejaOffice PC CRM is a PC-based contact management. It is more secure and quicker than web-based solutions. Using DejaOffice, you can easily keep track of all conversations, meetings, tasks, emails, and texts with your clients, vendors, and partners.
DejaOffice has the lowest pricing range, beginning at $69.95 for a one-time perpetual subscription.
Wrapping up
When data is kept in-house, you and your team will have better knowledge and access to the information you need. On-premise CRM is less expensive, and there will be no need for remote technical assistance.
When it comes to on-premise CRM, there are several solutions for varied database and user capacities. Depending on your budget and whether you want a subscription or a one-time license purchase, on-premise CRM is the ideal solution for anyone who prefers to keep their data in-house rather than on a cloud server. PC CRM is a secure and dependable choice for you and your database.