The CRM Value Proposition
Why should a company implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application when it already has contact management software? The truth is that if CRM offered only an enhancement of contact management functionality then one would be hard-pressed to find valid rationales for investing in it, but CRM is much more. And the value it adds can contribute significantly to a company’s profitability.
The Case for CRM on IBM System i, iSeries or AS/400
Here’s the scenario: You’ve determined that implementing a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application will deliver a significant return on investment. Now you have to make a decision. Where should the CRM run? Should you opt for a Software as a Service (SaaS) offering because you won’t need to incur up-front capital costs to buy a CRM software license? Or should you run the application in-house and choose a Windows-based CRM because the required hardware is relatively inexpensive and widely used? The answer to both of these questions is probably “no,” particularly if IBM i is your company’s primary business application operating system.
