Today's workforce is more mobile than ever before. Whether employees travel, work in the field, or work from home, they need reliable, always-on access to the same CRM information and productivity tools their office-based colleagues use. But many SaaS CRM vendors are functioning under the idea that "mobility" is simply a matter of providing access to an application through a Web browser. In reality, any CRM tool designed to serve a dynamic workforce must satisfy three major requirements that a less mature SaaS solution may not be able to satisfy:
- Online and Offline Access. As any seasoned sales professional knows, mobile connectivity has a way of disappearing at the worst possible times. "Workers require anywhere access and need to be productive whether they have network connectivity or not," says Larry Ritter, SVP and General Manager for CRM Applications at Sage. An effective mobile CRM solution solves this problem through the ability to download, cache, and synchronize data for offline use. Offline access, however, is a relatively new feature in many SaaS products, and more established CRM vendors tend to offer more functional - and more reliable offline capabilities.
- An Appropriate User Experience Across Various Devices. Remote workers rarely access data in their CRM system using a single device. Instead, they likely want to seamlessly switch between PCs, laptops, and mobile devices to access the same data. A successful CRM solution will offer a familiar and situationally relevant user experience across various platforms and devices - allowing workers to focus on customers rather than struggling with user interfaces and feature sets. At the same time, the solution must adapt to the unique nuances and limitations of each particular device. "If users are working from a smartphone, screen real estate is precious," Ritter states. "So workers need just the relevant capabilities to perform specific tasks. They also require contemporary device support and a native user experience that is consistent with the way they use other applications on a device."
- Reliable Security. A laptop or other mobile device is far more likely to get lost or stolen than a traditional desktop PC. Also, because data breaches can permanently damage a company's reputation, in addition to creating serious legal consequences, it is therefore essential that a CRM solution protect sensitive customer data through the use of encryption, remote management and remote-disable features.
Whatever the choice-on-premise or on-demand-the solution should provide remote workers with the same features, security, and productivity benefits that are available to on-site workers. It is essential to keep today's dynamic workforce engaged and productive, no matter where or when they work - and that means providing them with a CRM solution that is up to the task.
Can a CRM Solution Keep a Company's Data Secure?