Because of the internet, the threshold for powerful customer relationship management (CRM) tools has lowered sparking the imaginations of enterprising executives, the head of Oracle’s CRM On Demand product told Siliconrepublic.com.
Daryn Mason, senior director for Oracle’s CRM On Demand product, said that the simple expedient of being able to go online and download software-as-a-service and pay by credit card is proving a boon for smaller organisations as well as executives in larger firms looking for mission critical tools.
“Basically, the entry threshold for really good CRM has dropped and for small SOHO businesses or an SMB it is well within reach,” Mason said, adding that the typical cost of Oracle’s On Demand CRM suite is US$70 – less than a typical monthly mobile bill.
Mason was speaking at the launch yesterday of Oracle CRM On Demand Release 17, the latest release of Oracle’s industry-leading on-demand service that continues Oracle’s commitment to CRM innovation, introduces extensive forecasting and analytics capabilities to gain more actionable insight and increase productivity.
About Oracle CRM On Demand Release 17
New forecasting capabilities in Oracle CRM On Demand Release 17 include flexible fiscal calendars for more productive business operations, the ability to perform both revenue and product quantity forecasting, and real-time information comparisons against current and historical forecasts for proactive pipeline management.
“Buyers are looking to dramatically lower the cost of ownership and we are finding as much demand in the enterprise space for this, too. It’s across the board, really.”
Mason said that Oracle has fully embraced the on demand model which he says compliments the software giant’s traditional business among large financial and public-sector enterprises.
“Another interesting trend we’re seeing is the increasing popularity of hybrid approaches to software. Some of the functions would remain on premise but would mix with SaaS-based salesforce automation tools. Most salesforces would use Lite versions of the software in the field. We’re seeing people start to mix and match a lot more.”
By John Kennedy
