To connect to an external CRM application, or not to connect: that is the question. Or rather: it would be if other ERP systems had native, integrated CRM functionality. The fact that Acumatica has an integrated CRM module already sets it apart from other systems, but the robustness of features is what is truly impressive.

Customer Relationship Management software, or CRM as we all know it, is a tool designed to help organizations view a complete picture of all customer interactions and history, keep track of sales, follow leads and opportunities through the customer journey, and facilitate collaboration between various teams. Many can even manage marketing activities like email campaigns.

Acumatica’s Integrated CRM

There is a clear theme emerging in our blog series: Acumatica is a true end-to-end connected platform. The benefits of that warrant repeating: everyone in the company is relying on the single source of truth. All the data is in a single place, updated in real-time, and accessible to everyone who needs it. This blog will look at the SSOT a slightly different way: let’s call it the “same sheet of music.”

If a band is playing a set, they need to be working from the same sheet of music. The keyboardist can’t be in the key of A, while the guitar is in B flat.

Watch how easy the quote-to-cash process is using Acumatica CRM here!

Syncing Accounting and Sales

When different departments are controlling their data in disparate systems, it’s like Accounting is in A, and Sales is in B flat. Both departments need to coordinate with each other to be in harmony. The systems are designed to sync, but that is a manual process and can’t happen constantly. So how frequently do you sync?

What is the real-time “truth”? If Accounting changes the address on their side, do you need to override the external CRM? Can your salesperson access the credit check? What if when the salesperson is on site, the customer requests a change to their records? Accounting isn’t privy to it until the sync. The changes each make affect each other. They need to be reading from the same sheet of music.

Features of an Integrated CRM

There are plenty of independent CRM software solutions out there, ranging from free to pricey, from simple to robust, one-off solutions to comprehensive customer journey management. It’s easy to see why they work: that is ALL the company does. They’re able to swiftly adapt to customer’s needs and deliver granular changes and updates. How does an integrated CRM compare?

Without sugar-coating it: external CRM applications are more robust. They provide far more bells and whistles than any integrated CRM could hope for. A veritable symphony of features.

But ask yourself: do you need an entire orchestra to play your song?

Acumatica CRM vs. Salesforce

A long-time Sage client of ours upgraded to Acumatica. During the process, they brought in a new sales executive who had used Salesforce at his previous company. He sang the praises of the popular CRM and during implementation was known to repeat “I used to do X in Salesforce, and we need it!”

As the CAL Business Solutions team worked with him, we were able to identify exactly what it was that he “had to have,” and found that Acumatica was able to do all of it.

Sure, Salesforce is an orchestra of features; but if you only need a 4-piece band, you paid for most an entire orchestra to sit there idly.

Salesforce can build a huge robust set of features because they don’t HAVE to take your other business processes into account. It doesn’t matter to them what your Accounting department needs, or your Shipping department, or your warehouse. Acumatica CRM works with those departments, playing the same song in the same key. No discordance, no multiple versions of the truth.

Acumatica CRM has the features your company needs on a day-to-day basis, working seamlessly in real time in the same database. That is what end-to-end connectivity means, and it’s a beautiful tune. Simply contact CAL Business Solutions, request what you want, and we’ll compose the perfect solution with Acumatica.

By CAL Business Solutions, Acumatica and Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner, www.calszone.com