Open Source Delivers More Control at a Less Cost
The shift towards open source CRM is becoming evident and businesses, large and small, are making this shift for a number of reasons. Giant operations are seeing compelling proof to make this shift and the superiority of running organizations using open source is undeniable. One of these is the cost of open source. Open source CRM does not require an upfront investment that is becoming increasingly prohibitive in the current economy and its related risks. At less cost, you also have a choice among service providers and vendors thus ensuring the best pricing while not being locked out for future changes and services to the system.
Control is also a big issue, especially in large firms. A CRM system that can be written around a companys business module is preferred, not the other way round. The software should not drive the business and open source CRM is able to do that. Critics however point to the lack of robust functionality and robustness of open source CRM as opposed to closed, proprietary systems. However, assessments from the market seem to indicate otherwise. The benefits of open source CRM is not limited to large corporations and organizations as some critics of open source claim. While the complexity of open source CRM on small and medium-sized organizations is under debate, many small organizations are reaping the benefits of these systems because of their cost, control and ownership of data. I addition, these systems allow for tweaking of the code and even those who are not able to do the tweaking, benefit from those who do; that is what open source is all about.
When you compare open source and closed proprietary models, it is evident that closed CRM is in trouble. As one industry expert put it; No decision is best made blindly. No product is best defined, designed, and implemented in an information/feedback vacuum. Opening up source code means customers can place greater trust in the software they use even if they never read a single line of code, precisely because others can exercise this choice in their stead. As the advantages of open source are realized, it will become increasingly the standard to rate any system based on openness, transparency and the collaboration involved. These standards are the hallmarks of open source. With open source CRM solutions, return on investment can be realized promptly and enhance productivity through its seamless integration and automation.
