What is the best CRM system in the Google Apps Marketplace?

What is the best CRM system in the Google Apps Marketplace?

June 6th, 2010 // 2:17 am @ admin

I’ve often been asked by clients which is the best CRM system available in the Google Solutions Marketplace and how well does the Integration work with Google Apps. We decided to move the CloudSource CRM to a Google Apps integrated platform so this became a real live issue for us.

So here we go. The systems I evaluated were:

myERP.com (free for 2 users)

http://www.google.com/enterprise/marketplace/viewListing?productListingId=3488+15547342742109397516

ZOHO (free for 3 users)

http://www.google.com/enterprise/marketplace/viewListing?productListingId=2533+17854168373705313802

Insightly (free for unlimited users)

http://www.google.com/enterprise/marketplace/viewListing?productListingId=3956+15797827514936543044

The first thing to say was that the integration with Google Apps was somewhat limited in all 3 cases. All have single sign on (meaning you access them from the menu in your Google Apps screen), all allowed you to import contacts from gmail (although none allowed you to view and select the contacts by groups so this ended up not being very useful, and in adition Insightly allows you to view your tasks in your Google Apps calendar……and that’s about it!

Firstly myERP. As the name suggests this endeavours to be a mini cloud-based SAP or Oracle for small businesses. For this purpose I think it has huge potential. For a company wanting chiefly a CRM, however it is clunky and you have to go through many clicks to use the CRM. Also the business processes are mapped out ‘Visio’ style as a flow diagram and you click to drill down into them. Again I don’t think this is a particularly intuitive interface, although business process guys will love it.

Secondly Zoho. Zoho is an Indian salesforce.com clone. An initial irritation is once you register Zoho start immediately contacting you relentlessly to try to sell you the paid premium version. The screens are good and the layout mirrors very much salesforce.com with tabs across the top of the screen for Accounts, Contacts, Leads etc.. Ultimately though I found the GUI not very easy on the eye and the screen layout cluttered.

Which brings us finally to Insightly. At first glance this looks very similar to 37signals Highrise CRM product. Its very simply laid out, lacking in additional functionality or customisation but ultimately very easy to use.

So the clear winner and new CloudSource CRM system is Insightly. Free unlimited users and an uncluttered easy to use interface. Downside is a lack of customisation so if you have complete CRM requirements I would recommend Zoho. If you are looking for an ‘all in one’ solution including accounting I would say in this case choose myERP.

So there you have it. Any comments or questions please reply below.

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