With more and more people working remotely, a CRM mobile app can help employees stay in better communication with their colleagues and customers.
Mobile phone and tablet CRM solutions allow employees to access leads and client information no matter where they are. Below are some of the mobile solutions for popular CRM applications.
Microsoft CRM Mobile App
Microsoft offers a single Microsoft Dynamics CRM plan which includes Mobile Express, a complimentary mobile browser access solution. Mobile Express works on any smartphone browser, so iPhone, Windows Phone 7, Android, and Blackberry are all supported. In addition, Microsoft has announced a partnership with CWR Mobile (more information below) in order to offer a mobile client solution.
The latest version of CWR Mobile CRM 2011 (version 5.1) is available for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone. CWR releases updates every six months, and is planning to come out with a new release in late summer/early fall of this year. As part of CWR Mobile and Microsoft’s partnership, the Q2 2012 service release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM (due out soon) will feature Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile, a new, built-in mobility solution that leverages the strengths of both companies. This Microsoft-branded solution will cost $30 per user, per month.
Resco also offers Resco Mobile CRM for Microsoft Dynamics CRM. The application is available for Windows Mobile, Windows Phone 7, iPhone, and Android. Any of these applications can be customized with Resco MobileCRM Builder (basic customizations) and Resco MobileCRM Studio (full customizations based on C# programming language). The Standard app is free to download, and the next version is planned for release in fall 2012.
MECRM and MECRM Plus by MEAPON are native applications for MS Dynamics CRM online and offline access on Android devices.
Mobile Edge by iEnterprises is another application for MS Dynamics CRM access that is available for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry.
Salesforce CRM Mobile App
Salesforce offers two mobile apps for its CRM customers:
Chatter Mobile – Chatter helps team members collaborate through the use of a real-time updates feed. The Chatter Mobile app allows users to post updates, follow updates, upload photos, and immediately access Salesforce records while they are on-the-go. Users can email, call, or even text any of their Salesforce contacts. The app will be available for many devices, including iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, and various tablets.
Salesforce Mobile – There are two types of Salesforce Mobile apps: one for the Sales Cloud and one for the Service Cloud. Keep on selling outside the office with the Sales Cloud app. This app allows users to log calls, respond to leads, access opportunities and dashboards, and much more. The Service Cloud app helps managers work with field service teams through their mobiles. Employees can manage cases and schedule operations remotely. Both apps are available for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android.
Both Chatter Mobile and Salesforce Mobile include Chatter capability.
Salesforce Mobile Lite service is available at no additional charge for any customer with a Salesforce license, no matter what the edition. Full Salesforce Mobile Service comes free for Salesforce CRM Unlimited Edition customers. Professional Edition and Enterprise Edition customers can buy mobile licenses as an add-on, or they can upgrade to Unlimited Edition to get full Mobile Service for free. (In this case, they will also receive unlimited custom apps, Force.com’s sandbox, and other features specific to the Unlimited Edition). Here is a detailed comparison (PDF) of Mobile Lite Service and full Mobile Service.
Salesforce Touch – is a beta mobile application that is designed to seamlessly work on desktop/laptop, smartphone, and tablet CRM solutions in both online and offline modes. Users will have up-to-date CRM information no matter which device they are using. Regardless of the mobile device someone is using, they will always view the same, optimized-for-mobile interface. The app will be compatible with all smartphones and tablets.
Sugar CRM Mobile Options
Sugar has 3 different mobile apps: Sugar Mobile, Sugar Mobile Plus, and Sugar Mobile Browser. Sugar Mobile allows users to access Sugar from a smartphone and is included with all Sugar CRM subscriptions. With Sugar Mobile Plus, users can access Sugar from their smartphone, and the app has offline sync capabilites. The app saves a copy of the CRM data on the mobile device, and is included with Sugar Corporate, Sugar Enterprise, and Sugar Ultimate subscriptions. Sugar Mobile Browser allows users to access Sugar from within their smartphone browser. It is included with all Sugar CRM subscriptions.
Sage CRM Mobile Offering
Sage CRM Professional includes mobile capability for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry.
Oracle CRM Mobile App
Oracle CRM On Demand and Oracle Fusion CRM include mobile service for iPhone and BlackBerry at an additional fee.
Take note of the mobile devices that are most popular with employees and choose the solution that fits. The more comfortable they are with the application, the more apt they are to use it. It is likely that the CRM system that your organization is currently using has a mobile solution. Contact your CRM consultant to learn more about the right CRM mobile app solution.
