There's no doubt that the enterprise landscape has changed after the introduction of a dazzling array of cloud-based services that are now integral to the success of many organizations. From marketing to customer experience to financials/bottom line, cloud computing technology has seemingly transformed every aspect of the modern enterprise.

According to research, cloud platforms and applications were expected to be leading the IT spend, with 50 percent of all enterprises expected to integrate cloud solutions by 2017. The market that was purported to be quickest in connecting with the cloud is CRM (customer relationship management) software.

Cloud-based CRM is leading to enterprise agility by removing the deep-rooted fear that CRM installation and handling is a complex process. The IT can be worry-free when a cloud-based CRM is selected over a traditional option; the enterprise can be up and running within a day, no business case needed.

In addition, there's no sweat over hardware or server maintenance or worry about complex installations and updates - everything is done for the company integrating the software remotely. It also promotes mobility, facilitating multinational and virtual workforces to provide a scalable solution for fast-growing organizations.

Then there are the business intelligence benefits of turning to cloud CRM. It provides a complete overview of sales pipelines, email, and invoices in real-time while ensuring that company information is unified. The unification enables businesses to get insights on data related to customers, inventory, and financials.

CRMs Leading the Way

While there are a plethora of CRM solutions reshaping enterprise operations, the breakdown of Salesforce vs. Sugar CRM reveals that a few vendors have put forward solutions that make CRMs a lot more than just a simplified tracking tool. There's the Microsoft Dynamics CRM, for instance, offering one of the best workflow management and extensive automation abilities. Then there's SugarCRM that offers the benefit of free self-hosting as well as customization, suitable for organizations that are considering something similar to open source CRM.

However, a cloud CRM that could be considered as a part of a stack is often regarded as a better bet for companies, because it integrates easily with other tools and is user-friendly. Both SugarCRM and Salesforce offer great cloud CRM solutions and they're equivalent with Microsoft's offering, but when it comes to end users, the Dynamics CRM has plug-in that hooks in other Microsoft applications.

For instance, a Dynamics CRM bonus named "Web to Lead" allows an enterprise to create a contact form that can be assigned to someone on the team. That individual can then be targeted through converted leads coming from email and sales can be monitored by the company. Managing the customer lifecycle becomes a whole lot easier as a result.

The enterprise sector realizes that stand-alone solutions have little chance of success in today's fast-paced environment where flexible of adaptation is high in demand. These offerings can be easily complemented by other applications, like Microsoft Office apps, which makes them a robust choice, and there's no need for a new program to be built.

Conclusion

As your company grows, you may decide that you need more advanced modules. But it's always possible to prepare in advance with solutions that can immediately accommodate your new needs. Cloud-based CRM options will ensure you get innovative features and don't have to wait months for new programs to be written.