Written by   |   Nov 13 2019   |   Read 2930 times
Technology is fast becoming a mandatory requirement for all businesses, regardless of the size of the business. Whether you are running a start-up with just one person wearing many hats, or you have  1000 staff - systems and software tools have been designed to speed up processes and make your life easier.  

As a CRM software company who has been around for over 30 years, we have seen the speed at which technology has changed and we understand the difficulties that businesses face in deploying these new technologies. When it comes to enhancements and upgrades to our system, the biggest win for our customers was moving Act! CRM to a cloud-based solution.

The benefits of moving to the cloud are many. Not only can you save time and money, but your can also make life a lot easier for your employees. Here is a summary of the top 6 reasons we believe a moving your CRM to the cloud will be a good move for your business:

1. Flexibility: Work from anywhere on any device.

Get instant online access to Act! CRM solutions in the Cloud from your laptop, tablet, and mobile device. Work online for real-time access or work offline and sync changes when you next go online. 

The cloud-based solution encourages collaboration between your employees, as anyone at any time can see the updates on each customer. This flexibility encourages efficiency from employees as they can quickly and easily update communications while on the move. 

For businesses who are nationwide, or have sales teams on the road this is gold. Your employees will appreciate having a central source of information that they can tap into at any time.

2. Fast Fixes: Any updates, bug fixes are automatically installed. 

As a cloud-based solution, the Act! CRM team can deploy fixes along with produc and compatibility updates automatically. There is no need for you to install these updates on individual machines. From initial setup to ongoing software management, we take care of the technical details. Enjoy concierge service from onboarding experts that help you get started. 

With the move to the cloud, Act! CRM has a subscription-based pricing model, which also alleviates a significant upfront investment.  

3. Security: Leverage a modern, secure platform.

This benefit is often unknown with most businesses believing their data is more secure in-house. As Act! CRM is hosted on Google Cloud Platform™ in Australia,  Act! CRM solutions in the Cloud give you best-in-class security, performance, and reliability. Automatic nightly backups and recovery protect your data from loss or damage. Private Cloud options are also available. 

4. Save Money: upfront costs of costly infrastructure.

For start-up businesses, cloud-based solutions negate the need for costly infrastructures such as servers and other IT infrastructure. With Act! CRM solutions in the Cloud, you only need to plan for a fixed yearly expense, while the rest is handled for you. Unlike other CRMs that are billed in US dollars and are variable depending on the current exchange rate, with Act! you know your exact fixed rate as we bill in Australian or New Zealand dollars.

5. Adaptable and Scalable: geared for growth.

With Act! CRM cloud-based solution, you can easily scale the system in line with your business growth. Need to add additional users, increase storage, improve performance? Act! CRM solutions in the Cloud are nimble. Changes can all be handled dynamically, without disruption to your existing users.

6. Integrate easier: new standardised APIs can ensure your systems talk.

On-premise solutions can prove tricky when it comes to integrating with other systems. Not because it doesn’t have the capability, but more as a result of varying infrastructure, version control and compatibility. Act! CRM’s cloud product has all the latest standardised APIs and these integrations are a lot more seamless and stable. 

 

Cloud computing is fast becoming the new way of working for many companies. According to Forbes report 74% of Tech Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) said it is the one thing that had the most measurable impact on their business. 

Adopting a cloud CRM is not for every organisation; however, its growing acceptance does mean that avoiding the cloud is becoming increasingly difficult. Consequently, it makes sense to thoroughly investigate the potential of using a cloud services provider for applications such as Customer Relationship Management systems. Our e-book sets out some important questions to ask before getting your head in the cloud. 

Download our free eBook: Moving to a Cloud CRM Solution. It outlines 35 questions and answers to help you thoroughly investigate whether a cloud CRM solution is right for your business.

To discuss your unique situation, give us a no-obligation call on AU 1800 362 046 | NZ 0800 443 163 where we can offer you advise on the best approach.

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Michael Bryant

Michael Bryant is the Founder of Act Today. Michael’s vision for Act Today was born from his realisation of the importance of businesses having a deep and strong relationship with their customers. 

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