Infor CRM vs. Oracle Siebel Enterprise Marketing Suite (discontinued)

If you have a mobile workforce, it likely wouldn't be as appropriate (keep in mind we're using the desktop client, and have very limited experience with the web app). It is well suited if your business needs lots of custom processes- find a good vendor. We utilize SimpleSoft out of Ohio, and they have been excellent. Key question: think about where your business is going to be in 5-10 years, and will this CRM solution be able to grow with us?

Incentivized

If you need a hosted rather than cloud based CRM, Siebel is a consideration. It's best suited to organizations with a large customer database. Given the complexity involved you need at least two full time marketing analysts.The email marketing functionality isn't core to the offering and most organizations would be much better served by cloud based email systems. Siebel offers a very comprehensive feature set and is powerful in the hands of a super user. However, given the costs involved in upgrading a hosted solution I would put serious effort into convincing your decision makers to go for a cloud based CRM instead.

Incentivized

• Saleslogix functionality can be managed to a very granular level for each individual using it. Within the users profile you can restrict access to modules, remove write permission, remove export privileges, etc.
• Saleslogix has one of the best sync engines I have ever seen. If you allow your outside sales reps to have their own database, they can modify customer record while off line and when they do have internet access they can sync changes in both directions. This functionality works great when you have inside and outside sales staff covering the same territory.
• Saleslogix can be customized using Visual Basic Code syntax. This is a positive aspect as well as a negative. Our existing Saleslogix is so customized that if we were to upgrade to 8.0 it would cost us over $20k to redo some of the customizations. Upgrades are frequently incompatible with customizations.

• Siebel EMS offered useful customer insight and more effective dialogue with recipients by delivering the right message to the right customer at the right time.
• Siebel EMS was very effective for loyalty lifecycle and retention by seamlessly integrating with marketing and CRM platforms.
• Siebel EMS was instrumental in aligning marketing, sales and analytics divisions.

Incentivized

• InforCRM has made dramatic improvements in the web client though in some cases it has been painfully slow to get the most needed things updated. An example is the slow speed of the web client. The newest update is supposed to fix this.
• The web client does not autosave, so users have to remember to hit the 'save' button at each screen. This is the biggest complaint of users going from the desktop client to the web client.
• I personally would like to see data panes (account, contact, etc.) with the capability to set up a different view for each team and/or security level that would access the data.

Incentivized

• Oracle Siebel Marketing Suite's processing time is not as fast as I would expect it to be. This is the major improvement I would like to see in it.
• It requires a very high level of training being given to the employees for configuring and implementing it in the business needs.
• Expert employees are needed in order to understand the functionality of Oracle Siebel Enterprise Marketing Suite, which is not easy to find.

Incentivized

Because we've already made the investment in the original on-premise version, the cost per user is relatively low. The product has grown with us and we can now choose a LAN or Web client version and host the site internally, giving us total control of our data. The iPhone and iPad versions allow the sales team quick access in the field and the voice-to-text option is quite handy. SalesLogix doesn't require that our technology stack be constantly up to date which again, keeps our cost down. They are always making enhancements to the product and we can choose to update/upgrade when those enhancements appeal to us enough to justify adding the service pack.

A very conservative data security policy limits the organization to a hosted solution. At particular issue is the tendency of cloud based CRMs to have data centres based in the US, a major issue for Canadian consumers. Once you have integrated a system of this size and complexity, and have the staff resources to utilize it effectively, it's hard to justify a move to an alternative. Consider Siebel if you are a conservatively run organization with a large database of customers and a big marketing team

Incentivized

It can be a bit slow at times. Its that refresh don't always need to refresh slowing down the user.

Incentivized

We utilize the support of a local-ish vendor. SimpleSoft is their name. they are great, and very responsive

Incentivized

We selected INFOR CRM over Salesforce simply because it was affordable and didn't have so many 'bells & whistles' that Salesforce has that we were not using. We didn't realize that the compatibility with upgrades were going to be such an issue.

Incentivized

Salesforce is easier to use and more open source and available for external integrations.

Incentivized

• It's a CRM, so using a CRM as opposed to not using one is typically a step in the right direction.
• Slightly lower TCO than other CRMs.
• Complete end-to-end workflows allow you to quantify and analyze every step in the business process, leading to improved efficiency.

Incentivized

• It has increased the business tactics as we have added more clients who wish to use this technology.

Incentivized