Free CRM system in the company
Many people are eager to take advantage of free copies, even if they are only samples or heavily truncated versions. Who among us has never been tempted by a tasting chocolate or a trial version of software? On the other hand – some consumers believe that “free” as a rule means “weaker” and their gratuitousness makes up for the shortcomings. What is it really like and is it worth choosing a free CRM system?
The word “free” like a magnet for consumers
The magic of the slogan “free” is evident in almost every area of commerce, regardless of the industry. A 1.35-liter beverage sells much better when labeled “1 l + 300 ml free!”. We are also more willing to choose a product in three pieces when we see the sign “take two, get the third one free!”. Examples could be multiplied endlessly, as could be cited studies on this sales procedure, but that is not the point of this article. We consciously write about “almost every” rather than “every” area of commerce, as an interesting relationship can be observed in the software issue. Here, consumers seem to trust paid products with a free trial period or a freemium variant (free installation, payment per functionality) more. In products that are completely free, the consumer looks for deception, after all, it is not why the programmer spends his time to make the fruits of his labor available for free. This approach is particularly noticeable in the B2B area, yet there are still free CRM systems on the market. Although they are relatively few in number, they can nevertheless be easily found on the Internet and installed at no charge.
Free CRM system – advantages and disadvantages
Undoubtedly, the biggest advantage of free CRM systems is that they are free of charge. For start-ups or nonprofit organizations, this is an especially important issue when every penny is at a premium. Another issue that can be recognized as an advantage is the open source access to the program. This means that you download the program and use it like a typical application, without having to access the Internet. So much for the advantages, time for the list of disadvantages, which turns out to be overwhelming. The most important disadvantage is the limitations of a free CRM system. A completely free CRM in most cases turns out to be at best a combination of a calendar, a kanban board and a severely limited contact book. In theory, the free freemium variants usually work on the principle of “you get 20 contact slots from us for free, but if you pay 20 zloty a month, you get another 50 slots.” By adding a few such paid options, it quickly becomes apparent that, in theory, a “free” CRM becomes much more expensive than a classic paid or subscription CRM. An equally significant drawback is that free CRM systems are not further developed, patched or support is not available for it. The system becomes abandonware – in case of problems you will be left alone with them.
CRM system with free trial period
It is one thing to have a free CRM system, which generally evokes mixed feelings, and another to have a CRM system with a free trial period. The second option means that ultimately there are fees associated with the product, most often as a subscription. However, in order for the consumer to make an informed decision and see the benefits of a product, a trial period is made available. As a rule, it is 7, less often 14 days, during which the user can use all the options provided by the developers. On the one hand, it allows you to determine whether a particular program meets your expectations and meets the needs of your organization. On the other hand – if the developers offer various subscription plans – the user can consciously decide whether he needs the full suite of tools or prefers a cheaper version without some of the amenities. Such a solution is offered by our CRM system SalesWizard, providing free of charge seven-day trial period. There are no obligations or hidden fees; you don’t want to use the system – you cancel your subscription. Throughout the cooperation – including the trial period – you can be assisted by fast-response support.
Is it worth choosing a free CRM system?
The answer to this question in 99 out of 100 cases will be “no.” This one case will be companies on the verge of bankruptcy, for which any further expense could mean the definitive end of business. Other organizations-including start-ups or foundations-should choose the capacity CRM system without restrictions. A paid CRM system is all about clear and predictable costs that can be easily budgeted. The risk is eliminated from the freemium model, in which selecting more and more facilities results in a horrendously high final fee. The transaction process itself is fair – the consumer is not buying a pig in a poke, as a free trial period allows them to familiarize themselves with the system. Also important is the aspect of continuous development and improvement of CRM performance, which is guaranteed with paid applications. What’s more, some of the developers are providing more than the CRM itself – it’s also a website builder, an online quoting tool or in-house store management like an ERP system. The SalesWizard CRM system is a guarantee that every zloty spent will pay off in the form of faster, more convenient and more efficient work for the entire organization.
