Book Image

Implementing SugarCRM 5.x

Book Image

Implementing SugarCRM 5.x

Overview of this book

SugarCRM is a popular customer relationship management system. It is an ideal way for small-medium business to try out a CRM system without committing large sums of money. Although SugarCRM is carefully designed for ease of use, attaining measurable business gains requires careful planning and research. This book will give you all the information you need to start using this powerful CRM system. It is the definitive guide to implementing SugarCRM. Whether you are wondering exactly what benefits CRM can bring or you have already learned about CRM systems but have yet to implement one or you're working with SugarCRM already, this book will show you how to get maximum benefit from this exciting product. It demonstrates how to install SugarCRM and also how to get the most out of it by customizing it and integrating CRM into your organization as per your needs. Focused on the needs of the enterprise, this book provides a solution-driven approach for both business and IT specialists to get the most from this powerful and popular Open Source application. It begins with a general discussion about CRM. You will then learn the benefits of such systems, and then explore SugarCRM and its unique value. You will then go through the guidelines for installing and making deployment selections that are set out alongside information for identifying, planning, and applying customizations. Training guidelines and ongoing administrative tasks will be discussed as you progress further into the book. A brief overview of SugarCRM 6.0 is provided at the end of the book.
Table of Contents (19 chapters)
Implementing SugarCRM 5.x
Credits
About the Authors
About the Reviewer
Preface

It takes a team to win


As we saw earlier in the chapter, a CRM implementation needs the involvement of an entire team of participants. Yes, the executive sponsor and the project manager are of particular importance, but each person or group representing the team is important, and must be continually involved in the process from the beginning till the end.

This continual involvement, coupled with the ongoing effective and frequent communications between all team members, is the one thing that all successful CRM implementations have in common.

Like the introduction of any new business initiative, people know when they are truly involved, or just being invited to meetings guided by an elite few in an attempt to win their cooperation.

The team members who are in management positions should typically be involved in the odd pre-meeting meeting to ensure that they are familiar with a specific CRM system, or a solution to a business problem, in advance. They can then back it up in front of the whole...