AMR Research Unveils Head-to-Head Comparison of Top Suite CRM Vendors
With Over $1.5 Billion Per Quarter Spent on CRM-Related Applications,
Timely AMR Study Provides Guidance for Better and Faster Buying Decisions
BOSTON, Oct. 3 -- As Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
vendors promote similar messages, products, and dramatic ROI results, it
becomes difficult for end users to determine which vendor is the most
appropriate fit for their needs. The AMR Research Report, "Picking the Right
CRM Vendor: It`s More than a One Horse Race," prevents users from making
unnecessary investments, and helps them determine the suite CRM provider that
most closely aligns with their business strategies. For the first time in the
industry, AMR Research`s methodology ranks the CRM vendors according to a new,
more comprehensive standard and expands the traditional footprint of CRM to
include sell-side e-commerce.
"Companies are investing more than $1.5 billion per quarter on CRM-related
applications, and now more than ever, they want to ensure that they are
investing their dollars wisely," said Rod Johnson, Service Director, Customer
Management Strategies Practice. "The report drills down into specific
functionality strengths and weaknesses for each top suite CRM vendor,
providing users with the tools they need to determine the most appropriate fit
for their business strategy."
The study examines the CRM vendors according to AMR Research`s more
stringent definition, based on evaluating more than 150 pieces of
functionality and 19 product categories. The vendors are then ranked
according to their relative depth in marketing, sales, service, and Partner
Relationship Management (PRM) applications. Participants in the evaluation
were chosen based on two key criteria: they must have 2 percent market share
or higher, and they had to provide a suite of CRM applications vs. a point
solution. Based on these criteria, the following vendors participated:
E.piphany, Interact Commerce, Nortel Networks, Onyx, Oracle, PeopleSoft,
Pivotal, SAP, and Siebel Systems.
"Taking a "one-size-fits-all approach to CRM buying decisions will
increase risk and costs," said Joanie Rufo, Research Director, Customer
Management Strategies Practice. "Companies need to consider issues such as
technology architecture, customer references, total cost, market position, and
the user`s current infrastructure to get to a unique CRM decision."
KEY FINDINGS:
-- While Siebel is still the functional and market share leader, the ERP
vendors are finally narrowing the gap as they now offer a one-stop shop
where users can buy all their applications from the same vendor.
Essentially, this has created a four horse race between Siebel, Oracle,
PeopleSoft, and SAP.
-- The weakest functional areas for leading vendors are marketing process
management, content management, and partner relationship management.
These areas are the newest to be included in AMR Research`s broadened
definition of CRM.
-- Onyx, Pivotal, and Interact are still best suited for mid-market CRM
deployments; E.piphany for analytics and marketing deals; and Nortel
Networks for call centers and field service.
CONCLUSION:
To avoid overbuying and mismatched vendor selection, it is critical that
companies determine their best fit by focusing on usability over
functionality; total cost over price; compatibility of integration and
architecture; and equivalent customer referenceability.
METHODOLOGY:
AMR Research began the evaluation process in March, 2001. The firm
conducted extensive evaluations of each vendor, requiring response to a
detailed Request for Information survey (RFI), multiple cross-functional
customer references, and participation in a full-day briefing with AMR
Research analysts. Each vendor presented the same product demonstration,
which was role-based and outlined by AMR Research analysts. The vendors then
received a ranking of 1-5 points for each category based upon completeness of
functionality. In addition, vendors were evaluated on their core architecture
and underlying technologies. Full details on the evaluation process are
outlined in the report.
CONTACTS
Janelle Carlino
617-574-5217
jcarlino@amrresearch.com
Ingrid Seroppian
617-574-5199
iseroppian@amrresearch.com
Nikki Smith
+44.207.340.6300
nsmith@heraldcommunications.com
About AMR Research
AMR Research is a leading provider of business application and technology
research and advisory services for global organizations. The company`s
research initiatives are focused on Enterprise Commerce Management, a model
that enables clients to organize, plan, manage, and maximize disparate
investments in Enterprise Management, E-procurement, Customer Relationship
Management, Supply Chain Management, and other strategic business
applications. AMR Research, founded in 1986, is headquartered in Boston and
has research centers in London, Atlanta, and Irvine, California. More
information is available at http://www.amrresearch.com.
CONTACT: Janelle Carlino, +1-617-574-5217,
jcarlino@amrresearch.com, or Ingrid Seroppian, +1-617-574-5199,
iseroppian@amrresearch.com, or Nikki Smith, +44.207.340.6300,
nsmith@heraldcommunications.com, all for AMR Research
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