Specialized CRM ASPs

Here I would like to make a distinction between ASPs that host “traditional” packaged CRM solutions (e.g., Pivotal, Onyx) and “next-generation” Web services vendors that have developed their CRM solutions specifically for the hosting model (e.g., UpShot, Salesforce.com, Salesnet).

CrystalWare

CrystalWare was formed as a software development and professional services provider. The company expanded into providing ASP offerings and today provides a suite of CRM applications for small to mid-sized enterprises via the Internet.

CrystalWare has developed CRM applications like several of the other specialized CRM ASPs.

eLoyalty

eLoyalty is a systems integration company and ASP that has 900 employees working from offices in North America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Australia.

Their CRM ASP offering provides browser-based access to eLoyalty's customer contact technologies, Loyalty Foundation. The company allows companies to rent or lease access to applications that automate marketing, sales, and customer service.

Onyx

Onyx is a “traditional” packaged CRM solution that offers functionality in CRM such as contact, account, sales, time, marketing, and lead management. The Onyx CRM application is Web-based and sold on a license to customers.

Pivotal

Pivotal is another “traditional” packaged CRM solution with tight integration to Microsoft products to the front and back office. The Pivotal CRM application provides comprehensive CRM functionality to its users. Although the software is generally sold on a licensed model to customers, Pivotal does offer its CRM application on the ASP model via a third-party ASP provider, Interpath. Interpath can host the Pivotal CRM application and offer the ASP option to Pivotal customers who desire use of the ASP model.

Salesforce.com

The Salesforce.com business model is to provide a comprehensive CRM application that can be used to get a sales organization running in days at a monthly rate of $50 per salesperson per month.

The online application provides forecasts by employee, contact, account management, and reporting.

Founded in March 1999 by a former Oracle executive, Marc Benioff, Salesforce.com has put together a well-known management team and board of directors with Larry Ellison (Oracle CEO) as one of the board members.

Salesnet

Salesnet is a Web-based CRM ASP that offers salesforce automation tools, including account and contact management, forecasting, and reporting, primarily to small companies. The company has also entered into agreements with business content and service providers, including Dow Jones & Co. and Hoover's Inc. The site provides support for personal digital assistants and scheduling tools such as MS Outlook. Import tools for ACT and GoldMine are also integrated into the site. Pricing for these services is $49.95 per month per user.

UpShot

This is one more site that is in competition for the sales professional. UpShot has teamed with WebEx to provide Web conferencing, and focuses more on the individual user.

Xchange

Xchange's software provides market analytics for effective customer/market segment targeting. The Xchange 8 package enables users to analyze the profitability of each customer and identify profitable opportunities. The Xchange 8 package is designed to complement the analytical capabilities of traditional CRM software packages such as Siebel, PeopleSoft, Onyx, Pivotal, etc. Xchange 8 includes ASP components such as the e-messaging ASP component, which provides plug-ins to e-messaging applications that facilitate personalized outbound online communications from the sales staff to customers for marketing purposes.