3. What management, organization, and technology issues should be addressed in deciding whether to use a conventional CRM system versus a cloud-based version? Salesforce.com is the most successful enterprisescale software as a service (SaaS) and the undisputed global leader in cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) systems. Users can access Salesforce applications anywhere through an Internet-enabled mobile device or a connected computer.

Subscriptions start as low as $15 per user per month for the pared-down Group version for small sales and marketing teams, with monthly subscriptions for large enterprises ranging from $65–$250 per user.

Salesforce has over 100,000 customers. Small businesses find the on-demand model especially appealing because there are no large up-front hardware and software investments or lengthy implementations on corporate computer systems. Fireclay Tile, a 37-employee environmentally friendly sustainable tile manufacturer, adopted Salesforce and realized multiple benefits. Salesforce’s e-mail and Web-to-lead capabilities helped the company quadruple new sales leads. (Web-to-lead automatically adds leads collected from the Web to the company’s master database.) A task feature automatically generates specific tasks based on the type of lead ( architect, contractor, dealer, or homeowner) and the stage in the sales process. The system automates customer service functions including order confirmations, follow-up customer satisfaction surveys, and shipping notifications