Despite such dangers, there is value in exploring the cream of the CRM crop and determining what makes one application better than another -- or, even, the best in the field.

With CRM, as with many other types of applications, what is "best" is often a matter of company need and specific vendor features. In other words, the best CRM software for General Motors might not be the best for John's Motors down the block.

With that in mind, here is a roundup of top-performing CRM applications in three main categories: large enterprise tools, small business favorites, and hosted options.

Enterprise Class

Large, multinational companies have copious needs when it comes to CRM. In addition to connecting thousands of employees with hundreds of thousands -- or even millions -- of customers, CRM tools must integrate with multiple systems, work in several languages, and bring together numerous divisions of an enterprise.

Toward that end, both SAP and Siebel excel, each carrying its own particular strengths that make it a "best of" for a large company.

SAP, in particular, had a good year in 2005 and gained significant traction in the marketplace. For global organizations wanting a stable firm that will not get eaten by Oracle or become lost in the sector's recent consolidation plays, SAP stands out.

This year, the company had several things going for it, including a boost in research and development, realignment of its management structure, and the creation of a joint effort with Intel that makes radio frequency identification (RFID) easier to use.

Where SAP especially shines is with its focus on bringing services-oriented architecture (SOA) to the mainstream. Ori Inbar, vice president of marketing for SAP NetWeaver, said the company has focused on creating an SOA offering that is more business-driven than what other technology companies might offer.

SAP's Enterprise Services Architecture Adoption Program is based on the NetWeaver application and integration platform, and seeks to help customers transition to an SOA without negatively affecting existing systems. (continued...)

1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7  |  Next Page >