Which is Your Favorite CRM, and Why?

Rajesh Shirsagar
Rajesh Shirsagar
Fourth Anniversary Participant Facilitator 1
in Blackbaud Altru® General Discussions

Which is your favorite CRM, and why? What features do you like best in a CRM?

Comments

  • Faith Murray
    Faith Murray
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 First Reply Name Dropper
    Oh, this is a toughie! Especially for people like me, who have seen a lot of bad/mediocre database systems, but not very many good ones. In learning from the bad/mediocre systems, I guess what I would say I value most is user control and data integrity safeguards.


    In some databases I have dipped my fingers into, the user cannot create new fields (attributes) or reports, and must rely on going back to the database designer to provide this service. In one small, custom database, the client could not even export their own complete constituent file. In speaking with the database designers, I was told that they didn't feel most users wanted or needed that level of empowerment. Personally, I felt harried having to schedule a consultation with the company just to get the right output fields that I wanted, and debate data philosophies with them.


    As far as data integrity safeguards, this involves "fuzzy search criteria", detailed query options, and duplicate management processes to avoid poor data entry into the database. I worked with an affiliate about 7 years ago, who had contracted a custom-designed database for their retreat center. When I outputted their constituent file, they had one constituent entered in there 27 times without being aware of it.


    One of our sister monasteries uses a database that is fine, I suppose, for a large direct mail fundraising system.... it outputs mailing lists quickly and is fairly lean. But it lacks user customization, and it also lacks customized modules for major gifts or memberships, alumni, wealth screening services, or other built-in one-on-one fundraising applications.


    Perhaps some of the other big names out there, like Bloomerang or DonorPerfect might give BB a run for their money, but I haven't tried them. I've had so many appalling run-ins with mediocrity that I am happy keeping what works so well for us! And I've read a number of review articles like this one that puts RE in the top 10, so I feel validated that others share a similar experience. ☺



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