In-Depth CRM Review

     Anteil Open Source CRM

 Anteil, Inc.
160 S. Progress Avenue, Suite 3D
Harrisburg, PA 17109

 

About the Company:

Anteil is dedicated to helping customers accelerate their business success through CRM software solutions that are based on open source. Anteil began with a relationship between its key consultants and VA Linux Systems, Inc., a leading provider of integrated Linux solutions, including systems, software and service.

VA Linux met with Jim Capp in October 1999 to discuss the design and implementation of a fully integrated CRM system that would include sales analysis, tracking, forecasting, and other capabilities. Capp and his team of consultants were also asked to provide technical support and other development services.

VA Linux was attracted by the CRM solution because it was based on Linux, an open-source platform, and offered a robust Internet architecture. In addition, they appreciated the consultants' understanding of the benefits and development of open source, as well as their ability to provide full service for the application, from installation to support to add-ons. The application is working with both Baan and Oracle environments.

The successful deployment of the VA Linux application led Mr. Capp to the launch of a new company, Anteil. VA Linux remains a customer of the new Anteil, as well as a strategic partner.

About the Product:

Anteil offers open-source CRM software solutions designed to help you better identify, attract, retain, service and support customers--ultimately increasing your competitive position and profitability. Employing full Web architecture, this open-source solution is available at no cost and is a fast and easy way for your company to implement a basic CRM application. At the same time, it gives programmers a head start in developing a more customized solution.

Technical Information

The heart of open-source CRM software from Anteil is a set of database tables designed to capture and manage relationships. An object-oriented approach to table design has resulted in a small set of universally applicable containers, such as people, organizations, opportunities and events. A three-layer architecture provides flexibility to adapt to differing organizations' computing environments, business logic and presentation. The applications are purely Web-based, making it possible to deploy in any intranet or Internet environment.

The relational structure is insulated from the database storage product through an abstraction layer. This permits the flexibility to use a variety of relational database management systems using the same code base. Also, the abstraction layer provides near-instantaneous transaction level data replication to multiple servers distributed in a wide-area-network (WAN) or in a local cluster of servers.

The business logic is implemented primarily PHP, but nearly any language may be incorporated through the Common Gateway Interface (CGI). Application Programming Interfaces exist for C/C++, PHP and the UNIX programming environment.

The presentation layer is HTML/XML, using JavaScript for validation and navigation where browser compatibility is ensured.

The system platform is comprised of the Linux O/S and the Apache Web Server, the most popular Web server on the Internet.

Features

Anteil open-source CRM software offers a variety of basic features to help any business manage and improve its customer relationships:

• Consolidated account information
• Contact manager
• Sales opportunity manager
• Campaign manager
• Event manager
• Consolidated marketing materials
• Corporate communications
• Calendars
• Sales forecasting system
• High-level security

Benefits

• Internet Architecture.
  The same technology that fuels the Internet fuels the open-source CRM software. Using full Web architecture, it consists of three layers: a presentation layer, a business logic layer and a modular database interface layer.
• Browser-based Interface.
  Open-source CRM software is accessible through any Internet browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape, so it's easy to use with little or no training. It is quickly and widely accepted by Internet novices and experts alike.

Price:

 For pricing details, please contact the company directly.

Rich's View:

This review is undergoing a major update and should

 be available real soon now!

Short List:

If you are considering this program, you should also look at these other CRM solutions:

Rich's Recommended Web Sites

Jim Cecil's Nurture Marketing site

http://www.nurturemarketing.com/

Nurture Institute

http://www.nurtureinstitute.com/

Rich's Recommended Reading List