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CRM Developer Profile

This is where I try to get to know who you are, where you are coming from and exactly what you are trying to bring to the CRM market. Please, don't approach this as yet another mindless vendor questionnaire to fill out. Too often, that results in mindless replies! Instead, please realize that these are exactly the same questions I would ask you were I to travel to your office and discuss these important points over a cup of coffee with you!

First, let's get this factual information down for the record. Note: This is NOT a form. Just save this info to your favorite editor and email your reply to me!

Please make sure that I have a complete working copy (Including full documentation, please!) of this version!

THE COMPANY

In this section, I want to provide a complete background on your company history so that our readers will have a clear vision of where your company originated and precisely what contribution you see yourself bringing to the CRM market. Topics to discuss include:

1. When was your company founded? What is the background of your company founders?

2. Why was your company founded? With all the companies currently pursuing customer relationship management, what unique vision or capabilities are you bringing to the field?

3. Financial Issues Our readers are concerned, what is the financial viability of the vendor?

4. If privately held, Please provide details on investors and rounds of venture capital raised to date.

5. If publicly held, please also send me your latest annual report, 10K, or any other publicly available financial information.

6. Key Financial Ratios: What is your R&D investment as a percent of revenues? What is your sales & marketing investment as a percent of revenues? What is your current revenue per employee?

7. How many employees do you have in your company?

8. Management Team:  Please detail the background of key members of your management team

9. Board of Directors or Advisors: Please detail the background of key members of your board

PRODUCT LINE

In this section, I want to provide some insight into the other products you offer and the customers you currently serve.

1. What other products or services do you offer?

2. Please clarify how the product under review fits into your overall product line.

3. Customer base information including: What was the year of your first installation? How many total companies use your system? How many total users use your system? How many users are in your average installation? How many users are in your largest installed site? 

4. Please provide your own list of key customers.

TARGET MARKET

This is where I like to offer readers YOUR view on YOUR product! This is the one of the most important parts of your response. So, please put some careful thought into this section. Topics to discuss include:  

1. What do you want our readers to know about this product? What specific problems in customer relationship management does this product solve?
2. Who is your Target market? Briefly discuss who you are selling your product or service to. What industry is it? According to your research, how large is this market?
3. What types of companies will benefit most from using your product? What types of sales cycles will benefit most from using your product? Who do you think this product will help most?
4. What is your competitive advantage? Why do you think you have an advantage over the competition? Do you have a better distribution channel? Key partners? Proprietary technology?
5. What do you really think you are bringing to the CRM market?
6. What are the unique capabilities of this product? What are your unique selling propositions? What are the real benefits of these features?
7. Who is your competition? Don’t have any? Think again. Briefly discuss who they are and what they have accomplished. Successful competition is an advantage – they prove your business model or concept can work.
8. Finally (and most importantly!), how does your product actually help people take better care of their customers? How does your product actually help people sell more?

When I use this information, I usually set it up as a direct quote. So, please clarify the exact name and title for the person to quote. Then, please speak your mind!/o:p>

I urge you to take advantage of this unique opportunity to deliver your marketing message to a group of highly qualified prospects!!!

PRICING

In this section, I try to give readers a reliable estimate of the investment required to acquire your product. If you have a page on your web site that discusses your pricing, feel free to just point me to that page.

I do NOT want to know all of your pricing secrets! I just want to give people a good idea of the investment required if they want to consider your CRM solution. I feel that this is essential to help people make meaningful (apples-to-apples) comparisons.

Please use quantities (for example: 1-user, 5-user, 10-user, 20-user, 50-user, 100-user) that are representative of your target market. Then, please detail the software and services included in these prices.

If your solution is hosted (SaaS) please use the above guidelines to estimate typical monthly fees.

Then, please discuss the following issues, as appropriate for your solution:

1. Please detail the price of all Optional components

2. Please detail the levels and prices of your optional support plans

3. What do you recommend people budget for initial customization and implementation of your system?

4. Very important issue, based on your model for doing business, what is the minimum number of seats required to practically implement your system?

5. Are there any other pricing issues that should be discussed here?

6. Where can your system be purchased? Directly from your own sales force? VAR’s? Retail distribution?

7. If sold through VARs, what training or qualification procedures do you require for someone to qualify as a VAR?

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