Open-Source CRM Zurmo Ships Version 1.0
Developers of the Zurmo Open Source Customer Relationship Management application today announced the general availability release of Zurmo Version 1.0.
Built-in gaming mechanics incentivize users to follow CRM best practices and aim to make the application more enjoyable than traditional CRM systems. Co-workers engage in friendly competition with one another and receive points and badges for categories such as creating new business, managing time effectively, and using the system for internal communication rather than email.
Zurmo is equipped to fully handle internal social CRM functionality. Social Feeds serve as a central stage where users can tout their accomplishments, make announcements, and solicit advice from co-workers. Social Conversations are more for sensitive communication where access is limited to relevant participants. Zurmo Social CRM is intended to severely cut back on internal email communication so that users can spend more time interfacing with customers.
Zurmo helps users get their job done through complete sales force automation, activity management, email tools for communicating with customers, and more.
Additional enterprise-class functionality will be added to the Zurmo Open Source product with the upcoming release of Zurmo 1.5. Features include workflow, reporting, mobile access, and email marketing.
"In 2002, 47 percent of CRM implementations failed, and today that statistic remains the same. The total lack of progress in our industry to improve this number is pathetic. We believe in CRM, but users continue to perceive it as a clunky, burdensome tool that wastes their time and only provides value to management. This space needs a major disruption, and user adoption needs to be the focus," said Zurmo Co-Founder Ray Stoeckicht, in a statement.