As Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software continues to increase in popularity, the challenge to integrate these systems with other enterprise applications has become critical for many organizations. Companies understand that although CRM applications contain customer information such as company and contact information, they lack vital financial, sales, product, historical, and other important data that is maintained in back-end systems. In order to successfully use CRM to expand customer relationships and grow the business, companies are looking for cost-effective approaches to integrate these systems with CRM.

Several solutions to address both enterprise and on demand (Software as a Service) CRM integration are available. They include

-- Purchasing specific native connectors (e.g., Microsoft Office, ERP)

-- Writing and using custom code to share data between systems

--Utilizing a third party vendor to develop custom middle-tier architecture

--Developing a new application such as a mash-up with a combination of Web Services and custom Code

Drawbacks of these strategies include their cost, the need to write code, needless impediments to the evolution of enterprise applications, the additional support burden, increased IT infrastructure (e.g., new servers, increase in bandwidth), and most importantly, the time needed to implement the integrated CRM system.

An alternative approach is to integrate CRM with other enterprise applications using desktop integration. Desktop integration approaches CRM systems, regardless if hosted internally or available as Software as a Service (SaaS), as an application that is integrated where it used -- at the desktop. This type of integration provides the flexibility not only to integrate data across enterprise systems without writing code, but also provides a framework for streamlining processes as well as a method for updating the user interface.

Desktop integration

--Delivers on the "Promise of CRM" with integrated applications, automated business processes and a single view of customer information

--Eliminates the need to write code between CRM applications and back-end systems including legacy applications (Windows, Java, 3270, DOS, etc.)

--Does not require additional infrastructure such as a new middle-tier to share data

--Can be implemented in days without an army of highly specialized programmers

--Extends the benefits of CRM by providing process, data, and visual integration

Whether an organization is using Salesforce.com or has installed Microsoft CRM in their enterprise, desktop integration provides a scalable, flexible, and cohesive solution using a fraction of the time and other resource expenditures required by other approaches.