If you are contemplating a change in your business management software, you have a lot of decisions ahead. How are you going to communicate a change? How can you pitch a project to your board? Who within your organization should you ask for advice on features?
However, before any of this, you need to start looking at options. There are dozens—if not hundreds of ERP products and even more CRM options, but usually only one or two of each that can deliver value for your company.
Of course, you have your traditional metric—return on investment—but such a comparison relies on accurate vendor quotes, an understanding of what you will need, and a basis for comparison.
At most, your goal in the early stages is to prove that a new solution is going to provide more value to your organization than your current product. You don’t need to start demoing products and talking with reps just yet. So—where do you look?
Often, one of the best ways to compare vendors and products is to explore what analysts have to say. Not beholden to any vendor, firms like Gartner, IDC, and Nucleus Research provide unbiased analysis of each platform, comparing vendors and products on different metrics—each offering their own take on who delivers.
From Magic Quadrants to MarketScapes, Critical Capabilities to Value Matrices, each of these reports is unique in what they compare. One of the more interesting methodologies is that of the Nucleus Research Value Matrix, a report designed to look at two factors necessary for any product: Functionality and Usability.
The Nucleus Research Value Matrix
Something we’ve discussed in our recent blog “ERP is a Three Legged Stool” functionality and usability are two of the most important things you can compare at the early stages of an ERP or CRM decision, and one of the best places to turn to understand which vendors stack up is to look at the Nucleus Research Value Matrix.
Offering ten different Value Matrices for Corporate Performance Management (CPM), Inventory Optimization (IO), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Workforce Management (WFM), Human Capital Management (HCM), Talent Management, Supply Chain Control Tower, and Analytics; Nucleus compares products on two factors: Functionality and Usability.
“It’s all about simplifying the tech decision based on the facts, not magic. Not market share, future promises and opinion. An accurate assessment of where each technology stands based on the factors you need to make the right decision – does it have the features we need and will our team be able to actually use it?”
Recently, the firm announced their 2019 Value Matrix for CRM, comparing 21 different vendors in terms of sales, marketing, and service functionality to discuss which products could deliver value. This report followed its 2018 release of their report for ERP, a topic we discussed in part in a recent blog, “Objective Measurements for Subjective Topics.”
CRM Technology Value Matrix for 2019
If you are looking to improve your relationships with customers, deliver better sales and service, and capitalize on new opportunities, the right CRM solution can close the gap between your business and the companies it serves. Released just weeks ago, the latest Value Matrix discussed:
- Which CRM vendors are Leaders, Facilitators, Experts, or Core Providers.
- How 21 vendors compare in terms of sales, marketing, and service functionality.
- Four key trends that are affecting every CRM vendor’s development decisions today.
- How Acumatica made a major leap forward in functionality since the last Value Matrix was published.
- What sets Acumatica apart from CRM vendors.
You can download and view this report free, courtesy of Acumatica, here.
ERP Technology Value Matrix
If you’re evaluating top ERP vendors, you want the perfect blend of usability and functionality—delivered in a way that meets your technology requirements. Don’t spend hours reading marketing materials. Instead, get a report that compares 22 leading ERP vendors side-by-side. The 2018 ERP Value Matrix from Nucleus compares vendors on the same metrics as the CRM report—functionality and usability, answering the following:
- Which ERP vendors are Leaders, Facilitators, Experts, or Core Providers.
- How to find the best blend of usability and functionality for your company.
- Which vendors are improving their capabilities—and which are falling behind.
- Why Acumatica ranked highest in usability for the third year in a row.
You can download this report for free from Acumatica here.
Better Together: ERP and CRM
Few providers made it on both of these lists, but Acumatica stands tall, offering high levels of usability and functionality for businesses. The best part? These solutions are built on the same platform, so you know they integrate well together. Get to know more about our work with Acumatica ERP, Acumatica CRM, and contact us for a free consultation.
