(This article originally appeared in Forbes)
I ran across a research report recently that provides data on the “Mac CRM Software Market.” It got my attention. Why?
Because back in the day, when there was no cloud, this was a thing. Companies had to buy Customer Relationship Management and accounting software specifically designed for either the Windows or iOS operating systems. Because the Apple offerings were so limited in comparison to Microsoft, some of our clients purchased Windows emulation software to trick their Mac computers into thinking they were running Windows and could therefore run Windows-based CRM applications. As you can imagine, the results were oftentimes disappointing.
But that’s no more. That’s because today most CRM applications are cloud based. There’s very little stored or installed locally. So as long as your CRM is compatible with the major browsers then you can easily run them on any device, regardless of the operating system. More good news: most of the major browsers — Chrome, Edge and of course Safari — are compatible on many Mac devices too. The bottom line is that you really don’t need to look for an “Apple-specific” CRM application for your business anymore. This isn’t 1992, or even 2002.
So why would a research company spend the time to do a report on “Mac CRM Software”?
The report I read is published by a company called Global Market Vision, which, according to its website, is “an India based market research and consulting company” that provides “most insightful as well as comprehensive quantitative and qualitative analysis of in-depth market research required for SME’s and large enterprises.” Actually, I’m not being fully transparent here. I didn’t read the entire report. I only read the company’s press release, which summarized some of the report’s findings. That’s because I wasn’t willing to either forfeit my email address to get a “sample” or fork over $3,500 for a single user version of the report. I don’t regret that decision.
What also raised my antenna was that the company’s press release advertising their research specifically said it covered applications like HubSpot, Pipedrive, daPulse (now part of Monday.com), Zoho CRM, Platformax, IXACT Contact Solutions, NCH Software, Marketcircle’s Daylite, iEnterprise and Azor. You’ve heard of some of these, I’m sure. Some of the others — like Azor and Platformax — are based overseas and are unfamiliar to me. Just about all of them are really not Mac-specific. They run in the cloud and can be accessed by most devices. I found that some of these sites — like Azor — weren’t so much about providing a Mac-based CRM but rather just seeded the words “Apple” and “Mac” throughout for the obvious SEO benefits.
One application did standout among the crowd: Daylite software, which is made by Marketcircle. The makers of this application are going all-in with Apple. They say that their software is “made for Mac, iPhone & iPad” and “works seamlessly with many of the built-in Apple apps and features you already know and love” like Apple Mail, Apple Calendar, Siri, Face Time, Pages, Numbers and Keynote. Of course, the application also integrates with many other popular apps, including Microsoft’s offerings. If I was a hardcore Apple user I’d check out Daylite because, well, why not? But I’d be careful. Is the company going to be around for the long haul? Is there a large user community? Is there a good support infrastructure? And, most importantly, how does Daylite’s integrations compare with other popular and more CRM applications which also integrate with Apple applications?
When you search around you don’t find a lot of CRMs that specifically say they’re designed for the Apple Mac. Apple doesn’t make one. And when you look at all the comparison sites they usually include all the familiar names. That’s because it’s tough to build a business around a product that is very, very niche, especially when there are so many larger competitors who — thanks to the cloud — have these bases covered.
The bottom line is that if you’re a Mac user don’t worry about buying a Mac-based CRM. Focus on buying the best CRM that fits your company’s needs. I’m going to bet that it’ll run fine on your Apple devices.
