IstartedthisbookwiththeintentionofbringinganewsideofSugarCRMtolight.SinceIbeganworkingatSugarCRM,Isawtheflexibilityandextensibilitythattheapplicationcouldprovide.Ilookedbackonmypreviouspositiondevelopinginternalbusinessapplications,andsawthatmanyofthefeaturesIaddedanddesignissuesIwouldwrestlewithwereproblemsthatSugarCRMhadalreadysolved.TheengineeringteamatSugarCRMhadbuilttheapplicationtosolvethisproblem,yetfewdevelopersoutsideofSugarCRMreallyknewhowpowerfultheunderlyingplatformwas.Iknewtherewereotherdevelopersinthissameboat,andthatifIcouldreachthemitwouldmaketheirjobsmucheasier.WhataCRMapplicationdoesordoesn’tdoisn’tauthoritativelydefined;instead,itsgoalistofillinthegapwhereacompanyneedstosolveproblemsintheirrelationshipswiththeircustomers.Sometimesthismeanskeepingtrackofmeetingsandphonecalls.Othertimes,thismeanstrackingtheprogressofanongoingproject.Itcouldalsomeanmanagingsupportcasesandproductdefects.Yetsometimesanapplicationmaynotcompletelycoverthis.Justaseverybusinessororganizationisunique,somustbewhatCRMwillmeantothem.UpuntilSugarCRM,thisapplicationspacewasfullofplayerswhothoughttheyhadtheCRMproblemsolved,andbuiltlargeproprietaryapplicationsthatwereexpensivetoimplementandsupportandnotoriouslydifficulttocustomizetomeettheirneeds.SugarCRMcameinandchangedthatscene,makingCRMsomethingthatisinexpensivetoimplement,easiertocustomize,andmoreapproachableforend-userstoworkwith.It’sdesignedtobeaCRMthatyouruserswon’thate,whichisthephilosophythatthefoundersofSugarCRMsetastheirparamountgoalwhenbuildingit.
1