Honestly, I do not know.
The only way you can find out if any open source software, for that matter, vtiger crm is for you or not is by having a look at the product in whole.
The demo too is not the most important thing unless and until you are able to make the same work in your environment so the installer too is important.
Try out the whole nine yards. Yes, it may be painful but then you are investing right? So better be careful.
Again, you are trying out open source because you feel that you are saving money or any of the other n reasons out there. So better make sure that the product works as you see in the demo in YOUR system. Once that is out of the way, the next query is will these guys last or are they going to vanish over-night?
Well, that is a valid query but then let me ask this way – Did you know that J D Edwards was going to be taken over by Oracle when you actually became a customer of J D Edwards?
The fact of the matter is there is no correct answer in open or in closed-source.
What you can do is to get in touch with the folks behind the project and see if they are genuine. Try and call them up, talk to them, understand them. If possible, get to meet them in person. Nothing beats that experience. Let me tell you, I am so so excited to get a chance to see you all in Europe.
Once you are convinced about their standing, then go ahead and see if there channels of support are something that is comfortable for you and if those guys are open to alternate business models.
Most of the open source guys are generally open so that should not be an issue but again this is my experience. Do not take my word for it.
vtiger may be the ultimate tool ever built in CRM but you HAVE to verify if it meets your requirements.
I am from vtiger so I ought to be selling vtiger to you right? I will not actually. Have a look first, see if it makes sense to work with vtiger, see if you can trust us or if there is any issue that you may have post buying the support package, listen to the community and then decide.
Money is important but then respect, service, experience too are very important. I do not want that you buy vtiger, i get the money, and then you feel lost or cheated. That kind of money is precisely what I DO NOT need. I want to earn that. So, have a look around, ask the questions however silly you may think they are- ASK! Because you are betting your company on it, your future on it,your investment on it.
Moreover, I believe, vtiger stands for working with you and helping you achieve your goals. In my own experience, this does not happen with other products/services (even other than the IT things that we have) as much as I would like.
If you are happy with vtiger, we are happy working with you and in the process learn from you. We are not perfect. We are willing to learn and that is the way it will be.
We will never be the ultimate masters, but we will be the ultimate learners. That is very important.
- So try the product out, ask the queries, get the doubts resolved and then get vtigered!
