Android CRM is always better for Mobile CRM than iOS, I believe this even though, I am a huge fan of Apple in general and Steve Jobs in particular, but I still firmly believe that. The reasons are much deeper than it may appear.

iOS by design is more restrictive as compared to Android. It does not allow many things to third-party app developers, e.g., access to calls/SMS logs or option to activate calls or sending SMS.

So whats the big deal, you may argue. Well, apparently it looks like a significant security feature that safeguards users against a privacy breach. It’s good to have this protection when considering personal usage.

But when we use iPhone for business purpose, especially for CRM, it’s a big issue. A huge part of our business communication happens through mobile phone calls and SMS. No one can expect a Sales person to enter details of calls which they received. It’s effortless on an Android phone – because by default Android allows Call/SMS monitoring, of course not without user permission. So Mobile CRM on Android Phone can log calls/SMS automatically. However, since iOS does not allow access to call-logs, this is not possible.

Why is Android CRM better?

No AI possible without Communication Logs.

Everyone in the world is talking about Artificial Intelligence and Predictive analysis. Obviously, it is a great revolutionary idea when your CRM predicts whom to connect and when. Predictive Analysis is currently done using Social Media and email interactions. However, if Calls are missing from this analysis, then it is incomplete.

There are tools in CRM which can analyze Trust and depth of your relationships with your Clients. These tools predict trust and depth of relationship based on analysis of email conversations and Social Media engagement. Isn’t it possible that some of your significant Clients might not be very active on Social Media might not have email communication? But still, they are very engaged with us on phone and SMS.

Ironically, most influential persons in any organizations, rely more on calls and personal meeting than Social Media.

Enables Complete and Correct Data with Android CRM.

There are many companies which have loads and loads of customer data in their CRM systems. Once we log all the calls and SMS, we find that most of the people, with whom they talk about business on a continuous basis, are not in CRM. Even worse, they don’t talk with most of the customers, details of whom they have stored in CRM.

Sales Reps are not talking to people in CRM and people with whom they are talking are not in CRM.

This kind of analysis can give some outstanding problems in the quality, consistency, and completeness of data in your CRM.

Android CRM makes adoption Easier.

No one likes data entry. Biggest haters are people from the Sales team. Automatic call/SMS logging will reduce the data entry drastically.

• Do you expect a Sales person to enter the details of the call he just made to a prospect?
• Is that call important for the sales flow?
• Does it take the sales funnel to next level?
• Does that incoming call denote something?

Since iOS does not allow call/SMS logging, it makes difficult for CRM adoption. A Sales representative might be doing 10-20 calls per day and 2-3 meetings per day. He might as well be receiving 3-10 SMS per day. You don’t expect anyone to log manually.

360-degree view is never complete without Calls/SMS

Every CRM in the market claims to give a 360-degree picture of client interactions. How is that possible without Call/SMS logs. Calls from the mobile phone are a significant portion of interactions with Customers. Without Call/SMS information 360-degree view is almost impossible.

Apple stores all the call/SMS logs to iCloud, why not allow other Apps access to that records.

Request to Apple

Allow third-party apps to access Call and SMS logs. Of course, only after users provide permissions. So, now it becomes users description to either allow or disallow that. Apple always talks about users Privacy and discretion first. But it does not follow it. When Apple restricts something which is very obvious but copies the data to its own servers, why can’t it allow other Developers to access that data, of course with user permission?

When Apple can see all my information, what is harm if I want to allow any other App to use my information

Concluding Remarks

Most of the people, when they do a comparison between Android and iOS, they compare cheap Android Phones with costly iPhone. It is completely out of sync. Why not compare a good Android phone (of similar price range) with iPhone.

If you want to use CRM effectively, Android CRM is always better for Mobile CRM than iOS