If you’re considering investing in an intranet software for your small business, naturally you’ll want to make an informed and risk-free decision. The last thing you will want to do is to spend money on a platform that, because of its complexity, proves to be a white elephant. While many businesses may automatically turn to a market leader, such as Microsoft SharePoint, there are cost-effective alternatives for effective document management, collaboration, and knowledge sharing that are more suited to the needs of small businesses.
In this article, we’ll consider the pros and cons of SharePoint and Claromentis and consider whether SharePoint alternatives for small businesses are a worthwhile investment.
Ease of use
For some new users who are unfamiliar with intranet software, SharePoint’s complex interface needs IT staff to build the solution and continually evolve the intranet for it to work for the business, which can be overwhelming for employees, resulting in steep learning curves and interruptions in work! If employees find an intranet confusing or difficult to master, it is unlikely that they will engage with it; consequently, the platform will fail to make the required impact and will deliver a poor return on investment. Claromentis, however, does not need technical expertise to build the intranet and excels by integrating all essential apps into a cohesive digital workspace, with an intuitive and user-friendly design that ensures employees quickly adapt to and engage with the platform, with IT only needing to be involved in the build to check security, single sign-on etc, after which they become just another department sharing all the intranet has to offer.
Pricing
For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular, SharePoint can be a costly investment, with licensing fees, customization costs, and infrastructure expenses that quickly add up. Claromentis is a cost-effective SharePoint alternative because it includes unrestricted access to intranet apps, cloud hosting options, and in-house customer support, and is an affordable solution that offers good value for money. This makes Claromentis an attractive option for organizations who are looking to optimize their budget without compromising on functionality.
Customization and development
Customizing SharePoint often requires skilled developers who are familiar with its unique development environment. This can be time-consuming and expensive, as organizations need to recruit and train staff to undertake the work. In contrast, Claromentis puts ease of use first by offering no-code intranet design tools, so administrators can easily tailor the platform to meet the needs of the organization and its employees without the need for extensive technical expertise.
User interface and design
SharePoint’s user interface has, historically, lacked the modern and intuitive design of other collaboration platforms which impacts user adoption and engagement. In contrast, Claromentis’s user-friendly tools enable organizations to create visually appealing intranet sites that align with their brand identity and deliver an engaging user experience, with no specialist knowledge of coding required.
Mobile compatibility
Historically, SharePoint’s mobile experience has been less robust and user-friendly compared to its desktop counterpart, a limitation that can hinder productivity for dispersed teams and remote workers. Claromentis, on the other hand, is optimized to be immediately compatible with mobile browsers, allowing employees to access the intranet seamlessly from their smartphones and tablets wherever they are.
Book your free demo of Claromentis
If you’re searching for an optimized and easy-to-use intranet for your employees, please get in touch or get your free trial of the Claromentis digital workspace solution.