At a time when data protection and digital sovereignty are becoming major strategic issues, your choice of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is no longer a simple technical decision. Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive: these American solutions dominate the market, but expose your customer data to increasing legal and economic risks. Visit European CRM are now offering credible, high-performance alternatives that are perfectly in line with the RGPD.
American CRMs: a costly and risky dependency
When you use a American CRM, Your customer data (contacts, purchase history, commercial communications, sensitive information) is hosted on servers controlled by companies subject to US law. The Cloud Act, adopted in 2018, allows the US government to demand access to this data, even if it is physically stored in Europe.
Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive: when customer data leaves Europe
For a Belgian or European SME, this raises major legal and ethical questions. How can you guarantee your customers protection of their data when these can be consulted by foreign authorities without your consent? Visit RGPD requires European companies to guarantee the security and confidentiality of personal data. The use of American CRM creates an increasingly problematic legal grey area.
Beyond the legal aspects, the concentration of your strategic data in the hands of non-European players creates a risk for your business. technological dependence risky. In the event of geopolitical tensions, trade sanctions, or simply a unilateral decision by the supplier, your access to your own customer base could be compromised.
Hidden costs and price rises: the American licence trap
The American CRM are often seductive because of their apparent initial accessibility. Salesforce offers attractive entry-level packages, HubSpot a generous freemium. But the economic reality quickly becomes apparent: a price increase of 15 to 25 % per year as soon as your company is locked into the ecosystem, there is a proliferation of add-on modules billed separately, and exponential integration costs.
An SME using Salesforce spends on average 3,000 to 10,000 euros per month once all the necessary modules have been activated. HubSpot follows the same logic: advanced functionalities (marketing automation, personalised reporting, integrations) require Enterprise packages costing several thousand euros a month. Not to mention the hidden costs: certified consultants at premium rates, compulsory training courses, custom developments billed at a premium.
This price inflation is not insignificant: it reflects the dominant position of these players, who exploit the lock-in effect. Migrating to a competitor becomes so complex and costly that companies accept the increases rather than consider the alternative.
Cloud Act and RGPD: growing legal incompatibility
The “Schrems II” ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (2020) invalidated the Privacy Shield, the mechanism allowing personal data to be transferred to the United States. Although a new framework (Data Privacy Framework) was established in 2023, its future remains uncertain in view of the fundamental contradictions between RGPD and Cloud Act.
For European companies, this legal uncertainty represents a risk of RGPD compliance major. The data protection authorities (CNIL in France, APD in Belgium) are stepping up their controls. A breach of the RGPD can result in fines of up to 4 % of worldwide turnover. Using a Non-compliant CRM exposes your company directly to this risk.
European CRMs: performance and sovereignty
Odoo: the complete Belgian CRM solution for SMEs
Odoo, developed in Belgium, represents European excellence in the field of Open source CRM. Much more than just a CRM, Odoo offers a complete ERP suite that integrates sales management, invoicing, accounting, project management, e-commerce and, of course, a CRM particularly effective.
Odoo's modular architecture enables gradual adoption: you start with the CRM, and then add the modules you need as you go along. This approach avoids the “gas factory” effect while guaranteeing scalability. Pricing is transparent and predictable, with no explosion in costs as your usage increases.
Odoo can be accommodated in European cloud (on Odoo's servers in Belgium) or in on-premise on your own servers. This flexibility meets the needs of data sovereignty while retaining the simplicity of the cloud. The Odoo community in Europe is particularly active, with thousands of certified developers and integrators.
SuiteCRM and EspoCRM: the power of European open source
SuiteCRM, SuiteCRM, the open source fork of SugarCRM, offers a mature and proven alternative. Developed mainly in Europe, SuiteCRM offers all the features expected of a Professional CRM contact and account management, sales pipeline, marketing automation, advanced reporting, support ticket management.
The major advantage of SuiteCRM lies in its nature open source accessible source code, unlimited customisation, no vendor lock-in, active community. Costs are limited to hosting and possibly professional support. For an SME, this often represents 70 to 80 % savings compared with Salesforce.
EspoCRM, EspoCRM, developed in Europe, follows a similar philosophy, with a modern, intuitive interface. Lighter than SuiteCRM, EspoCRM is particularly suited to SMEs looking for simplicity and efficiency. L’on-premise hosting or in European cloud guarantees RGPD compliance total.
Dolibarr and French solutions: integrated ERP-CRM
Dolibarr, solution French ERP-CRM open source, specifically targets European SMEs and VSEs. The integrated approach (CRM + accounting + sales management + inventory) avoids the need for multiple tools and radically simplifies day-to-day management.
The French ecosystem also offers solutions such as Sellsy (CRM and cloud invoicing), or Axonaut (sales management and CRM for VSEs). These players guarantee accommodation in France, French-language support and compliance RGPD native. Rates are generally 2 to 3 times lower to the American equivalents.
Concrete benefits of a European CRM for your SME
Native RGPD compliance and customer data protection
The European CRM are designed from the outset to respect the RGPD. This native compliance translates into concrete measures: consent management, the right to be forgotten, data portability, access logging, encryption of sensitive data. You don't have to add additional modules or negotiate complex contractual clauses (Data Processing Agreements) like with American solutions.
La customer data protection is becoming a selling point. Your customers are increasingly sensitive to how their personal information is used. Being able to guarantee that their data remains in Europe, under European jurisdiction, and is never exposed to the Cloud Act represents a real competitive advantage.
Cost control and budget predictability
The European CRM, particularly solutions open source such as Odoo or SuiteCRM, offer total price transparency. Costs are limited to hosting (50 to 200 euros/month for an SME), any support (a few hundred euros/month), and specific developments if necessary.
This cost structure is in stark contrast to the inflation of American CRM. Over 5 years, an SME with 20 users generally saves between 50,000 and 150,000 euros by migrating from Salesforce to Odoo or SuiteCRM. These savings can then be reinvested in customising the CRM so that it adapts perfectly to your business processes.
Customisation and adaptation to business needs
Nature open source many European CRM allows unlimited customisation. Need a specific workflow for your complex sales process? Customised integration with your production system? Customised fields to reflect your particular business?
With Odoo, SuiteCRM or EspoCRM, Everything is possible without depending on the goodwill of the supplier or paying a fortune for development. You can call on any competent developer, not just the supplier's certified consultants. This freedom translates into lower customisation costs. 3 to 5 times lower and shorter lead times.
Local support and cultural proximity
The European CRM benefit from an ecosystem of local partners and integrators. In Belgium, dozens of companies specialising in Odoo or SuiteCRM offer support, training and coaching in French or Dutch. This proximity makes adoption and problem solving much easier.
Understanding the specificities of the European business (intra-Community VAT, local accounting standards, commercial practices) is native to these players. You don't have to spend hours explaining obvious concepts to support teams based in the United States or India.
Criteria for choosing a European CRM for your company
Essential functionalities vs. tailor-made solutions
Before choosing your European CRM, List your real needs: contact and account management, sales pipeline, email automation, reporting, integration with your email and calendar, support ticket management, marketing automation, etc.
For standard needs, Odoo or SuiteCRM offer comprehensive “out of the box” functionality. If your business requires very specific processes, opt for solutions that are open source easily customisable. Avoid the trap of over-equipment: 80 % of Salesforce users use only 20 % of the available functionality.
European Cloud vs. on-premise hosting
The choice between European cloud and on-premise depends on your priorities. Visit European cloud (OVHcloud, Scaleway, Hetzner) offers simplicity, automatic maintenance and accessibility from anywhere. L’on-premise hosting guarantees total control, optimised performance for your specific uses, and maximum sovereignty.
For most SMEs, the European cloud represents the best compromise: RGPD compliance cost control and ease of use. Companies handling highly sensitive data (health, defence, finance) will prefer the’on-premise.
Integration with your existing ecosystem
Your CRM does not work in silos. It must integrate with your email (Outlook, Gmail), telephony (VoIP), accounting, website and marketing tools. Visit European CRM offer standard connectors (REST APIs, webhooks, Zapier/n8n) enabling integration with virtually any system.
Odoo has a major advantage: its integrated suite naturally eliminates integration problems between CRM, accounting and e-commerce. SuiteCRM offers a wide range of connectors, in particular to popular open source tools.
Scalability and long-term development
Your CRM must grow with your company. Visit European solutions as Odoo or SuiteCRM are used by small businesses of 3 people as well as international groups with several thousand employees. This scalability ensures that your initial investment remains relevant even if your growth explodes.
L’open source also ensures longevity: even if the publisher were to disappear (an unlikely scenario for Odoo or SuiteCRM), the community would continue to maintain and develop the software. With an American proprietary CRM, the disappearance or takeover of the supplier could force you into a costly migration.
Migration from Salesforce to a European CRM: strategy and methodology
Before any migration, carry out a detailed audit of your current usage: which modules are you really using? Which workflows are critical? Which integrations are essential? What customisations will need to be recreated?
This audit often reveals that you are paying for functionality that is not being used, that certain processes could be simplified, and that the migration is less complex than anticipated. Also document the structure of your data: number of contacts, accounts, opportunities, history to be migrated.
Choice of solution and migration plan
On the basis of the audit, select the European CRM the most suitable. Choose a gradual migration configure the new CRM in parallel, test it on a limited perimeter (a sales team), adjust it, then roll it out across the whole company. This approach minimises the risk of business interruption.
Data migration requires special attention: prior cleansing (duplicates, obsolete data), field mapping, consistency tests. Visit European CRM generally offer import tools from Salesforce or HubSpot, but expert support can speed up the process considerably.
Training teams and supporting change
Successful migration CRM 80 % depends on user adoption. Invest heavily in training: practical sessions, personalised documentation, dedicated support during the first few weeks. Identify “champions” in each team who quickly master the new tool and help their colleagues.
Change management support goes beyond technical training: explain why this migration will strengthen your digital sovereignty, How it reduces dependence on American giants, and how it better protects your customers' data. This strategic dimension makes it easier to get on board.
Iterates, your partner for the migration to a sovereign CRM
At Iterates, we support Belgian and European SMEs as they migrate to new technologies. European CRM powerful and reliable. Our expertise covers the audit of your current CRM, the choice of the optimum solution (Odoo, SuiteCRM, or bespoke development), complete data migration, team training and post-migration support.
We don't sell licences: we develop and integrate solutions that really meet your business needs. Whether you opt for Odoo hosted in European cloud, On-premise CRM Suite, or a hybrid solution, we guarantee migration without service interruption and a measurable return on investment from the very first months.
FAQ : Your questions about European CRM
Is a European CRM as good as Salesforce?
Absolutely. Visit European CRM modern Odoo or SuiteCRM offer equivalent or even superior functionality to Salesforce for the majority of SME use cases. The difference lies in the approach: where Salesforce offers a gas factory with 80 % features that you'll never use, Odoo offers a modular, adaptable solution. Comparative tests show that technical performance (response times, reliability) is generally better with European solutions, particularly when they are hosted locally.
How much does it cost to migrate to a European CRM?
Costs vary according to complexity. For an SME with 10 to 30 users migrating from Salesforce to Odoo The cost of the audit, configuration, data migration and training should be between €5,000 and €15,000. This cost generally pays for itself in 6 to 12 months thanks to savings on licences. Expert support drastically reduces risks and accelerates ROI.
Can I keep my data during the migration?
Yes, totally. Visit European CRM offers import tools from Salesforce, HubSpot and Pipedrive. All your data (contacts, accounts, opportunities, history) is migrated. We recommend that you take advantage of the migration to clean up your database: delete duplicates, archive obsolete data and restructure if necessary. This “data hygiene” will significantly improve the performance of the new CRM.
What is the best European alternative to HubSpot?
To replace HubSpot, Odoo offers the most complete combination: CRM + marketing automation + email marketing + website management. If you're looking specifically for HubSpot's marketing features, Mautic (European open source) integrates perfectly with SuiteCRM. For VSEs, Brevo (combines email marketing and basic CRM with excellent value for money.
Ready to migrate to a sovereign CRM?
La dependence on American CRM exposes your company to increasing legal, economic and geopolitical risks. Visit European CRM now offer mature, high-performance, cost-effective alternatives. D’Odoo à SuiteCRM, solutions, the European ecosystem is making it possible to reconcile operational efficiency with the needs of our customers. digital sovereignty.
With the right migration strategy and the right support, your SME can reduce its CRM costs by 50 to 80 %, regain full control of its customer data, and comply fully with the RGPD. La digital sovereignty starts with day-to-day technological choices: your CRM is one of the most strategic.
