Frequently Asked Question

Technical and security questions

How is Syfter hosted?

Syfter is hosted in Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Over the years we’ve tested each of the main providers and in our experience GCP is most cost-efficient for heavy data and AI workloads. It offers comparable security and management tools to other well known providers. You will have a fully-managed single tenancy instance of Syfter, entirely private.

Can I host it myself e.g. in our Azure or AWS environment?

Because our DevOps processes and pipelines, security and permissioning have all been built and optimised in GCP we don’t support alternatives as part of our core product offering. If you have concerns please Contact us.

How secure is our data?

Your data is secure and protected by Google Cloud Platform’s technology plus our own carefully designed DevOps processes and tight controls around access to support you. We are compliant with the GDPR, EU and US data protection regulations. Find out more in our Data Security data sheet [link].

Does Syfter replace our CRM system?

The most common implementation of Syfter is to sit alongside and complement your CRM. Syfter provides a powerful bi-directional sync with all popular CRM systems which means it will actually help clean and enhance your CRM data making it more usable and valuable. In addition Syfter can handle much larger datasets than CRM systems, making it ideal to deal with your entire universe not just key targets. If you do wish to consider Syfter as a replacement for CRM, depending on your requirements that can also be a very successful model.

We already invested in a data warehouse, do we need this?

Syfter adapts to your desired architecture. As well as providing powerful end user tools it performs a different set of tasks to something like Snowflake. Some of our clients choose not to manage a separate data warehouse, others export Syfter data to their data warehouse for onwards use elsewhere in the firm. It really comes down to what’s right for you and how much internal resource you have. Our experienced team will help you make those decisions if you’d like us to.

Where do you use AI?

Syfter has been built ‘AI-first’, meaning that we utilise it throughout the platform wherever it can either supplement, replace or improve on a manual or automated process. From our company matching technology to ‘Recommendations’ and suggested next actions, by using Syfter you’ll be accessing the latest AI and GenAI technology available. 

User questions

How easy is Syfter to use?

We’ve designed the interface and end user tools to be as intuitive as possible. In addition as part of your implementation all users will receive training, which we’ll re-run whenever you have new joiners. A comprehensive User Guide is also available via the platform, and your Account Manager is only ever a call or email away.  

 

How much effort will it take from our side?

This really depends on the use cases you decide to support and the operating model you want to run internally. But the short answer is that after onboarding is complete we take care of maintenance of the platform, so if you have little time to spare that’s no problem at all.

Do we need to hire data/AI specialists?

Not if you don’t want to. This is purely your choice, and our team doesn’t mind whether they’re speaking to an experienced data expert or a business user – it’s our job to demystify the work that we do. We will however make recommendations if we feel you’ll have a greater chance of meeting your objectives with some specialist internal resource.

Pricing questions

How much does it cost?

Syfter is available in three Tiers based on complexity of needs. When we speak to you we’ll first listen to your needs and required outcomes and then make a recommendation as to which Tier is the best match. If you’re at the beginning of your data and AI journey and need to build a business case over time our Foundation Tier is ideal, and you can move seamlessly between Tiers in future. Our Tiers are explained here. [link]

What project fees can I expect?

None! All implementation, onboarding and management costs are included in our straightforward Tiers. We want to make budgeting simple for you, so there are no hidden costs.

How do we get budget for this?

Our team has been on this journey with clients since 2016 and is highly experienced in helping clients put together the business case needed to get approval. We will provide you with case studies and put you in touch with peers to talk to. We’ll even design an implementation plan that brings all stakeholders on board.

What other costs do I need to consider?

Syfer pricing is simple and transparent. When we recommend a Tier and hosting requirements for you we will also provide suggestions for any data providers we think will help deliver the best outcome based on your requirements. We are also proud to have relationships with market leading data vendors so that we can get you access to trials once you become a Filament Syfter client.