CRM - Customer Relationship Management
Many businesses use Excel spreadsheets and Outlook to organise information about Customers, Suppliers and their contact details. The main problems we encounter from customers include:

• Inability to collaborate - can't share the same organisation/contact details
• Who was the last person to call/visit/email the contact?
• Configuration Management - who can edit the contact?
• Can't sync their contacts to their Phone, Laptop, PDA, iPhone etc.
• Cost of off-the-shelf systems is too prohibitive

Our team have the ability to help you business benefit from its own CRM system that integrates into MS Exchange and Outlook.

What could it do?
A custom CRM system provides your business with the following benefits:

• A systemised approach to CRM
• Staff have the ability to collaborate instantly
• Shared contacts
• Centralised contacts
• Categorised contacts
• Secure access to information 24/7 from any web browser in the world!
• The ability to move office with minimal disruption
• The ability to collaborate across multiple offices seamlessly
• Role based access - information can be hidden, read only, or editable depending on the role of the user
• Generates reports in HTML, Word, Excel, PDF, XML, CSV, TXT formats
• Import contacts from Sage for first load of data

What do we do?

Initially we look at your existing CRM processes - from an incoming call, to a product/service sign off and invoice/payment.

Our team then looks at the systems and spreadsheets that support your current processes, and start to identify User Requirements. The team also look at your current and planned IT infrastructure. Our challenge is to re-use as much existing software and hardware as possible, as it can be costly to upgrade or replace systems and infrastructure.

We then provide a quote encompassing your requirements, as well as some ideas and options.

Give some real examples of benefits?

Recently we helped a business automate their software product trial downloads. The company receive 20-30 download requests a day. The system logs their name, phone number, email address and country, and sends a download link to the email address provided, which confirms the email address is valid. They have one hour in which to download the software.

When the prospect goes on to buying the software, they simply enter a device serial id, and receive an activation code in an email and SMS Text message.

The sales team also receive an email each time a trial download or activation request is made. The sales team add the name and email addresses to a group in our CSR e-mail marketing service, and from then on they receive updates to products and software versions.

What sort of budget do we need?

The businesses that we target are fast growing Small businesses, and Medium sized businesses. These have typically a technical or product offering, and have outgrown their original CRM system, if they even had one (many do not, and this actually makes it easier).

To undertake a project of this size we recommend you need a budget and a clear set of requirements. We will provide a detailed quote, as the cost depends on the complexity and demands of your business. There are no software licence or maintenance costs as the project is dedicated to your business. Therefore, ensure this is taken into account in budgeting and ROI calculations when comparing against off the shelf systems.