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  • Check out Spinning Planet's sales data in SugarCRM

    SugarCRMMany New Zealand businesses could increase sales and improve customer satisfaction by using a Customer Relations Management System (CRM). CRMs are so good that it's expected to be a $36.5 billion market by 2017.  Some of the benefits include:

    • Improved sales and marketing, 
    • Better Customer Service, 
    • Higher Customer Satisfaction, 
    • Automation such as follow-up emails and financial reporting, 
    • Centralised data. 
       
    However, it's no small task. For the last few years we've been battling with what project management software to use and what CRM software to use.  We trialled over 20 products and finally chose SugarCRM because it manages the client from prospecting right through to project management and it's very malleable  Though it can handle project management, support and even quotes, to start with, we've just started using it for marketing and sales.  I'm now starting to see some very actionable data that will definitely improve our sales such as:
    • Where most of our clients are coming from
    • Forecasts for sales for the rest of the year
    • The value of all projects, won or lost
    • What new opportunities are coming in on a daily basis

    Here's a screen cap of what I can see when I first login to SugarCRM - no use trying read what the financials are because I haven't added all the data yet ;-)
    SugarCRM

    I'll keep you all posted on our progress but if you're thinking about moving to a CRM here's some tips:

    1. Have your marketing and sales processes identified first.  The CRM should be configured to work the way you do; not the other way around.
    2. Use a consultant. I've been working with leading-edge software for over 20 years but I wouldn't have been able to setup SugarCRM without the help of Peter Fletcher from Business Apps and Integration.  We've also just taken on Holestec Systems Limited as a client who are great and also a SugarCRM certified integrator.
    3. Allocate the transition process to one person who will become the expert and then help everyone else.
    4. Clean customer data is essential.

    Anyhow, that's what I'm thinking about this week.  If you'd like to be notified of our latest research FOLLOW our LinkedIn page.  The link is at the bottom right of this page. If you'd like to learn more about how you can improve your online marketing and sales check out our Internet Marketing workshop here.

    brynn :-)


    Brynn Neilson About
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