Simplesoft Solutions Blog

Do we need a CRM solution?

December 14th, 2010 by Lisa

I recently had a prospect ask me to help him make a case for CRM in his business. After learning more about his unique situation and giving it some thought, I came up with a list of questions that he should ask himself. I think this list could apply to many companies.

Do we need a CRM solution?

A full suite CRM solution like Sage SalesLogix can impact every area of your business. You don’t necessarily want to take on everything at once, but you should consider the impact that a full suite and fully integrated solution might have on the bottom line. Alternatively, what is the cost of the lost opportunity if you do nothing?

Ask yourself these questions:

1.   Can we do a better job with the information flowing to our customers?

  • A good CRM system will help you capture useful details about a customer including sales history, service records, responses to marketing campaigns, demographics, and not to mention, a complete picture of call history and email activity.
  • A good CRM system will allow your customers and prospects to interact with you through a web portal for sales or customer service functions.
  • A good CRM system will provide quick and easy grouping capability to create call lists for internal or external call handling.

2.    Could we benefit from the ability to analyze data more effectively using an integrated system?

  • A good CRM system will allow for integration with most accounting or ERP packages to push and pull data between systems and avoid double entry.
  • A good CRM system will offer integrated dashboards providing a view of important information and metrics in one click.
  • A good CRM system will offer integration with various E-Marketing programs for outbound marketing campaigns and tracking marketing metrics.
  • A good CRM system will be easily customized to fit your particular business needs rather than your business practices changing to fit the software.

3.   Can our customer service or internal processes be improved?

  • A good CRM system can transform your computer into a call center allowing your staff to have customer details on their screen as soon as the phone rings.
  • A good CRM system will play well with Outlook and other E-mail packages helping you automate replies and never again lose an important chain of E-mails.
  • A good CRM system will help you qualify and follow up on new leads without anyone falling through the cracks.
  • A good CRM system will track customer service issues and provide escalation rules to handle even the most complex processes.

4.   Are we managing our supply chain effectively?

  • A good CRM system will allow your supply chain to access your CRM data to collaborate and make informed decisions across the board.
  • A good CRM system will help your supply chain communicate through the use of web services improving the relationship between you and your supply chain.

How can you measure the benefits of CRM?

  • Is it the reduction of operating costs?
  • Could it be the 360 degree view of all your data?
  • Is it the higher percentage of cross-selling opportunities?
  • Maybe it is closing deals faster because of more efficient follow through with leads and customers.
  • Could it be a result of the more efficient marketing and sales processes provided by an increased understanding of your customer needs?
  • Or maybe it is because of the improved responsiveness to customer service that has led to higher customer loyalty.

If I had to guess….I think I would say ‘All of the above!’

If you would like to learn more tips or have a CRM topic you would like us to write about please contact Simplesoft Solutions, Inc. in one of our Cincinnati/Dayton (OH), Charleston (WV), or Charlotte (NC) surrounding area office locations:

Dayton, Ohio Office:
Simplesoft Solutions, Inc.
550 N. Main St. Suite A
Springboro, OH 45066
Phone: (937) 885-1204 x 3204
Fax: (937) 885-3580
sales@simplesoft.net

Ripley, WV Office:
Simplesoft Solutions, Inc.
710 Random Rd.
Ripley, WV 25271
Phone: (304) 521-2387
Fax: (937) 885-3580
sales@simplesoft.net

Charlotte, NC Office:
Simplesoft Solutions, Inc.
3635 Eastover Ridge Drive
Charlotte, NC 28211
Phone: (704) 910-3872
Fax: (937) 885-3580
sales@simplesoft.net

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Editing Activity and Calendar User Options in SalesLogix Web

June 16th, 2010 by Kyle

Sage SalesLogix provides the tools to allow you to modify some parts of the interface so that you can work in the way that suits your needs. The User Options allow you to set specific preferences for certain features such as General/Search, Group, Activity/Alarm, Calendar, Change Password, and Opportunities that appear when you start the Sage SalesLogix Web Client application. The settings that you select are recorded as being for the user who is logged on and are not visible to other Sage SalesLogix users.

To edit user options:

  1. Login as the proper user of the SalesLogix CRM system.
  2. On the top right status bar, click Options.
  3. Click the tab for the options you want to edit.
    • Click the Activity/Alarm tab to set options for the Activity Main View, follow-up activities, or Activity alarms.
    • Click the Calendar tab to set options for the Calendar view. You can determine the information that displays on your calendar, the default view, or the day start and end times.
  4. Click the Save button icon.

Sage SalesLogix Web CRM Options - Activities

Activity/Alarm Options
Activities, Alarms, and Reminders enable you to keep track of tasks in the Sage SalesLogix Web Client. The Activity/Alarms tab allows you to specify how and when Activities, Alarms, and Reminders will display.

To set Activity and alarm options:

  1. On the top right status bar, click Options.
  2. Click the Activity/Alarms tab.
  3. In the Show Activities for box, select the user whose Activities you want to display in the Activity Main View.
  4. From the Default View drop-down list, select the tab name for the type of Activities you want to display in the Activity Main View (for example, All Open).
  5. In the Time Frame drop-down list, select the time range of Activities you want to display in the Activities Main View.
  6. In the Default Follow-up Activity drop-down list, select the type of Activity to be scheduled as a follow up, after you complete an activity.
  7. In the Carry Over Notes drop-down list, select Yes if you want to carry over any existing notes.
  8. In the Carry Over Attachments drop-down list, select Yes if you want to carry over any existing attachments.
  9. In the Alarm Default Lead boxes, enter a number in the box and select Minute(s), Hour(s), or Day(s) from the drop-down list to determine the length of time the reminder should occur before the Activity Start Time.
  10. Click the Display Activity Reminders drop-down arrow and select Yes to display Activity Reminders or No to prevent Activity Reminders from displaying.
  11. Click the Display Alarms drop-down arrow and select Yes to display Activities with alarms in the Activity Reminders view or No to prevent Activities with alarms from displaying.
  12. Click the Display Confirmations drop-down arrow and select Yes to display Activity confirmations in the Activity Reminders view or No to prevent Activity confirmations from displaying.
  13. Click the Display Past Due drop-down arrow and select Yes to display past due Activities in the Activity Reminders view or No to prevent past due Activities from displaying.
  14. Click the Save button icon.

Sage SalesLogix Web CRM Options - Calendar

Calendar Options
The User Options view displays the settings for the logged on user. These options are only applicable for that specific user in the Web Client.

Calendar Options allow you to adjust the content and appearance of your calendar to accommodate the way you work. You can set the type of information that displays in Activities, the start and end of the work day, the default calendar view, default interval on the calendar, and whether or not completed Activities (history) items display. History items only display on the day and week calendars by default. You can also set the user whose calendar is displayed by default. The logged-on user is the default.

To set calendar options:

  1. On the top right status bar, click Options.
  2. Click the Calendar tab.
  3. In the Default Calendar View box, click the drop-down arrow and select the default calendar view you want to display when you open the Calendar view.
  4. In the Show History on Calendar box, click the drop-down arrow and select Yes to display history items or No to not display history items on the day view.
  5. In the View Calendar For box, click the Find button, select a user from the list, and then click OK.
  6. In the Show on Activities box, click the drop-down arrow and select the Activity information you want to display on the Calendar.
  7. In the Day Start box, click the drop-down arrow and select the time you want the Calendar to display as your start time.
  8. In the Day End box, click the drop-down arrow and select the time you want the Calendar to display as your end time.
  9. In the Default Interval box, click the drop-down arrow and select whether the calendar displays information in 15, 30 or 60 minute intervals.
  10. In the Default Activity Type box, click the drop-down arrow and select a default Activity type. This is the type of Activity that will be created when you double-click on any of the Calendar views.
  11. Click Save.

The above two tabs have been covered but there are other User Options as well such as General/Search, Group, Change Password, and Opportunities tabs that appear when you start the Sage SalesLogix Web Client application. Below is a brief description of those categories:

  • General/Search Options
    Use the General/Search tab to specify such settings as which view opens by default when you first log into Sage SalesLogix Web Client, and who to use as the default owner for any new records you create. You can also set options for using Mail Merge, although these will not be visible unless you selected the “Use ActiveMail” check box when you logged in.
  • Group Options
    The Group Options view display your personal preference settings for Main Views, Default Groups, and Grid Options such as auto resizing columns to prevent horizontal scrolling. These options only apply when the user is logged on to the Web Client.
  • Changing a Password
    You have the ability to change your password through the User Options in the Web Client. Once you have made the changes you want, you must log off and then log on again for the changes to take effect.
  • Opportunity Options
    Use the Opportunities tab to specify default attributes for any new opportunities that you enter into the Sage SalesLogix Web Client. The Opportunity Options view displays the settings for the user who is logged on. These options are only applicable for that specific user in the Web Client.

Editing User Options in Sage SalesLogix Web allows you to modify personal preferences so you can work in an environment that better suits your needs and allow each user to work as effectively as possible in the Sage SalesLogix customer relationship management (CRM) environment.

If you would like to learn more about Editing Activity and Calendar User Options or have another CRM article that you would like us to write about please contact Simplesoft Solutions, Inc. in one of our Cincinnati, OH or Chicago, IL surrounding area office locations:

Dayton, Ohio Office:
Simplesoft Solutions, Inc.
550 N. Main St. Suite A
Springboro, OH 45066
Phone: (937) 885-1204 x 3204
Fax: (937) 885-3580
sales@simplesoft.net

Chicago, Illinois Office:
Simplesoft Solutions, Inc.
950 N. Rand Rd. #123
Wauconda, IL 60084

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Leads in SLX 7.5.2 Web is Full of Improvements

March 4th, 2010 by Janetta

We have been working with the Sage SalesLogix 7.5.2 Web Client a lot lately and I am extremely impressed with the added features for Leads.  Take a look at some of them below.  If you have been holding off on upgrading this is the time!

Schedule and Complete Activities Against Leads:

Being able to schedule and complete activities against Leads is a long awaited improvement.  Sage provided the place holder (Notes/History) tab in earlier versions giving us the sense that it was coming,  but left us longing for the functionality.  Now, finally, we can schedule and complete phone calls, meetings, and to-do’s against Leads, just like Contacts, improving the ability to stay on top of Leads.

Lead Activity Screenshot

Advanced Import Wizard:

Another major improvement to Leads is the advanced import wizard which includes de-duping against both Leads already in the database and Contacts.   The wizard is a step by step process and provides a duplicates review and report prior to completing the import (see Step 4 below).

Lead Import Wizard - Duplicates

Import Actions:

Import Actions is the next feature improvement and has so many potential uses.  Different actions can be scheduled against an entire import list (see Step 5 below).  These actions include the following types:

Note: Create a note that will appear in the History/Notes tab of the lead.

Response: Create a response and record the interests of the lead or contact (if merged with a duplicate). You may optionally associate the response to a marketing campaign. If the response is associated to a campaign, the lead or contact (if merged) will be added to the marketing campaign as a target.

Campaign Target: Add a lead or contact to a marketing campaign as a target, without creating a response.

Phone Call, Meeting, To-do: Create/Schedule any of these activity types for the lead or contact (if merged).

Actions against Leads

If you would like to see the Lead Management improvements in a live demo, please call Simplesoft Solutions at 937-885-1204 x3204.

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