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As a company, you have decided to use customer relationship management software. You invited quotations and vendors have come and given you a presentation on how their systems can help your company. Now it comes down to selecting the right service for your company. Let us look at the parameters that should be used for selection.

• Cost The biggest factor in any company’s mind is the cost of the customer relationship management (CRM) systems used. When selecting a vendor, always look for those systems that can give you more bang for your buck. However, do not choose a vendor because they quoted too low or too high. In fact, look for the middle road where the vendor provides you different modules for a reasonable price.
• Smooth transfer of existing information The second factor should be how you transfer the existing information from your current systems into the customer relationship management systems. This has to be done with zero loss of information and in the format that your workforce is used to. Remember, if the data is lost or if it is in a newer format than the existing information then your implementation will be hampered.
• Modules designed to suit your purpose The third factor should be how the modules are designed to meet your goals. The biggest aim of purchasing a customer relationship management system is to help it improve your servicing and/or sales aspects. Hence, the vendor should seek your inputs while designing the modules. This customization is important for the success of the CRM systems.
• The basic functionality of the CRM system The fourth factor should be the functions included in the CRM system. Many vendors include various functions that are not used by you. It becomes extremely important that the functionality of the software is relevant to your needs. Otherwise, you will be paying for software that you never use.
• The approachability of the vendor Some vendors like to think that they know more than the client does. These vendors will take little or no input from the client and present a customer relationship management tool, which as per them meets your requirements. However, more often than not you will end up with a system that meets only a certain percent of your needs. Hence, always ensure that you and the vendor have an equal say in the design of the CRM system.
• Extremely simple interface The interface of the customer relationship management systems plays an important role in the acceptance by the workforce. If the interface is bulky and cluttered, the system’s implementation will suffer significantly. On the other hand, a simple and organized interface will ensure that your workforce is more receptive when it comes to using the CRM system.
• The data should be easily accessible from anywhere – In this day and age of the mobile workforce, it becomes important to have accessible and up-to-date information. By using an online or web based customer relationship management system, your workforce can access and update the information irrespective of their location.

You should use the above pointers to help you make the decision on which vendor to choose. Remember that CRM is a long-term solution not a short-term one, hence choose wisely.

A Customer Relationship Management system can either be of a manual type or in the online format. In these modern days, however, businesspeople are moving away from using the manual CRM systems and opting to use the online systems instead. There are various reasons that drive people to choosing the online CRM and for that reason you should do good research to know what benefits the online based CRM system will bring to your business.

Remote Access

One main advantage of the online CRM is that you can access it from anywhere. This is very appropriate for business travelers because they can transact their business even when on the move through gadgets like laptops and smartphones. Your employees can work from home and in addition, you can get workers from different regions to perform various duties like accounting. When using an online CRM system, you will never be limited by time to work because you can access the system on a 24/7 basis.

The System Keeps Your Data Safe

Accidents happen in any setup of a business and it is good to be on the safe side if you can. Implementing an online based CRM system in your organization is one step towards ensuring that you keep your data safe from all the disasters that may occur at your workplace. There can be fire accidents or flooding, which will destroy your storage places and in the process make you lose a lot in terms of customer information and transaction data that you may have saved in physical files or computer systems. When you start using online CRM, you will never have to worry about losing your precious data because it will be stored online. Online storage is safe because the account that you will be given by your host will be secured, and only you will be able to access it by providing authentication that you will set.

When you use an online CRM you will be at an advantage because you will increase your ability to serve customers that are outside your locality. You can, in reality, have customers form different parts of the world because all you will have to do is organize for the shipping of the products that they request and they will in return pay you via online financial service providers. Your regular clients will save their time when you start using online CRM because they will never have to come to your premises to place orders and pay for them. Fast services will help you retain your customers and get more clients through the free advertisement that the satisfied customers will do for you.

Choose the Right Company to Buy the System From

When you decide to use an online based CRM, you will have to keep in mind that your crucial data might be exposed to hackers if you do not use the best providers for the online CRM system. Do a thorough research and get to know the best providers who will keep your information safe. Apart from the authentication you use to access your account you will also require a stable provider who cannot be attacked easily by hackers.

If you have been using a CRM system in your company and have read a lot of stuff on the internet about it, you must already be aware of the fact that any action or department that faces the customers of a business needs to use a CRM now. It is impossible to imagine a successful customer support department or sales department performing at maximum efficiency without using a CRM. Furthermore, recent studies and surveys have shown that businesses that have CRMs integrated in their systems have a higher rate of success as compared to businesses that do not have a CRM to date.

With proper activity tracking CRMs have now made this aspect a key performance indicator for any business. The activity tracking feature of the CRM system in use must be a robust one in all aspects. First, it should allow various tools and features to track the activities of the department in question. For example, if looking into the information of a sales department, the software should display information on when the customer was contacted the last time, when the customer contacted the business the last time, what discussion took place on the last call and who talked with the customer on their last contact.

All such information should be displayed in a comprehensive, understandable and interactive manner so that a manager is able to make the necessary changes and required actions. For example, if a manager intends to ask the sales department to reduce the last contact time of all customers to less than a month, he or she should be able to mark it as a high priority task for the department. In short, once the task has been assigned to the sales department, it will be made sure by the sales agents to not let the time duration of any customer’s last contact exceed one month.

The CRM system gives managers the access to features to monitor the entire departments, teams and individual performances. This feature is extremely important in activity tracking and allows the manager to have a clear view of all customer interactions with the company’s representatives. Another feature of the CRM system would be to allow the users to integrate various popular and mostly used applications into it. Your CRM should allow you to integrate your emails from various email service providers so that you don’t have to look for a separate solution to have your emails managed.

Activity tracking is just as important for the sales agents as it is for a manager of the company. Sales agents should also be able to associate notes, special appointments, attachments and other documents with their customers to have a better contact with the customer every time. Activity tracking should also allow a sales agent to look at his or her completed tasks and with this type of feature the manager can always motivate the workers to achieve certain tasks. Small perks and bonuses can always result in higher rates of sales and conversions. The process for performing and managing the activities should also be easy and user friendly for a CRM system to be called an intelligent CRM.

Try and imagine all the customers’ contacts, employees’ data base, procurement details and much more, it is quite a lot of data. What then would happen if their systems failed and the data is lost? For one, it would be real chaos no doubt. When it comes to such disasters, there is very little you can do but only to work on the best ways to try and salvage what you can before it is too late. If you work for any organization or you own a business entity, then you should continue reading this as it will show you what to do when a disaster strikes.

• Back up all your data: When it comes to backing up data, most people learn this lesson the hard way. Remember to always back up all your data and if not all, then at least the most important files that are vital for your business survival or success. There are several ways to back up your important data. You can use a WD20EARS-00MVWB0 internal or external drive or any other hard drive or even invest in online backing up options for data backing up necessities. Just makes sure that at the end of the day, everything can be recovered if lost or damaged while in your computer systems

• Empower your employees: It is said that knowledge is power and that statement cannot be truer. Most people would go insane if told such bad news like all data in their system has been lost or damaged. That is the likely scenario if you do not train your staff on safe data back up strategies. You need to show every member of staff what they should do when it comes to data back up in the office computer that normally they use. Take a day off and organize a training day so that everyone is on the same page. It is better you take some money out of your budget to facilitate this and call experts because at the end it is really worth it.

• Take inventory: This inventory taking should be for the important software and hardware in your business. Some companies such as those in the telecommunications industry rely heavily on their machinery. Take an inventory on all the software applications and hardware including their passwords and serial numbers. This will make it easier to re-establish if anything happens to them.Remember to back up this information as well.

• Cloud storage option: Get a reputable cloud service provider and get involved in cloud computing technology for your data safety. You might have stored the back up in your office on a separate computer or external hard drive but that will not help you when disasters such as fires, hurricanes and the likes strike. By opting for cloud data backup option, your data will be saved off site and thus you are assured of getting it if anything is to happen to your premises.

Starting a new business is never easy, especially when you are working with a limited budget. One of the best ways to attract customers is through advertising. This can be hard to do when you are just starting out. In some cases, business development for women begins in a small home setting while they gradually become small business entrepreneurs. Following are some tips that can help you to reach your target market without digging into all your savings.

1. Message board advertising

You can advertise your business by posting flyers on community bulletin boards. This is a cheap way to reach a wide local audience. The boards are easily accessible and depending on the quality of the printing, you can get the message out for next to nothing. You can also use digital boards to take your message to a wider audience.

2. Press release

You can contact local media outlets in your area, to get important publicity. These outlets are often willing to share information that they consider newsworthy in their area. This will usually work best if you offer a new service or choose a business that is unique. They might not be willing to cover a business that is already saturated in the area. A press release will cost you nothing and yet you can reach a wide audience.

3. Business cards

The first thing you should do when you launch your new business is to print business cards. The cards are relatively cheap to print and yet they come in very handy because you place them in the hands of your potential customers during different events. Look for printing services that will offer good quality cards and make sure that you choose a design that will attract customers to your business.

4. Branded T-shirt

You can wear a branded T-shirt any time you go out on a job. This will attract attention as people notice your business name, whether you are in a coffee shop or when out shopping. If someone requires certain services and they see you in your T-shirt, it can prompt them to talk to you about your business. You can get job offers as you go about your daily tasks, or even at a ball game.

It is possible to advertise on a budget but you need to be creative. Using several methods will help you to reach more people successfully. You can also use your family and friends to spread the word and talk to people they know, as word of mouth still remains the most effective marketing tool.

Different boxes are mainly used for items or goods packaging. To protect products that are intended for storage, sale and distribution or from external hazards, boxes of the highest quality need to be used. Cardboard boxes come in handy when moving offices, houses or apartments. They always help in planning a move that is well organized. Carton boxes are not only used for the purpose of packaging but also to prevent theft, describe and protect the packaged contents and not forgetting to promote the packed products.

Choosing a carton box manufacturer who makes tailor made boxes to suit your requirements is one way to take your business to next level. Remember that the packaging option you settle for makes the first impression for your business to the clients. Therefore, the manufacturer chosen should be capable of manufacturing boxes which reflect a lot of professionalism. Finding a good manufacturer for your packaging needs is also finding a packing solution that will work great for your business. With this in mind, there are three essential things you need to consider when selecting a manufacturer for your shipment boxes. They include:

1) Right quality

Quality is always the hallmark of a good manufacturer. If you are a businessman who deals in goods transportation, then you will definitely require settling for the right boxes for shipment. Customers appreciate receiving their shipments in perfect condition. The boxes intended for their mailing should be durable enough and at the same time designed beautifully as to catch the customers’ attention. As it is, due advances in packaging technology, you are assured to get boxes that are of top quality so as to meet your special shipment packaging requirements. For highest quality custom carton boxes and that have properly printed designs, the full CMYK color imprinting process should be used while printing them.

2) Right size

Test samples are created by design agents to ensure the correct sizing, strength and style before the actual production of your ordered custom made carton boxes. Choose a manufacturer who has invested in the latest printing technologies so as to be sure that your boxes and their sizes will meet your specifications.

3) Right delivery time

If you are a businessperson who deals in shipping of different goods to different locations, you will agree that the delivery time is a very essential factor to watch out for in order to keep up with your orders. When selecting a carton box manufacturer, you will need to also ask yourself whether he or she is be able to deliver your order on time so to avoid the many inconveniences that turns out to be quite costly such as losing your customers due to late shipments. This is only possible if the manufacturer has the ability to handle high volume clients as well as smaller ones. You will be a happy and satisfied customer if the manufacturer can complete box making projects in a timely manner.

Promotional bags can definitely be used as a good strategy for business advertising purposes. These bags can best be used in brand promotion where a company’s logo is printed on them. For a higher sales turnover, the bags intended for the advertising strategies should be durable, attractive and capable for multiple usages. They should for example form a part and parcel of the targeted consumers’ daily life. This will help in serving the purpose of creating brand awareness. With this in mind, the brand being advertised will get a boost that is essential when it comes to establishing itself as a leader in the market. However, to get bags that can sell your company name, you will need to consider the following strategies.

• Quality of the bag: If you want to market your business successfully, the type of bag chosen for promotional strategies should be of high quality. It should have a good stitching finish and the material used be durable and of good standard. This is something of great importance though often overlooked by many business people.

Before placing your order, ensure to inquire from your supplier the type of material and stitching used. You may as well as request for samples of bags to be used for this advertising purpose. This will largely help in determining if the supplier is making promotional items worthy your consideration for marketing purposes. Even when making your order online, a good company should be able to send you samples of the end product as it is impossible to tell the quality of the bags through painted pictures.

• Printing technique used: Definitely you want products that have good printing work. Therefore, you need to be sure that the supplier you opt for can produce work that will come out right and bright. The company’s logo should be placed on a clearly visible part on the bag and it also needs to be printed using fonts that can be easily read.

• Unique design: People love stuffs that look different and out of this planet. Creativity is another thing to consider when choosing a supplier for promotional items. You will need to ask yourself if the supplier is capable of coming up with unique designs and that still look appealing.

• Excellent customer service: When it comes to excellent service, most of the customers who go looking for best promotional items rarely get it. However, it is essential that you place your order with a company that highly observes excellent customer service. Check out whether the opted for supplier fulfills the requested order in a timely manner. The company should also be able to compensate for bags that have manufacturing errors such as loose stitching and the likes.