Contact management software

mamos · #1 (**permalink**) 11-09-2008, 13:47

Hi All

One of the main problems we find at the moment with running our business is getting organised and keeping track of clients and jobs etc

What contact management systems do you use

mamos

Sarah-Ink Promotions · #2 (**permalink**) 11-09-2008, 14:19

We use Mamut, very easy to use and not expensive

wecando.biz · #3 (**permalink**) 11-09-2008, 19:13

You may want to take a look at Front Office Box. It's very cheap.

IH

emily · #4 (**permalink**) 11-09-2008, 19:25

I was looking for exactly this a few months ago but didn't really find a solution that I was happy with. I tried ACT which is one of the well-known ones (I think) but didn't really get on very well with it. I'll be interested to see what everyone suggests.

DavidT · #5 (**permalink**) 12-09-2008, 06:48

We are in the process of developing a system... though it is specifically for bookkeeping and accounting businesses. A couple of months away from beta testing but it's starting to come together nicely.

I think SugarCRM is one I've seen recommended, and there is an open source version. Another one that may be useful is DotProject, also open-source.

rgbartlett · #6 (**permalink**) 12-09-2008, 07:27

Personally I've seen Outlook and Exchange deliver great results, if it's put in properly, procedures setup for it's use and the staff trained to use it to it's full potential. I'm a one man band so I don't have collaboration issues, but I find I can use Outlook Contacts to track clients, and Tasks and Journals to track jobs and time worked on site. This is without trying the Outlook with Business Contact Manager option.

Another possibility which I'm looking into now is using Windows Sharepoint Services 3.0 and Outlook 2007. Those two systems knit together very well, and there's loads of free application templates for Sharepoint to track contacts, helpdesk calls, timesheets etc., and they all tie in with the other Office products (lists can be linked directly to Excel etc.) Most people have Outlook in their office, and WSS is free! The setup costs is all you pay for. Worth a think.

wecando.biz · #7 (**permalink**) 12-09-2008, 08:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgbartlett

Personally I've seen Outlook and Exchange deliver great results, if it's put in properly, procedures setup for it's use and the staff trained to use it to it's full potential. I'm a one man band so I don't have collaboration issues, but I find I can use Outlook Contacts to track clients, and Tasks and Journals to track jobs and time worked on site. This is without trying the Outlook with Business Contact Manager option.

Another possibility which I'm looking into now is using Windows Sharepoint Services 3.0 and Outlook 2007. Those two systems knit together very well, and there's loads of free application templates for Sharepoint to track contacts, helpdesk calls, timesheets etc., and they all tie in with the other Office products (lists can be linked directly to Excel etc.) Most people have Outlook in their office, and WSS is free! The setup costs is all you pay for. Worth a think.

All true Richard, but they need quite a lot of expertise and custom development to do the job properly.

ACT is more a sales force automation tool -- and a poor one at that. I struggled with ACT for 18 years before going with Salesnet 6 years ago and I haven't looked back!

For the OPs needs it wouldn't really fit the bill though.

IH

tax-sorted · #8 (**permalink**) 17-09-2008, 15:18

I've been using itrader for the last two years and it's great!

I have used act, maximiser and salesforce in the past but they were all overkill. I discovered itrader and have never looked back.

All my client files are stored there, all email linked to an address book entry and the best is i can access it anywhere in the world via internet. Check them out,

http://www.ips.ipsx.org/ips/welcome.asp

RedEvo · #9 (**permalink**) 17-09-2008, 16:09

We use basecamp for project management, file sharing (between employees and clients), tasks, milestones, comms etc etc. It's the mutts.

d

admagic · #10 (**permalink**) 17-09-2008, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by emily

I was looking for exactly this a few months ago but didn't really find a solution that I was happy with. I tried ACT which is one of the well-known ones (I think) but didn't really get on very well with it. I'll be interested to see what everyone suggests.

I used ACT in a previous life to coordinate four stations including 3 telesales and thought it was good.

There is a lot of it,and I suspect it is a sledgehammer to crack a nut for very small applications. It is worth customising to your application - but it was good for managing all the way from calls to correspondence to jobs , with alerts and so on..