Why You Need Contact Management Software
by VENDIREX on 01/28/2015 - 04:45 pm |
Tag: Contact Management Software
If you still have a Rolodex on your desk in 2015, you’re not only in danger of slipping into the dark ages, but you’re probably losing a lot of money to boot. Customers are every company’s lifeblood. When you’re not paying close attention - to finding them, keeping them, and learning from their buying habits - then you’re letting your income slip through the cracks.
Honestly, how much information can you fit on a 2”x4” card? Though it may be at your fingertips, it is hardly room enough for the wealth of information that Contact Management Software will provide. This is the digital age, and if you want to compete you have to pull yourself away from the busywork tasks. Think: the more tools in your toolbox that handle the data for you, the more time you have to build your customer base and grow your business.
Lead Management
Documenting the way your clients found you is key, as well as routing them to the right sales person and tracking the follow ups. What are their interests, and have they been exposed to all the services your business has to offer?
Contact Tracking
Staying in touch is vital. Client information must be continually updated; communications are fast paced these days, so staying on top of emails, changes of address, time zones, preferred methods of contact, and social sites are crucial in order to demonstrate a high level of professionalism.
Sales Pipeline
Combine traditional progress steps with your company’s vision, providing a working schematic for your salespeople. When there is a trackable pipeline right inside your Contact Management Software, it ensures not only that your goals and timelines are adhered to, but that no one customer is left behind.
Sales Analysis
Having a real time view of your initial plan, versus actuals, lets you gauge performance and shift emphasis when needed. As a manager or owner, having reports available which show the company’s success patterns and forecasting is invaluable for making day to day decisions - from your labor force needs to growth timetables.
Contract Status
Document storage within your Contact Management system allows easy access with manageable permissions, for both sales and account managers. Tracking a contract’s status is vital to making certain you have a viable agreement, and are satisfying the elements it includes.
The Benefits of a Technical Help Desk
by VENDIREX on 01/15/2015 - 05:34 pm |
Tag: Help Desk Software
Well into its third decade, the Help Desk Software and support industry has grown leaps and bounds from its original purpose - from merely providing technical support for a client’s IT infrastructure to offering everything from desktop systems assistance to unlimited variables of advice and guidance for your customers.
Not only does a Help Desk function as a single point of service for solving problems and answering everyday questions from users - it may also provide tracking of issues, and even consultations to help you make computer and software upgrades which better suit your operations. In fact, by 2012, the term “service desk” became almost synonymous with help desk; both now inferring a 1-stop operation giving multiple layers of assistance to customers and users.
The best practice of a Help Desk is to meet the most vital needs of an end user.
Keeping your business operational as fast as possible, and keeping your customer connected, are ultimately the highest and best uses of this type of partnership.Technical Support
Help Desks are generally managed in a queue, with increasing levels of expertise available, depending on the complexity of an issue:
1. First level desks would usually guide a customer or user through a company’s “knowledge base” which would typically be outlined on an FAQ page of your website. The Help Desk personnel, of course, add a personal touch as well as providing insight which might not be apparent to someone only dealing with one issue they cannot resolve at the moment.
2. A second level of support might handle slightly more complex issues, or convey a more ‘managerial’ hand which makes certain customers more comfortable.
3. The third desk level may be more technical, dealing with software updates and client-specific fixes.
Experts Teamwork
As issues arrive at a Help Desk, they are routed to various teams according to specialty and levels of urgency:
A. Desktop Support will handle issues with computers and peripheral equipment, as well as mobile devices such as smartphones - which have all but replaced the PDAs (Personal Data Assistants) so prevalent prior to 2010.
B. Network Support takes care of issues with the infrastructure of your network, from software and backup systems to email setup and security. These personnel might also be responsible for contacting you in the event of an outage.
C. Server Desks manage your company’s DNS (domain name servers), including authentication and email accounts, and perhaps proprietary services and content management platforms.
Why Maintenance Management is Importa...
by VENDIREX on 01/12/2015 - 01:01 pm |
Whether you manage several facilities, or just one, accessing your Computerized Maintenance Management Software from your desktop, tablet or phone can be invaluable when it comes to maintaining the assets under your control. A CMMS can handle everything from assets inventory to work orders, with real time tracking of actionable tasks and completed repairs. It can mean the difference between putting out daily ‘fires’ and orderly upkeep - stretching the lifespan of your assets, as well as preserving their current value.
The maintenance management software you choose should include tutorials and technical support, and future updates. Certain systems might also offer data migration and orientation classes. By showing they are enthusiastic about educating their customers, the software providers demonstrate their credibility, stability and responsiveness to product improvement - all the characteristics you want from a partnership integral to your management firm’s future.
Inventory Management -
CMMS systems help your cash flow, while making certain what you need is always on-hand. Using stored data on the frequency and number of items used and on-hand in current inventory, you can plan ahead for purchases - not only taking advantage of sales, but avoiding costs to rush an item to the location where it is needed.
Work Orders and Requests -
This module is critical to successful assets maintenance, so you’ll want to find the right CMMS that is flexible enough to give you the workflow you need to have in place. From corrective requests and authorizations, to preventative maintenance scheduling, the system should allow you to sort by location, asset type, etc. There should be detailed labor records, as well as definitive reports which allow you to make predictive decisions.
Equipment Tracking -
This function is critical, as it will organize all the data for each asset - from date of purchase and warranty parameters to repairs and certifications, as well as serial numbers and model descriptions, with ability to upload other identifying criteria such as photos and documents. Additionally, this module can be used to record meter readings, hours utilized, mileage, etc. Thresholds can be set, to alert you when an asset might require corrective action to prevent overuse or deterioration.
Why Property Management Software is C...
by VENDIREX on 01/08/2015 - 01:37 pm |
Tag: Property Management Software
Managing rental properties is one of the most difficult tasks you can undertake in the real estate industry. Think about it, if it were easy everyone would be doing it! In real estate classrooms across the country, instructors caution future Realtors to avoid property management like the plague. Why is that? Not only is the responsibility of handling other people’s money challenging, but the juggling act of representing the property owner while protecting the tenant’s rights is one not many agents want to take on.
Whether your company handles vacation and corporate rentals or standard long term leases, there are multiple elements of which you must keep track. No matter how organized you might be, there is just no manual system that can keep you out of trouble. In a nutshell, to effectively manage rentals in your care - you must have the appropriate property management software in place that fits the type and size of your inventory.
You will want to compare various available programs, and then choose one that at least handles those aspects of your business which would take the most man hours, and could involve the highest risk if not consistently tracked and managed.
Here are just three important tasks your software should be capable of tackling for you:
1. RENTS
From emailing or texting your tenant payment reminders to accepting online payments, calculating late fees, and providing you with full ledger accounting and on-demand reporting, tracking your rental income is the most critical element of any program you choose. Be sure it is user friendly, for both your employees and your tenants, and that it gives you all the details you need at your fingertips.
2. VACANCIES
This module should house all the data and photos of your entire inventory of rentals, and display your available listings online as well as those coming up in the near future. Also desirable would be secure uploadable applications for new tenants, as well as screening services and even a scheduling calendar for showing the properties.
3. MAINTENANCE
This is one of the most time intensive elements of property management. If the software is worth its salt, it will include repair requests from tenants and allow correspondence between them and your team members, documenting any issues and the resolutions involved. Integrating this information will keep your maintenance team, as well as leasing managers, aware of potential problems - while making certain that these events are handled promptly and have a positive impact on tenant retention.
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