Wizard Systems

Is It Time to Upgrade Your CRM? 7 Signs You've Outgrown Your Current System

Here are some signs that a business may want to consider a new CRM system:

• Your current system is outdated and no longer supported. If the software is very old, it likely lacks newer features and capabilities that more modern systems have. Being on an unsupported version also means you won't get security updates or bug fixes.
• It's not meeting your current needs. Your business and customer base have likely changed over time. If your CRM lacks key features you now require or has become overly complex for your needs, it may be time for something new.
• Integrations are lacking. Many systems today integrate with other software like email, e-commerce, accounting etc. If your CRM doesn't connect well with the other tools you use, it's creating extra manual work.
• Your team doesn't like using it. If your staff dread using the CRM because it's clunky, confusing, or otherwise counterintuitive, adoption will suffer. Choose a system your team finds easy and enjoyable to use.
• Data accuracy issues persist. If you regularly come across duplicate records, missing information, or find data hard to access, your CRM isn't doing its job. A good system makes it easy to enter and find customer data.
• Reporting and analytics are poor. Key decision making metrics should be easy to access. If your CRM falls short here, you're lacking crucial business insights.
• Costs are too high. Evaluate if you're paying too much in software fees, extra customizations or user licenses vs. the value derived. There may be more affordable options with the features you need.

Is that New CRM System Worth it? How Small Businesses Can Calculate the ROI

Here are a few tips for small businesses to justify or calculate ROI on a new CRM system:

• Calculate savings from increased efficiency and productivity. A CRM centralizes customer data and automates tasks like data entry. Estimate how much time and effort a CRM can save employees on tasks like entering customer info, tracking interactions, finding customer history etc. Monetize these time savings.
• Consider gains from higher customer retention. A CRM helps you manage relationships better and retain more customers. Estimate how many customers you may retain as a result, and the additional profit/revenue retained customers will bring.
• Factor in increased sales from improved sales processes. CRMs streamline the sales process and help sales teams close more deals. Estimate the potential sales boost based on metrics like increased lead conversion rates.
• Calculate revenue from upsells/cross-sells. CRMs make it easy to identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities with existing customers. Estimate the potential revenue from more effective upselling.
• Weigh cost savings from canceling other tools. Examine if the CRM can replace any other software tools you currently use, allowing you to cancel those subscriptions.
• Consider long-term brand value gains. Better customer data, experiences and retention builds brand value. Part of the CRM ROI may be from long-term gains like increased referrals and reduced marketing costs.
• Use ROI comparisons/benchmarks for CRMs in your industry. Industry research firms like Nucleus Research regularly publish ROI case studies and benchmarks for CRMs that you can reference.

The key is to take a comprehensive view of direct and indirect benefits over say a 3-5 year period to quantify the true ROI instead of just looking at the software cost.

 

Stop Switching Screens - Use Tabs for Contextual Workflows in Workbooks CRM - New Event 1st November

Attention - Workbooks CRM Users!  Join us on our next free training session on Wednesday 1st November where we cover how easy it is to create your own custom tabs on forms!

Register here

Here are some key benefits of adding a data view as a tab on a form layout in Workbooks CRM:

• Shows related data in context - Having a data view tab lets you display tables of related or reference data right on the form. For example, showing all cases related to a contact.
• Provides quick access - Rather than running separate searches or lookups, related data is instantly accessible on the record's form for faster workflows.
• Enables editing - Depending on permissions, users may be able to edit the related data shown in a data view tab right from the form layout.
• Allows flexibility - Multiple data view tabs can be added to a single layout alongside other tab types like dashboards, notes, etc.
• Easy configuration - Building data views and adding them as tabs is simple point-and-click configuration in the layout designer. Views can also be reused.
• Improves data quality - Related data visible in context makes it easier for users to make connections, identify gaps, and keep information up to date.
• Minimizes switching - Keeping related data in tabs reduces clicks and screens required to manage connected records.

In summary, data view tabs on forms provide convenient inline access to associated data, enabling faster and more informed workflows while minimizing context switching. The flexibility to combine data views with other contextual tabs gives a comprehensive view.

Break Free from Your Legacy CRM: Top Challenges and How to Overcome Them

 

If your business is still relying on an outdated or legacy customer relationship management (CRM) system, it's likely causing more headaches than help. While familiar, older CRMs can hold your business back in many ways. The good news is that with proper planning and strategy, moving to a modern CRM solution is more seamless than you may think.

In this article, we'll look at the top challenges businesses face when running legacy CRM systems and how to tackle them head-on to enable a smooth transition to a better-suited platform. Keep reading to learn how to break free of your legacy CRM for good.

Top Challenges with Legacy CRMs

Outdated Features and Functions

Legacy CRM systems lack many features that have become standard in more modern solutions. For example, they may not offer mobile compatibility, data visualization tools, workflow automation, or advanced reporting. This can limit sales, marketing, and support functionality.

No Cloud Capabilities

Many legacy systems were designed before cloud-based services became popular. This means your data is likely siloed on-premises, with no way to access it remotely. Cloud CRM delivers flexibility to access real-time data anytime, anywhere.

Integration Difficulties

Connecting legacy CRMs with other newer systems can be challenging or impossible. From accounting to email marketing software, limited integration hampers a unified view of customer interactions.

Security Risks

Cyberthreats have evolved dramatically over the years. Older platforms weren't designed with modern security protections in mind, putting your data at risk. Updates to address vulnerabilities can be slow with legacy vendors.

Lack of Scalability

What worked 10 years ago often doesn't cut it for business growth today. Legacy CRMs may buckle under rising data and user volumes. Built-in flexibility and scalability are lacking.

No Customer Insights

Modern analytics and AI/ML technologies provide actionable insights not found in legacy systems. You're left without the ability to predict customer behaviors, identify upsell opportunities, or optimize marketing campaigns.

 

Overcoming Challenges and Making the Switch

While the challenges are real, they can be overcome with careful planning. Here are tips for making the switch seamless:

• Audit workflows and data needs- Understand exactly how your teams engage with legacy CRM to determine requirements for a new system. Document data points tracked and reports relied on.
• Involve key stakeholders - Get buy-in across sales, marketing, IT and support teams. Address their pain points and needs for an optimal upgrade experience.
• Select the right solution - Prioritize must-have capabilities based on audit findings and user feedback. Take advantage of free trials to test options firsthand.
• Migrate data systematically - Work with the new provider to migrate contacts, accounts, conversations and other data without disruption. Clean up data beforehand.
• Train thoroughly - Get teams up to speed on new features and workflows. Provide onboarding resources and post go-live support.
• Integrate with other systems - Leverage native integration capabilities and APIs for a seamless flow of data between the CRM and other software.
• Stay agile - Pick a solution focused on constant innovation, so you don't get stuck with another legacy system down the road. Consider cloud-based for speedier updates.

Conclusion

Transitioning from a legacy CRM no longer needs to be an exercise in frustration. With clear goals, stakeholder alignment, and a modern platform designed for business agility, you can finally achieve your customer relationship goals. Reach out if we can help assess your situation and make legacy CRM a thing of the past. The future growth of your business is waiting.

What's the point of making records of customer phone calls in your CRM?

When using a CRM software system, what are the pros and cons of tracking phone calls made with customers? Are there any best practices?

Here are some pros and cons of tracking phone calls in a CRM system, and some best practices:

Pros:

• Helps keep a record of all conversations with customers for future reference. This includes details like date, length of call, who participated, and topics discussed.
• Allows you to log any follow-up actions needed after the call, ensuring tasks don't fall through the cracks.
• Provides insights into how much time is spent on the phone with customers. This can help with capacity planning and scheduling.
• Enables reporting on call volume, frequency with customers, etc. to identify patterns and areas to improve.

Cons:

• Entering lots of call records can become time consuming and reduce time spent actually talking with customers.
• Callers may feel uncomfortable knowing calls are being tracked and documented.
• Without proper CRM usage and discipline, call data may not end up being entered consistently.

Best Practices:

• Have clear internal policies on what calls should be logged - such as all sales calls and customer service calls longer than 5 minutes.
• Train employees on call logging discipline and protocol. Set expectations from the start.
• Use call logging forms/screens with pre-populated fields to make entering calls fast and easy.
• Identify key data fields to capture on calls such as basic context, lead/contact name, purpose, summary, and follow-ups. Avoid overly detailed notes.
• Use call logging to augment other interactions captured in CRM, not duplicate them.
• Review reports on call frequency, productivity and follow-up completion rates to optimize.
• Allow users to manually enter calls, but also integrate phone systems with CRM to automatically log calls.
• Make sure to comply with any call recording laws and get customer consent if necessary.

 

Centralised Knowledge for Enhanced Customer Service - Webinar 27th October

 

GoldMine CRM Users, join us on our next event to discover how the Knowledgebase feature can be used for customer support.  Event is Friday 27th October at 2pm London time.

Register here

Here are a few ways the GoldMine CRM Knowledgebase feature can help GoldMine users provide better service and support to their customers:

• Creating a repository of solutions to common issues and questions that users can search to find answers quickly instead of having to escalate issues. This improves first call resolution rates.
• Allowing users to attach relevant knowledgebase articles to customer cases so they have the information they need to resolve issues faster.
• Using the knowledgebase to standardize responses and solutions so all customers receive consistent and accurate information.
• Enabling self-service for customers by providing a public-facing knowledgebase portal they can search for answers before contacting support. This reduces case volume.
• Documenting processes, policies, product information and other content that is frequently needed by customer service agents. This helps ensure they have access to the right information.
• Identifying common issues or gaps in information based on knowledgebase usage trends and creating new articles to fill those gaps proactively.
• Linking related knowledgebase articles together so users can easily find all relevant information on a particular topic.
• Allowing agents to provide feedback on existing articles to improve them over time.
• Using knowledgebase article tagging and categorization to optimize search and make it easier for agents to find relevant content.

The key benefit is providing a centralized knowledge base that makes it faster and easier for agents to find the right information to resolve customer issues accurately and efficiently. This improves customer satisfaction as well as employee productivity

Harness the Potential of Leads: A Primer on CRM Leads Tools in Workbooks CRM

Join us on Wednesday 25th October at 10am when we take a deeper dive into the Leads tracking feature in Workbooks CRM.  

Please register here for this free event.

Here are some general benefits of using a CRM system's Leads feature:

• Centralized place to record all new potential customer inquiries and requests. This ensures leads don't get lost and are followed up on.
• Ability to track source of leads to see which marketing channels are generating the most interest. This allows you to optimize marketing spending.
• Lead scoring to prioritize leads based on profile, behaviours, etc. Helps focus sales team's time on hottest leads.
• Workflow automation to notify sales when new leads come in, send initial info to leads, schedule follow-ups, etc. Saves manual work.
• Reporting on number of new leads over time, lead quality, lead conversions, etc. Gives insight into sales pipeline health.
• Integration with email marketing tools to send targeted campaigns to nurture leads. Helps move leads through sales funnel.
• Lead assignment to distribute leads efficiently to appropriate sales reps. Ensures leads are handled properly.
• Contact management tools like logging communications, adding notes, setting reminders on leads. Keeps all interactions organized.
• Ability to convert leads to customer accounts once they become sales qualified. Retains history after conversion.

So in summary, a solid leads management feature provides sales teams with organization, automation, and insights to best capture, develop, and convert new potential customer leads. This ultimately drives more sales opportunities and revenue for the business.

 

Sage CRM 2023 R2 Release Notes

Attention Sage CRM Users.  Latest version is 2023 R2.  Sage CRM 2023 R2 provides the following new features and enhancements:

1. OAuth 2.0 in Exchange Online: Support for single tenant
2. View workflow rules and actions without disabling workflow
3. Set default timestamp for imported emails
4. New columns when importing emails from Exchange Online
5. Open multiple read-only tabs
6. Narrative enhancements

For the full release notes:

Download SageCRM_2023R2_ReleaseNotes_EN

For more information on Sage Upgrades, contact Wizard Systems

Next GoldMine CRM Event 20th October 2pm - How to Customise your Toolbar

Join us on our next event aimed at existing GoldMine CRM Users and how to customise your Toolbar.

Register here.

Here are a few ways customizing the toolbar with shortcuts can benefit a company using a CRM system like GoldMine:

• Improved efficiency - Adding shortcuts to commonly used actions like creating a new contact, scheduling a call, logging an activity, etc. can save employees time by reducing the number of clicks and navigation required to perform frequent tasks. This can enable staff to get more done in less time.
• Better workflow - Custom shortcuts can streamline workflows by making it faster and easier for employees to take the next logical action in a process. For example, a shortcut to schedule a follow-up call right after adding a new contact.
• Increased adoption - When employees can easily access CRM features they are more likely to use the system consistently rather than finding workarounds. Intuitive customized layouts improve user experience.
• Role-based customization - Managers can customize toolbars differently than sales reps, tailoring shortcuts to each role's responsibilities and most common actions, increasing relevance and utility.
• Consistency - A customized toolbar can standardize CRM usage across the company, ensuring employees have access to the same commonly used features. This can help build more consistent processes.
• Training aid - Well-designed toolbars put CRM functionality front and center, acting as a reminder and quick reference guide to key features, especially helpful for onboarding new employees.

So in summary, thoughtful toolbar customization in GoldMine or any CRM can pay dividends through time savings, easier workflows, increased adoption, role-based utility, standardization, and onboarding assistance. The key is optimizing shortcuts for your specific workflows and users

NEW GoldMine version 2023.4 now out!

What's Changed in GoldMine Version 2023.4

Upgraded the Redemption library to 6.4

What's Fixed in GoldMine Version 2023.4, GoldMine Premium 2023.4.0 / GoldMine Connect 2023.4.0

78261 GoldMine Link for Microsoft Outlook - When a Sent email contains the X500 address instead of the email address >> Linking the email from the Sent Items list fails but opening the email and link it works
86088 When emails are stored with non-printable - CHAR(0X01) - CHAR(0X1F) - GoldMine Web cannot display the body of the email and states [None - RECID unavailable] instead
87449 GoldMine Link for Outlook - Usually on first Outlook start in the morning or after a weekend Emails will not auto-link.
87465 GoldMine Plus for Microsoft Outlook: E-Mails remain in the Pending tab when the email is sent to many recipients using GoldMine Plus with auto-linking at the same time (e.g. Distribution list emails)
87645 Emails sent from iOS mail (e.g. from an iPhone or Mac from Google) and that are linked with GoldMine Plus or GoldMine Link for Microsoft Outlook >> The TO and CC recipients are reversed in the linked email within GoldMine
89809 Meeting requests will scramble special characters - The email looks many times ok but the Calendar activity does not show correctly.
89883 Merging Contact Records - The oc: information in the CONTHIST>REF field is not updated but amended on short references
90578 GoldMine Plus for Outlook - Usually on first Outlook start in the morning or after a weekend Emails will not auto-link.
90820 GoldMine Plus Office: Microsoft Word closes very slow with the add-in active but not when the add-in is not active
90939 Outlook could not be initialized error when trying to sync with Outlook
91147 Inconsistent Details/Links handling in Contact >> Tab Links and Opportunity/Project >> Tab Details/Links
91259 When using the Show Active in Opportunity Manager: Newly created or changed opportunities do not show up in the list
91344 Tools > Users' Settings... > Properties of a user > Tab Time Clock sometimes absurd amount of Keys and Clicks are displayed
91623 Email Center: On new messages (e.g. replies) body appears grey or white and needs to be highlighted to be displayed
91627 Email Center - Attachments are not visible when the underlying file has been moved or removed
91696 GoldMine Link for Microsoft Outlook - Users link manually sent e-mails to GoldMine with attachment(s), the email links to GoldMine but many times does not link the attachments (neither on file server nor as the email attachment reference)
92173 Synchronizing numeric fields with decimals will round the field content on the retrieving side
92374 Notes Tab: Sporadic no content visible when trying to edit existing Notes
92627 Terminal Server - GoldMine Plus for Word/Excel - Performance issue when starting Word with GoldMine Add-in activated (takes more than 30 seconds without a mail merge)
92935 The tab of the email changes when the autosave draft is active along with Show Next message after delete/complete active and Complete original message not active
93452 Activity list >> E-Mail >> Filed does not refresh (or selecting date or user) >> Eventlog errors indicate Ambiguous column name 'CREATEBY' (also possible LASTTIME, LASTDATE)
93790 Case Tasks with alarms and certain colors assigned will show in Alarm notes E-mail body unavailable
93835 The subject is cut off in the E-mail Center when the From Friendly name and the subject of an email exceed 100 characters
94070 GoldMine Link for Outlook: When an attachment (e.g. an Outlook item) has a tab in the name, Link email failed message with Error in StgCreateStorageEx: STG_E_INVALIDNAME in the Log file
94124 GoldMine Web - Reply to all does not bring over additional TO recipients from the original email into the new email
94469 GoldMine Link for Outlook: A user having permission to access another user's mailbox (tested with Office 365), although auto-linking is not set at all (for both users), the email will be linked under the user accessing the original sender's mailbox
94758 Auto-saving drafts feature causes emails to be completed, although the user does not expect this as they dismiss the draft email