Wizard Systems

Our top 5 Business KPI metrics every CRM should give you!

What you get out of a CRM system can be valuable information as regards what's working well or what might not be in your operation.  Our choice of metrics provide a comprehensive view of the business's health, customer relationships, and sales performance:

1. Total Revenue This is the most fundamental metric for any business. It gives a clear picture of the company's financial performance and growth.
2. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) Understanding how much it costs to acquire a new customer is crucial for assessing the efficiency of marketing and sales efforts.
3. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) This metric helps in understanding the long-term value of a customer, which is essential for strategic decision-making and resource allocation.
4. Customer Retention Rate Keeping existing customers is often more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. This metric shows how well the company is maintaining its customer base.
5. Sales Pipeline Value This forward-looking metric gives insights into potential future revenue and helps in forecasting and resource planning.

These five KPIs provide a balanced view of current performance (revenue), efficiency (CAC), long-term value (CLV), customer satisfaction (retention rate), and future potential (pipeline value). Together, they offer a holistic picture of the business's performance and customer relationships.

Want help?  Contact Wizard Systems!

How QuoteWerks software can help you create sales quotes faster and save time!

QuoteWerks software streamlines the sales quoting process, allowing you to create professional, branded quotes in minutes. With its intuitive design and robust features, you can reduce errors, standardize pricing, and integrate seamlessly with existing CRM and accounting systems. Key benefits include:

• Faster Quote Creation: Generate detailed quotes quickly, eliminating the need for manual entry and formatting.
• Error Reduction: Built-in approval workflows ensure accuracy, minimizing misquotes and saving time.
• Centralized Document Management: Store and manage all quotes in one searchable location, making retrieval easy.
• Interactive Quotes: Use QuoteValet to send interactive quotes that clients can review, amend, and sign electronically, enhancing customer engagement.
• Payment Integration: Collect payments directly through the platform, streamlining the sales process from quote to cash.

With QuoteWerks, you can close deals faster and enhance your productivity, making it an essential tool for any sales team! #Sales #QuotingSoftware #Productivity

Just ask Wizard Systems for a demo!

Customizing Your Workbooks CRM: Our Top 10 Custom Field Types! - Event 4/9

Workbooks CRM offers a robust set of tools for tailoring your customer relationship management system to your specific business needs. One of the most powerful features is the ability to create custom fields.

If you're a Workbooks CRM user or looking at Workbooks, please join us on our next online event on Wednesday 4th September at 2pm and we'll explain all

PLEASE REGISTER HERE TO ATTEND

 

Let's explore out top 10 (there's more!!) types of custom fields available in Workbooks CRM and how they can enhance your data management.

1. Text Fields

Type: Single Line Text / Multi-line Text Example Use: Capture short notes about a client or longer descriptions of projects.

2. Number Fields

Type: Integer / Decimal Example Use: Track the number of employees in a client company or record precise financial figures.

3. Date and Time Fields

Type: Date / Date and Time Example Use: Schedule follow-up calls or record important deadlines for projects.

4. Dropdown Lists

Type: Picklist Example Use: Create a list of industry sectors for categorizing your clients.

5. Checkboxes

Type: Checkbox Example Use: Flag high-priority leads or indicate whether a client has signed an NDA.

6. Radio Buttons

Type: Radio Button Example Use: Set the status of a project (e.g., Not Started, In Progress, Completed).

7. Lookup Fields

Type: Lookup Example Use: Link a contact to their associated company record.

8. Formula Fields

Type: Formula Example Use: Automatically calculate a lead score based on other field values.

9. URL Fields

Type: URL Example Use: Store links to client websites or relevant online resources.

10. Email Fields

Type: Email Example Use: Capture additional email addresses for contacts.

11. Dynamic Linked Item Fields

Type: Dynamic Linked Item Example Use: Create a field that dynamically links to different types of records based on certain conditions. For instance, linking a support case to either a contact or an organization depending on the nature of the issue.

12. Report Fields

Type: Report Example Use: Embed the results of a specific report directly within a record. For example, showing the total value of all opportunities associated with a particular account on the account record itself.

By leveraging these custom field types, you can tailor Workbooks CRM to capture and organize the exact information your business needs. This customization allows for more efficient data entry, improved reporting, and ultimately, better insights into your customer relationships.

The Dynamic Linked Item fields offer great flexibility in how you structure your data relationships, allowing for more complex and nuanced connections between different types of records. Meanwhile, Report fields can bring critical summary data right to the forefront of your records, saving time and providing instant insights.

Remember, the key to effective CRM customization is to think carefully about what data is truly valuable to your business processes. Start with the essential custom fields and gradually expand as you identify new data points that could drive your business forward. With Workbooks CRM's wide array of field types, you have the tools to create a truly tailored CRM experience that aligns perfectly with your organization's needs.

Old, uncompleted activities getting you down in GoldMine CRM? Event 30/8

As a long-time GoldMine CRM user, you may find yourself wondering what to do with those old, pending, and uncompleted activities cluttering up your database. These lingering tasks can be the result of overlooked follow-ups, departed employees, or simply changing priorities.

If you're a GoldMine CRM User, please join us on our next event on Friday 30th August at 2pm where we'll show you how to identify and clear up the old stuff hogging your productivity.

PLEASE REGISTER HERE

Let's explore some effective strategies for handling these outdated activities and keeping your GoldMine CRM system organized and efficient.

Why Address Old Activities?

Before diving into solutions, it's important to understand why managing old activities is crucial:

1. Improved system performance
2. Enhanced user productivity and user adoption
3. More accurate reporting and forecasting
4. Better overall data quality

Nothing is worse than clicking on a Contact's Pending Tab and seeing loads of uncompleted activities from years ago!

Strategies for Handling Old Activities

Audit and Assess
Start by running a query to identify old, pending activities.  This will give you a clear picture of the scope of the issue. Consider factors such as:

• Activity age
• Associated user (active or inactive)
• Activity type (call, appointment, task, etc.)
• Relevance to current business operations

Utilize the Roll Over Feature
GoldMine's "roll over" feature is an excellent tool for managing outdated activities. This allows you to:

• Reschedule activities by a specific number of days
• Move multiple activities to a future date
• Update the "updated" date for each rolled-over activity

Implement a Clean-Up Process
Establish a regular clean-up routine to prevent the accumulation of old activities:

1. Set aside time weekly or monthly for activity review
2. Train team members on proper activity management
3. Use GoldMine's auto-update feature to handle recurring tasks

Handle Activities for Departed Users
When employees leave, their pending activities often remain. To address this:

1. Reassign important activities to active users
2. Complete or delete irrelevant activities
3. Consider archiving activities for record-keeping purposes
    

Best Practices for Future Activity Management

To prevent the build-up of old activities moving forward:

1. Encourage regular activity list reviews
2. Use the Activity Centre to manage and prioritize tasks
3. Leverage email templates for efficient follow-ups
4. Implement a policy for closing out completed or irrelevant activities

Conclusion

By addressing old activities and implementing proper management techniques, you can significantly improve your GoldMine CRM's effectiveness. Remember, a clean and well-organized activity list leads to better time management, more accurate forecasting, and ultimately, improved customer relationships.  Take the time to audit your activities, utilize GoldMine's built-in features, and establish consistent clean-up processes. Your future self (and your sales team) will thank you for the increased efficiency and clarity in your CRM system.

QuoteWerks Version 24 Build 3 now out!

The QuoteWerks folks have been hard at work delivering another update packed with new features and enhancements for QuoteWerks Users!

The latest 24 Build 3 release brings several enhancements, including QuoteValet Multiple Signature Support (co-signing), the QuoteWerks Built-In Contact Database with multiple contacts and enhanced contact import. Plus, they've enhanced their integrations with Act! version 26 for both Web and Desktop, and the HubSpot CRM integration, to serve you better.  Plus, new API Integrations for FedEx and UPS, new access rights, and so much more. This is not just another QuoteWerks update, but a significant leap towards making your sales and quoting experience even more seamless.

Download the latest release or view all features in Version.....

http://www.quotewerks.com/updates/UpdateAgent.asp

Please ensure you have a current UMP (an annual contract from Wizard Systems to get QuoteWerks upgrades) to install this update.

Please note that if you are a GoldMine CRM User, this release is not yet compatible with GoldMine.  QuoteWerks will release this shortly and we will let you know.  So don't upgrade just yet or the link to GoldMine will not work.

For more information on QuoteWerks Upgrades, Training and Support, contact Wizard Systems on 01454 316800.

Supercharge Workbooks CRM with 3 ERP Integrations

As a flexible and powerful CRM solution, Workbooks provides businesses with a robust platform to manage customer relationships. But the true potential of Workbooks CRM lies in its ability to seamlessly integrate with other core business systems - and one of the most impactful integrations is with your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.

By connecting Workbooks CRM with your ERP using Zapier, you can create automated workflows that sync critical business data between the two platforms. This not only streamlines your operations but also ensures that your customer data is always up-to-date and aligned with your broader financial and inventory management processes.

In this post, we'll explore three compelling Zapier integrations that can help you get the most out of Workbooks CRM by connecting it to your ERP system.

1. Sync Workbooks Leads with Your ERP Contacts

Keeping your sales pipeline and customer database in sync is crucial for effective lead management. With a Zapier integration, you can automatically create new contacts in your ERP system whenever a new lead is added to Workbooks CRM.

This Zap can be set up to trigger whenever a new lead is added to Workbooks, and then automatically create a corresponding contact record in your ERP, such as NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or Microsoft Dynamics 365. This ensures that all of your prospect information is centralised and accessible across your key business systems.

2. Update ERP Customer Records from Workbooks Accounts

As customers move through their lifecycle, it's important that their information is consistently updated across your CRM and ERP platforms. By integrating Workbooks with your ERP, you can automatically sync any changes made to customer accounts in Workbooks.

This Zap can be configured to trigger whenever an account is updated in Workbooks CRM, and then push those changes (e.g., contact details, billing information, order history) to the corresponding customer record in your ERP. This keeps your customer data current and ensures a unified view across your business.

3. Create ERP Sales Orders from Workbooks Opportunities

The ultimate goal of your sales efforts is to convert opportunities into actual revenue. By integrating Workbooks CRM with your ERP's order management system, you can streamline this process by automatically creating sales orders in your ERP whenever an opportunity is won in Workbooks.

This Zap can be set up to trigger when a new opportunity is marked as "Closed-Won" in Workbooks, and then automatically generate a corresponding sales order in your ERP with all the relevant details (e.g., products, quantities, pricing). This helps eliminate manual data entry, reduces errors, and ensures a seamless transition from the sales pipeline to the fulfilment process.

Unlock the Power of Workbooks CRM with Zapier

These are just a few examples of the many ways you can use Zapier to integrate Workbooks CRM with your ERP system. By bridging the gap between your customer relationship management and core business operations, you can achieve greater efficiency, data accuracy, and cross-functional visibility.

So why not start exploring the Zapier integration marketplace and see how you can supercharge your Workbooks CRM experience today?

Customising Workbooks CRM: Unlock the Power of Custom Records - Event 21/8

Custom records in Workbooks CRM allow you to create entirely new types of data objects tailored to your specific business needs. While most CRM systems come with standard objects like Contacts, Organizations, and Opportunities, your business might require something more specialized.

For example:

• A property management company might need a 'Property' record type
• An educational institution could benefit from a 'Course' or 'Student' record type
• A manufacturing business might want to track 'Equipment' or 'Production Runs'

So join us on our next Workbooks CRM online event where we explore Custom Records and how they can be used in Workbooks.  We'll go through some examples as well.  The event is on Wednesday 21st August at 2pm UK time.  Please register here to save your spot.  This event is aimed at Workbooks CRM users or anyone interested in using Workbooks as a new CRM system.

Benefits of Using Custom Records

1. Tailored to Your Business: Custom records ensure your CRM speaks your business language, making it more intuitive for your team.
2. Improved Data Organization: Keep all relevant information in one place, reducing data silos and improving accessibility.
3. Enhanced Reporting: Create reports and dashboards based on your custom data, providing deeper insights into your unique business processes.
4. Streamlined Workflows: Automate processes around your custom records, increasing efficiency and consistency.
5. Scalability: As your business grows and evolves, you can easily add or modify custom records to meet new requirements.

How to Create Custom Records in Workbooks CRM

1. Navigate to the Configuration area in Workbooks
2. Select 'Record Types' under the 'Database' section
3. Click 'New' to create a new record type
4. Define the fields, layout, and relationships for your new record type
5. Set up permissions to control who can view and edit the new records
6. Create views and reports to leverage your new data

Best Practices for Custom Records

• Plan Ahead: Before creating custom records, map out your business processes and data needs.
• Keep It Simple: Start with the essential fields and add more as needed.
• Use Relationships: Link your custom records to standard objects for a holistic view of your data.
• Train Your Team: Ensure your staff understands how to use and benefit from the new record types.
• Regular Review: Periodically assess your custom records to ensure they still meet your business needs.

Conclusion

Custom records in Workbooks CRM offer a powerful way to tailor your CRM to your exact business requirements. By leveraging this feature, you can create a truly bespoke system that grows with your business, improves data management, and drives efficiency across your organization.

Ready to unlock the full potential of your CRM? Start exploring custom records in Workbooks CRM today!

Why CRM Integration Matters: Connecting Your Business Dots

In today's fast-paced business world, having a robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity. But here's the kicker: a standalone CRM, no matter how powerful, isn't enough. The real magic happens when your CRM plays nicely with other applications in your organisation. Let's dive into why this integration is crucial, especially when it comes to apps that handle customer or client information.

1. Keeping Your Data Ducks in a Row

First things first: data consistency. When your CRM shakes hands with other apps, you're ensuring that customer data remains consistent across all platforms. No more scratching your head over conflicting information or duplicate entries. It's all about keeping your data ducks in a row!

2. The Full Customer Picture

Imagine having a 360-degree view of each customer. Sounds brilliant, doesn't it? That's exactly what you get with proper integration. From purchase history to support tickets, every interaction is accounted for, giving you a holistic understanding of your customers.

3. Efficiency is King

Let's face it: nobody likes mundane data entry. Integration means less manual work and fewer errors. Your team can focus on what they do best, rather than playing data ping-pong between systems.

4. Making Smarter Decisions

With all your data sources singing from the same hymn sheet, decision-making becomes a breeze. Managers and executives can tap into a goldmine of consolidated information, leading to more informed choices.

5. Workflows That Work for You

Automation is the name of the game. Integrated systems allow for seamless workflows across different apps. Imagine a new lead in your CRM automatically triggering a welcome email from your marketing tool. It's not just possible; it's essential.

6. Numbers Don't Lie

When it comes to reporting and analytics, more data means better insights. Integrated systems provide a comprehensive view of your business performance, helping you spot trends and opportunities you might have otherwise missed.

7. Happy Customers, Happy Business

With all customer data at their fingertips, your staff can provide service that's not just good, but exceptional. Personalised interactions lead to happier customers, and we all know happy customers are the best customers.

8. Room to Grow

As your business expands, your systems need to keep pace. Integrated solutions make scaling up a smoother process, without the growing pains of disjointed systems.

The Critical Role of Mandatory Fields in CRM: Ensuring Key Contact Information Event

In the world of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), data is king. The quality and completeness of your customer data can make or break your business relationships and marketing efforts. One crucial aspect of maintaining high-quality data is the use of mandatory fields, especially for key contact information. Let's explore why these fields are so important and how they can benefit your organization.

What are Mandatory Fields?

Mandatory fields, also known as required fields, are data entry points in a CRM system that must be filled out before a record can be saved. These fields ensure that critical information is always captured, maintaining a minimum standard of data quality across your customer database.

The Importance of Mandatory Fields for Key Contact Information

1. Data Consistency: By making certain fields mandatory, you ensure that every customer record contains a consistent set of basic information. This consistency makes it easier to search, sort, and analyze your customer data effectively.
2. Improved Communication: Complete contact information allows for more efficient and effective communication with your customers. Whether it's email marketing, phone calls, or direct mail, having the right contact details is crucial.
3. Better Decision Making: With comprehensive data at your fingertips, you can make more informed decisions about your sales and marketing strategies. Mandatory fields help ensure you have the necessary data to support these decisions.
4. Enhanced Customer Service: When customer service representatives have access to complete contact information, they can provide faster and more personalized service, improving customer satisfaction.
5. Accurate Reporting: Mandatory fields contribute to more accurate and meaningful reports. When key data points are consistently present, you can trust the insights derived from your CRM reports.
6. Reduced Data Entry Errors: By forcing users to enter specific information, you reduce the likelihood of incomplete or inaccurate data being entered into your system.

Key Contact Information to Consider as Mandatory

While the specific mandatory fields may vary depending on your business needs, here are some key contact information fields to consider:

• Full Name
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• Company Name (for B2B)
• Job Title (for B2B)
• Mailing Address

Best Practices for Implementing Mandatory Fields

1. Be Selective: Only make fields mandatory if they are truly essential. Too many required fields can lead to user frustration and may encourage incorrect data entry.
2. Provide Clear Instructions: Use clear labels and help text to guide users on how to fill out mandatory fields correctly.
3. Use Validation Rules: Implement validation rules to ensure that the data entered meets specific criteria (e.g., proper email format, valid phone numbers).
4. Offer Default Values: Where appropriate, provide default values to speed up data entry and improve consistency.
5. Regular Review: Periodically review your mandatory fields to ensure they still align with your business needs and processes.

Conclusion

Mandatory fields for key contact information are a crucial component of effective CRM data management. By ensuring that essential data is consistently captured, you lay the foundation for better customer relationships, more effective marketing, and improved decision-making across your organization. Remember, the goal is not just to collect data, but to collect the right data that drives your business forward.

Mastering Workbooks CRM: Why Your Preferences Matter - Event 6/8

Workbooks CRM is a powerful tool for managing customer relationships, but its true potential is unlocked when users take the time to customise their experience. One of the most impactful ways to do this is by setting up your preferences correctly.

Join us on Tuesday 6th August at 2pm UK time and we will take you through the top level user preferences to review to get the most out of Workbooks CRM. Register here for free.

Let's explore why this matters and how to make the most of it.

Why User Preferences Matter

1. Efficiency: Tailored preferences streamline your workflow, saving time on routine tasks.

2. Personalisation: Your CRM should work the way you do, not the other way round.  E.g. When you log in, what's the first thing/s you tend to do?

3. Data Organisation: Proper settings ensure that your data is displayed and organised in a way that makes sense for your role and needs.

4. Improved Adoption: When the system is set up to work smoothly for each user, overall adoption and satisfaction increase.  So new starters, get them setup correctly.

Key Preference Areas to Consider

1. Default Views: Customise list views to show the most relevant information for your role.

2. Email Integration: Set up email preferences to ensure seamless communication tracking.

3. Notifications: Tailor your alert settings to stay informed without being overwhelmed.

4. Dashboard Configuration: Arrange your dashboard to display the metrics and data most crucial to your daily work.

5. Activity Management: Adjust task and calendar settings to align with your work style.

6. Telephony: Workbooks integrates with a number of phone applications.

Best Practices for Setting Preferences

1. Take stock of your daily tasks and prioritise the features you use most often.

2. Experiment with different settings to find what works best for you.

3. Regularly review and update your preferences as your role or needs evolve.

4. Consult with colleagues to discover useful configurations you might have overlooked.

5. Don't hesitate to reach out to Workbooks support for guidance on optimising your setup.

Remember, investing time in setting up your preferences isn't just about personal comfort—it's about maximising the value of your CRM investment. A well-configured Workbooks CRM can significantly boost productivity and provide clearer insights into your customer relationships.

Take the time to explore and set your preferences in Workbooks CRM. Your future self will thank you for the increased efficiency and effectiveness in managing your customer relationships.

Hope to see you Workbooks Users on our next event!