Page 10
www.us-tech.com
TechWaTch
Maintaining Key Customer Relationships with Mobile CRM Technology
By James Wong, CEO, Avidian Technologies, Redmond, WA T
he ability for employees to be productive and remain connect- ed while on the move is grow-
ing more critical for more organiza- tions every day. Thus, the iPhone, iPad and various Android devices have had a tremendous impact on the way companies do business. Included in this is the way compa- nies use customer relationship man- agement (CRM) software. In the age of the iPhone, clients
and prospective clients expect cus- tomer service and sales reps to be prepared to answer questions and close deals no matter where they are or when. CRM software designed specifically for mobile devices aids in this effort. With the right mobile CRM solution, company representa- tives can access and update their important customer data from any mobile device. The key to this, how- ever, is finding the right mobile CRM solution based on actual need. There are dozens of mobile CRM products on the market, and deciding which has the right features and capabili- ties can be a challenge. When consid- ering which options are most impor- tant, some should be at the top of the list. Here are suggested must-have
features to look for when trying to find the right mobile CRM solution:
Getting the Right solution
Scalability. When choosing the right mobile CRM solution, be sure to account for business growth poten- tial, and then consider whether or not the solution will be able to han- dle the anticipated increased work- load. Adding more users increases the need for collaboration and retrieving cross-team information. A truly scalable solution should be able
multitude of features that seem impressive. In the end, however, these simply add clutter to the prod- uct and confuse the user. A success- ful implementation of a new technol- ogy solution hinges on user approval, and user adoption is best achieved when the product is simple and familiar. Synchronization Capabilities. One of the most important features a mobile CRM product should have is the ability to access and manipulate the same sales and customer infor-
There are dozens of mobile CRM products
on the market, and deciding which has the right features and capabilities can be a challenge.
JUST ANNOUNCED Now Available in Digital Format! U.S. TECH
Every Issue Delivered Directly to Your Inbox. FREE!
Great Features:
Bookmarks, highlights, notes, forward to a friend, and more.
Coming soon: U.S. TECH on your iPAD and iPhone!
to operate as effectively with an entire fleet of users as it does for a single individual. Ease of Use. As with any business product, a new mobile CRM solution will only be profitable if it is used regularly. Look for a mobile CRM solution that has an easy-to-use interface and intuitive features. Several products on the market are built around flashy interfaces and a
mation as that is stored in a compa- ny’s primary CRM database. This synchronization assures access to the most current data for each client account, even moments before walk- ing into an important meeting. It also negates the need to maintain multiple CRM databases.
Importance of Scheduling
Subscribe today:
www.US-Tech.com The Nation’s Hi-Tech Electronics Publication
Task and Appointment Schedu - ling. Choosing a mobile CRM prod- uct that also has complete schedul- ing features, such as those found in Outlook, will prevent users from overlooking deadlines and missing important meetings. Quality mobile CRM applications will provide users with the ability to schedule events and set up reminders that will either email or alert them about impending deadlines or upcoming appoint- ments. This may seem like an obvi- ous feature, but there are solutions on the market that do not provide full scheduling capabilities. Tracking Capabilities. A good mobile CRM application has to give users an at-a-glance rundown of where their clients stand at any given time. There is nothing worse than going on a sales call and not being able to remember what hap- pened during the previous meeting. Attempting this without comprehen- sive CRM tracking capabilities can be like trying to light a fire without any matches. Success is possible, but more often than not, the individual simply ends up rubbing two sticks together, hoping for a spark. Device Compatibility. As the con- sumerization of IT firmly takes hold in many organizations, the myriad of mobile devices that users demand support for continues to grow. Mobile CRM solutions that are compatible with a wide range of mobile devices are obviously ideal. Even better is mobile CRM software that is plat- form-independent, such as Web- based solutions.
Compatibility With a Larger CRM Suite. As much as users rely on mobile devices, most will typically still return to a home base — the desktop or laptop in their office. Mobile CRM solutions that incorpo- rate into a larger standalone applica- tion ensure the ability to jump between the two without any distur- bance to productivity. Professional User Training. The last critical feature to look for in a mobile CRM application is user training. Reputable mobile CRM software providers offer professional training programs for users, showing them how to best use the application to maximize their efforts and close deals.
Based on these mobile CRM
best practices, Avidian Technologies recently released a completely plat- form-independent mobile CRM. “Prophet Mobile Web”, as the solu- tion is called, is the most recent extension of our line of Microsoft Outlook-based CRM solutions. This new mobile CRM enables customers to access their CRM data from any Internet-connected mobile device. This is made possible because
Prophet Mobile Web leverages users’ CRM data stored in Avidian’s pri- vate, secure cloud. Thus, it acts as an extension of Prophet OnDemand, the cloud-based version of our CRM software. By providing access to the same
Web-based data users rely on at their desktop or laptop, Prophet Mobile Web provides users with anytime access to the most up-to-date infor- mation. It also eliminates the need to physically synch data. Other fea- tures provided by Prophet Mobile Web include: Access contacts, companies and opportunity data from virtually any
phone. l
l View, create or edit opportunities. l Add data/time stamp notes. l Track activity types associated
Secure login.
with notes. l
associated with opportunities. l
from within Prophet Mobile Web. l
from within Prophet Mobile Web. In today’s fast-paced world, business happens everywhere. However, this does not need to come at the expense of productivity and efficien- cy. Mobile CRM solutions, such as Prophet Mobile Web and others that provide the capabilities outlined above, provide a way to stay con- nected to mission-critical informa- tion while on the go. Contact: Avidian Technologies,
Add or edit products and services Access and edit contacts directly Call or email contacts directly
2053 152nd Ave. N.E., Redmond, WA 98052 % 800-399-8980 Web:
www.avidian.com r
July, 2011
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88