Find the right CRM Solution at TFM&A 2012

It's that time of year again - the TFM&A 2012 Exhibition is just around the corner brining together a host of organisations that can help you to advance your multi-channel marketing strategy, from SEO through to CRM.

This year, Sage CRM Solutions will be showcasing the latest Sage CRM offerings from Sage ACT, the entry level CRM solution, through to Sage CRM and SalesLogix, designed for more sophisticated CRM requirements.

DMC Software Solutions, leading Sage Business Partner, will be supporting Sage at the show find them on stand F24. DMC have over 10 years experience of implementing CRM solutions that achieve real ROI. Try the DMC solution finder to help you identify which CRM solution best suits your needs.

Find out more about CRM Software.

The value of integrating E-Marketing and CRM

It is increasingly common for e-marketing systems to offer integration with CRM. In fact, Sage CRM now comes with Sage e-marketing integration in built. So, how valuable is e-marketing and CRM integration to you, the end user?

• No need to export and import data - real time integration means you no longer need to export CRM data to an Excel file and import into your e-marketing system.
• Enhanced segmentation - deepen data segmentation by utilising information collated by your e-marketing system, including click-through data.
• Increased customer intelligence - see which emails your customers and prospects interact with most frequently and tailor your offering to their actual wants, interests and needs.
• Improve data maintenance - with e-marketing data visible within your CRM system you can identify email bounces and create a call list to cleanse contact information.

Find out more about how Sage CRM and Sage e-marketing integration can enhance your organisational efficiency.

CRM Trends for 2012

Customer relationship management (CRM) software provides businesses with the tools to deliver high-class customer service. So, as we move in to 2012 we bring you the top trends for the forthcoming year based on Forrester's predictions.

• Eradication of data silos - there will be a shift as organisations move away from departmental data silos and invest in solutions that aid the understanding of the customer experience from start to finish.
• Process Management- With budgets still under scrutiny more organisations will look to better management of business processes to enhance efficiency.
• Social CRM - many reports emerging highlight the business value that Social CRM can provide. Therefore, organisations will begin to invest in CRM technologies with Social CRM tracking capabilities, such as Sage CRM v7.1.
• Mobile CRM - as customer demands increase as they search for the all important "added value", it is important for organisations to empower their mobile workforce with access to customer data from any location. Solutions such as SalesLogix CRM already have comprehensive Mobile Clients.
• Cloud - The move to cloud business applications will continue to grow in 2012 and CRM is no different. There are lots of Cloud CRM applications in the market that make CRM both accessible and affordable to businesses of all sizes. Sage ACT! SaaS is an ideal solution for the small business as it offers full ACT! functionality for a manageable monthly fee.
• Business Intelligence - Business Intelligence is a phrase that we are all familiar with however the majority of businesses rarely use such tools. As there is a rise in levels of competition it is predicted there will also be a rise in BI investment as businesses try to maximise the value of their data.

The trends highlighted by Forrester have been criticised for being outdated. However, as a CRM vendor, we believe these are sound predictions as many organisations need to go back to basics and get the fundamental CRM components right before progressing their CRM strategy.

Find out more about CRM software.

Start the New Year as you mean to go on... CRM Best Practice Advice

With the constant media focus on the economic gloom many organisations are looking to make the most of the resources they have. Lots of business have made a CRM investment but consistantly fail to use it in a way that generates results.
CRM software is a powerful tool, to make sure you make the most of your CRM software in the new year, follow these top tips.

Top 3 Tips To Best Utilise Your CRM System

1. Identify who your customers and prospects are- e.g. what size they are, what industry they are in etc.
By analysing your data in this way you can get to know who your customers are. With this knowledge you can establish what new businesses to target. For example, if you customers are mainly manufacturers you should look at acquiring new business from this sector.

2. Identify customer segments- e.g. geographic location, product type etc.
Divide your clients into smaller groups and target your communications accordingly. By matching your approach to the needs of that group your response rates will be increased.

3. Understand the needs of your customer
By recording customer enquiries and requests within your CRM solutionyou can assess potential products and services. By tailoring your businesses offering to the needs of your customers you will encourage repeat purchases and customer loyalty.

If you haven’t got a CRM solution in place it may be a good time to consider one as customer retention is key to the success of any business. A selection that you may want to consider are Sage ACT!, Sage CRM, Microsoft Dynamics CRM and SalesLogix.

CRM - the host or hosted debate...

You are looking for a customer relationship management (CRM) system. You research the market and you find some solutions that you think may be a good fit to your business. Some CRM systems on your list are hosted, some aren't - which do you chose?

The answer - Both!

WIth Sage CRM you can select both options. Sage CRM is an award winning mid-market CRM system that offers comprehensive functionality and flexibility. Sage CRM is accessible by a web browser and gives the option for on-premise hosting (hosted on your own server) or as a hosted solution (hosted by the vendor). What's more, should you want to change the way Sage CRM is deployed, it is easy to manage the transition.

Find out more about Sage CRM.

DMC top Sage Partner for CRM

DMC Software take the title of leading Sage Partner for Customer Relationship Management solutions, after scooping 2 out of a possible 3 CRM Partner of the year awards including Sage ACT! Business Partner of the Year and Sage SalesLogix Business Partner of the Year.

In addition, to the Partner Awards DMC Software also took home the prestigious Sage Circle of Excellence Award, an award that is given to 15 elite Sage Business Partners for outstanding customer service.

Mike Ramsay, Managing Director of DMC Software, on collection of his award announced, “Each year that we have received the Sage Circle of Excellence award it has been extremely humbling, and this year is no different. I am honoured that our customers continue to believe in the high levels of customer service we strive to provide.

“The economic climate has made this year a difficult one for all businesses and the Sage awards that we have won are a testament to the dedication, hard work and passion of the entire DMC team. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my loyal customers and staff alike for their continued support, without them tonight’s achievements would not be possible.”

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Reduce the cost of acquisition with CRM

Recent research has highlighted, on average it costs four times more to attract a new customer, as it does to retain an existing one. So providing great customer service is no longer an option it's a necessity to maintain a competitive edge in the current economic climate.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is an essential business tool when looking to retain valuable customers through exceptional customer experience. Sage SalesLogix is a leading mid-market CRM solution that can help organisations to achieve customer service goals as well as improving other functional areas of a business, including Sales and Marketing.

Why choose SalesLogix:

• SalesLogix is customisable - SalesLogix can be customised to meet your exact needs and business processes.
• SalesLogix is accessible any time and anywhere - SalesLogix is available for Web and mobile devices.
• SalesLogix integrates with Sage e-Marketing - SalesLogix integrates with Sage e-Marketing for more effective targeted and measured marketing campaigns.

Find out more about Sage SalesLogix.