| ext">The rise of cloud based or online | | | | information no mater how far apart you are in |
| business information technology brings a new level | | | | the world. Your sales people can be in San |
| of affordability for small business customer | | | | Francisco, New York and Houston, with your |
| database solutions. The development of | | | | support people in Seattle and all share the same |
| web-based solutions such as Google docs is just | | | | information and interact from desktop computers, |
| the start of a new evolution in the way business | | | | smart phones or ipads. These database software |
| people and sales professionals interact. Now | | | | solutions are frequently referred to as SaaS |
| it’s possible to keep your customer | | | | (software as a service) or Cloud |
| information at your fingertips no matter where | | | | applications. |
| you are and when you need it. Plus, affordable | | | | The key benefits of cloud based customer |
| solutions bring even the smallest of companies the | | | | database software for small business are: |
| power previously reserved for large corporations. | | | | Tracking customer information — |
| Having a customer database designed to meet | | | | Customer database information isn’t limited |
| the needs of small business is the cornerstone | | | | to just contact details anymore. Sure everything |
| that anchors all other customer interactions and | | | | can be included from their phone number to the |
| data management — without the right | | | | date of their daughter’s birthday but you |
| customer database software, small business is still | | | | can also track buying habits, budget dates, past |
| operating with a mishmash of card files, email | | | | purchases, relationships to other contacts and all |
| programs and spread sheets that leave money | | | | activities any employee has had through the |
| on the table and keep opportunities in dark. The | | | | relationships history. All of that data can be |
| resulting cost is precious employee time, money, | | | | searched and available during every sales or |
| lost productivity and often lost business. | | | | support call to keep the customer engaged and |
| Choosing the right customer database software | | | | demonstrates your level of appreciation for their |
| to match the specific requirements of small | | | | time and business. |
| businesses is a mission critical decision that will | | | | Reporting: Reporting is no longer simply limited to |
| have immediate and lasting impact on your profit. | | | | past performance and trends, customer database |
| Questions to ask are: How much training is | | | | software brings you features like interactive |
| involved in using the product and is it available as | | | | pipeline and projections that let you see where |
| online video? How flexible is the access to the | | | | your future income lies. Reports can bring to light |
| data, does it work on any computer or browser? | | | | opportunities that otherwise may slip buy. |
| How quickly can you import existing customer | | | | Reporting can also give you detail about the |
| data and add new opportunities and activities? Is | | | | success of your email campaigns and more. |
| there a long term commitment or can you simply | | | | Integrated Email Marketing Campaigns and Form |
| subscribe to the software on a month to month | | | | Letters — Online customer database |
| basis? Is there a free trial period and how much | | | | solutions can provide you with way more power |
| of the software can you use during that time? | | | | than simple email marketing services and keep |
| How current is the technology? | | | | you in constant contact with your customers. The |
| Even today the biggest customer database | | | | ability to create mailing lists based on specific |
| software products online are based on 5 to 10 | | | | information about your customers such as |
| year old technology because large corporations | | | | location, last order date and more, then send |
| cater to the needs of other large corporations | | | | personalized specific email to those lists will |
| and rarely push the envelope in terms of what | | | | increase your success rate with your message. |
| these larger customers are willing to except in | | | | Features to let you track what types of email |
| terms of change. Would you buy a VHS tape | | | | each customer tends to open and respond to can |
| player instead of a blue ray disc player just | | | | increase your sales and make your current |
| because you heard that large corporations still | | | | customers more loyal. |
| stuck with video tape? | | | | Affordable web-based customer database |
| Affordable web-based customer database | | | | software is the cornerstone for any small |
| software is now so sophisticated that even | | | | business to rapidly grow their income in |
| companies of 1- 50 employees can subscribe and | | | | today’s economy. Choosing a database |
| leveraging their information to grow their business, | | | | that leverages all of the current web technologies |
| get more customers and turn existing customers | | | | and is designed to work the way sales people |
| into increased sales immediately. Unlike in the past | | | | work is key for small to mid-size businesses. The |
| where software packages had to be purchased | | | | biggest advantage you can have over your |
| and installed on a series of computers, then | | | | competitors is customer connectivity and |
| employees needed a week of expensive training, | | | | constant contact using email marketing and social |
| now software can be accessed immediately over | | | | services like twitter. Above all else having access |
| the web and each employee can sit through brief | | | | to customer data anywhere, anytime will deliver a |
| training tapes or work with an online trainer to | | | | return on your investment at a low monthly |
| learn quickly. Web-based or online software used | | | | subscription price that you can afford. |
| by groups gives you the ability to collaborate on | | | | |