So what's a CRM anyway?
CRM - or Customer Relationship Management - is a methodology for business based on creating and maintaining a solid understanding of and relationship with your customers. By bringing together all your organisation's information into one place, a common core of knowledge can be leveraged to get proactive about serving your customers better. Now everyone in the frontline can deal with customers with full knowledge of their needs and the opportunities they present.
A good CRM implementation is the coordination of technology, people and processes. Bizworks CRM brings you;
- a first class technological solution, delivered on demand so you're not limited by your in-house infrastructure or IT capability
- support for implementing best practice processes, including a defined sales process, the ability to overview all tasks and appointments to ensure the right steps are in place, and automated synchronisation to ensure information sharing
- a solution that allows your staff to get up and running quickly and to continue using Outlook without rekeying or duplication - thus reducing resistance to using a new solution
What infrastructure do I need to have to use Bizworks CRM?
Very little!
You will need access to the internet - broadband or high speed data is best but not essential (the writer sometimes uses Bizworks CRM from home over a 300k broadband connection, and the performance is acceptable for after hours use)
In terms of web browsers, Bizworks CRM is fully functional over Internet Explorer 6 or later. It also funcitons well but is still in beta testing for Firefox 3 and Safari
You can use Bizworks CRM exlusively as a web based tool if you want to, however the real power of it is in the integration it provides you with Outlook. Bizworks CRM is designed to integrate with Outlook 2003 or later.
What support will I receive?
All requests for support can be made by emailing support@bizworkscrm.com and we'll get back to you by close of business the next working day. Common queries will be quickly put up here in the FAQs, and we also encourage you to participate in the user forum we've just put in place to allow you to benefit from the knowledge of our user base.
Can you help my business implement new sales processes and disciplines?
Our competitive monthly rate priced offer covers access to Bizworks CRM only, and consulting services are not included.
If you have an external marketing provider or business advisor, its easy for them to gain access to your Bizworks CRM site - just add them as a new user just as you would any employee - and they can review how you're going, and advise you from there.
We have some internal capability to provide sales and marketing consultancy, and we are happy to discuss your needs and provide a proposal for this service.
What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?
We've been using the term "On Demand" to describe Bizworks CRM because we think its more descriptive and more user friendly. However, Bizworks CRM is one of a growing number of offers on the market defined as "Software as a Service". From a user point of view, its pretty simple really:
- you solution is available when and where you need it
- we provide secure storage and back up of your data
- any upgrades to the software are automatically delivered to you
- you don't need an in-house server or IT guy or gal because we take care of the technical stuff for you
- you're not landed with a huge software license bill - you only pay for the number of users you need on a month by month basis
- there are no upfront charges (e.g. for installation) for getting started
A word of warning - not all SaaS offers are created equally. Bizworks CRM didn't begin life as a clunky legacy system that was then adapted to look like SaaS. Bizworks CRM was designed for the SaaS model from the ground up, which means there's no local server requirement and the whole system is designed to work well in a web interface - making an easier experience all round for you and your team.
We don't use Outlook - what does Bizworks CRM offer us?
Bizworks CRM was designed with Outlook users in mind, and the way it captures information about received emails is through synchronisation with Outlook. Apart from received emails, everything else is available to you using the Bizworks CRM web interface. So, you can use Bizworks CRM over the web without Outlook (although honestly we think you'll be missing out on some pretty cool functionality).
We don't have an in-house computer person - how do we get this installed?
Once we send you a log-in, you're good to go with the Bizworks CRM web interface (there is no installation at your end).
You will need to install the Outlook add-in to your computer to make the most of our excellent integration with Outlook. It's pretty simple to do this - download the add-in from our website by double clicking on it.
What's involved in installing the Outlook add-in?
Double click on the outlook add-in on our website and it will download.
We've just bought Bizworks CRM - now how do we get started?
To get started, we recommend you set aside a couple of hours and populate some data into your CRM. Here's what we reckon you should do:
1. Install the Outlook add-in
2. Step through each of your contacts in Outlook and click "add to CRM" on the ones you want to have included in the CRM and accessible by your team. Alternatively, you can export your outlook contacts into a spreadsheet and import them directly to the CRM.
3. Review the sales process we have set as a default in the system, and if it doesn't suit your needs then configure a new one
4. Think about what you have on your business slate at the moment - any key
opportunities you are pursuing with customers, and any
projects that involve coordination across your team. Set these up in the CRM as well
5. Set some rules with your team about what information you will require to be captured in your CRM. For example some of our customers have opted that their whole sales team synchronise every email into the solution, while others have opted to allow more discretion
6.
Sign up the team members you will want to have accessing Bizworks CRM
7. Communicate the rules you're planning to use with your team, and have them carry out steps 1, 2 and 4 above
How do I drive early adoption of the solution by my team?
As soon as the Oulook add-in is installed on your team's computers, they'll start seeing the option to synchronise information with Bizworks CRM show up in their Outlook window. We've made it as easy as possible for people to start using the system because we know that you don't want to waste money paying for something that's not being used, and that you don't want to waste your team's time trying to get up and running.
So, here's what we recommend:
1. Make sure that everyone installs the Outlook add-in
2. Get everyone to start populating Bizworks CRM using the steps in the question above
3. Take a browse through your CRM periodically to see that it is being used, and lead by example by using it yourself
4. In some organisations, its useful to have a "power user" - someone you appoint to be the Bizworks CRM expert. If you do this, choose someone curious enough to play round with the whole system, not just the bits they use all the time and someone your team will be comfortable approaching to ask questions. Make sure you ask your 'power user" to flick us an email telling us of their appointment - we'd love to know who our more experienced users are out there!
Just how safe will my data be?
Your information is securely stored using a professional and highly robust application service provider, with regular back ups.