What CRM are you using?

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Boyle on August 19, 2008 at 4:32pm

We use ACT and it is an affordable CRM that is easy to work with.

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Permalink Reply by JeffH on August 19, 2008 at 9:15pm

We use ACT 10.0 It is affordable and I recommend watching the feature tours and it will help a bunch. I refer back to the help when I want to complete a task. Their mail merge system is great.

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Permalink Reply by Stuart Falk on August 19, 2008 at 10:59pm

I've used Salesforce and found it to be of tremendous benefit. I know it can be pricey, but it's a complete solution and one on which I successfully relied.

Stuart

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Permalink Reply by Eric Temple-Morris on August 19, 2008 at 11:00pm

We have been using SalesForce.com for almost 5 years now - and love it. I implemented this with our sales team and believe it has helped drive business. ACT is what I was familiar with in the past and I would never go back now.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Gaughan on August 20, 2008 at 4:47am

We use Goldmine for our contact and lead management. It's very good and a new version is on the way soon apparently.

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Permalink Reply by Charlie Deane on August 20, 2008 at 7:49am

I've always used MediaInternet´s CRM and proposal building tools.

The best CRM I've used thus far is Oracle's NetSuite.

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Permalink Reply by Jimmy Dean on August 20, 2008 at 8:07am

Magazine Manager is what I use. But...it's MUCH more than a CRM. I wanted my CRM to interface seamlessly with all my other functionality across the business and that's MM. They have a great product and they stand behind it.

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Permalink Reply by FOLIO MediaPRO Team on August 20, 2008 at 2:30pm

Just a reminder to companies: Please do not promote your companies in these forums. Feel free to discuss topics and best practices, etc. but posts that are commercial in nature/advertising/promotions, etc. will be removed.

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Melis on August 20, 2008 at 3:05pm

A CRM solution should streamline communication workflow, prevent the creation of redundant systems and duplicate data entry. It should handle more than just alphabetizing your contacts. It should distinguish between prospects and advertisers so you can easily contact specific categories when you sell editorial focused ads. It should allow you to print a letter, send an email, and send a letter as a fax in a few clicks. Create reports that show you run sheets, year to date sales, issue to issue comparison data, and percent to goal reports as well as what your future bookings are so you don't waste valuable time gathering this info. Your time should be sent selling, and allow you to create contracts that flow to production reports so you don't have to be faxing or emailing IO's. Salespeople should not have to worry about ads being missed...Give you AR info, so you know who has an outstanding balance without having to stop and contact accounting. The point is a CRM package should help you work smarter not harder. So keep these things in mind when choosing a CRM.

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Permalink Reply by Megan M. Van Petten on August 22, 2008 at 1:34pm

wow, thanks...so whats the very best one? i am thinking sales force...

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Permalink Reply by Frank Strazzulla on September 23, 2008 at 11:06pm

As an independent rep, one of the biggest issues I deal with is client publishers who want us to work with their internal system-and if they use an online CRM like Salesforce.com, in effect I have to maintain seperate databases for each publication I work, which makes my work extremely difficult.

Therefore-I use ACT-where I can work on 1 database, set up a seperate field to indicate which book I am working with (therefore enables me to provide each publisher with the sales data they need) , and am able to work multiple books as if I only worked on one-and allocates my time exactly as needed to cover all accounts.

Am not a fan of web-based CRM due to cost and inflexibility for the rep model, and am even less of a fan of magazine-industry online systems like Spacemaster. They hinder, not enhance, my business.

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Permalink Reply by Keith Gregory on September 9, 2008 at 11:24am

a favorite topic of mine- there are two reasons I believe CRM exists- to provide management answers and to help sales people.

If you want to help sales people, I would recommend Act, and then look to get an Act Consultant and create a networked version for management.

If you want something for management, different story. I suspect then you are looking more along the lines of Salesforece.com & Siebel.

Be aware of how much work these systems add to your sales force- the last thing you want to do is add so many reporting duties to sales that they can't prospect and do their job.

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