Virtualization of system resources aboard x86 servers has become a de facto component of modern computing. So hardware and software vendors have begun to consider its impact on the architectural design of their products and the go-to-market models they use. Find out how virtualization can offer companies cost-savings for existing infrastructure, and new deployments that can be architected to leverage virtualization.
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Customer relationship management (CRM) strategies—whether new to a company or already installed—can make some critical differences that help a company survive economic setbacks. Though you might be tempted to put off a software installation project due to tight economic conditions, you should include a CRM strategy as an important component of your plan to return to—or maintain—economic health. Find out why.
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Today’s office phone systems provide a means to communicate and much more: videoconferencing, unified messaging, and automated attendant. And with the rich selection of features available, companies ranging from small offices to large companies can find the solution they need, and even integrate it with other business applications. Find out about five phone systems features that could be valuable to your company.
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Customer relationship management (CRM) systems are becoming the centerpieces of broader customer-centric strategies to manage and coordinate information flow throughout a company. Users are increasingly using CRM to manage all phases of the business process, including sales force management. Discover nine strategies for using CRM software so you can make better use of sales metrics—for better sales management.
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Today’s economy favors agility—companies must respond instantly to fluctuations in the marketplace to keep a competitive edge and save costs. A flexible communications infrastructure is a key part of achieving organizational agility. Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), the technology behind the converged voice-data network, allows companies to scale phone solutions to their needs—saving money even as those needs change.
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Choosing a business phone system is a three-phase process. First, evaluate your requirements, then evaluate potential vendors, and finally evaluate the technology. Shopping for a new phone system is as much about planning, implementation, and support as it is about installing new state-of-the-art equipment. Before making your decision, learn the dos and don’ts of the evaluation and selection process.
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Mobile devices have become important tools for leading-edge companies looking for an advantage in a competitive global business environment, by providing users with instant access to key people, processes, information, and products. Turning to a mobile customer relationship management (CRM) solution can help you see further gains in productivity, customer satisfaction, and real-time updates. Learn more about mobile CRM.
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The secret to finding opportunity and growth in a downturn lies in your customer base. Don’t struggle to find ways to cut costs. Learn how your organization can use customer-centric strategies and customer relationship management (CRM) tools to maximize the value and loyalty of your customer base, get insight into new areas of opportunity, and do more with less—so your company can succeed in times of economic uncertainty.
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Marketing and sales teams have long disputed who’s responsible for converting leads into sales opportunities. Marketing argues that it has generated leads and tosses them over to sales, while sales complains the leads aren’t qualified. Learn how to convert more leads into sales with five key strategies, starting with encouraging sales and marketing to work together. Better lead management means you can win more deals.
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Businesses of all sizes can benefit from implementing customer relationship management (CRM) solutions. And no matter the size of your business, you must also know how to successfully implement best practices in CRM. Learn about three essential steps to preparing for CRM success: establish project leadership, create an implementation road map, and work with staff to facilitate user adoption and positive change.
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E-mail marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways of reaching audiences. But it’s only effective if it reaches inboxes. As Internet service providers (ISPs) develop increasingly stringent rules to fight spam, spoofing, and phishing, many legitimate messages are getting blocked. Find out how to cope with the constantly changing deliverability landscape and learn key strategies for improving e-mail marketing results.
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Among all customer relationship management (CRM) user groups, the sales organization is often the most important—and challenging—to win over. With sales force automation (SFA) one of the primary drivers for a CRM initiative, and one of the primary measures of its success, user adoption among the sales force is crucial. Learn the principles you can use to select a CRM system that sales users feel was built just for them.
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Customers today have high expectations of service levels. Many businesses have mistakenly assumed they can’t know customers personally because of the rapid pace of business. But with the right tools, you can gather details about your customers that help develop and maintain customer loyalty. Learn how basic customer relationship management (CRM) functionality can help you improve customer retention and acquisition.
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While marketing automation modules have begun to attract a new wave of companies to customer relationship management (CRM) software, CRM’s long-term benefits can help businesses make the most effective use of advertising and sales resources. According to leading industry experts, companies can leverage CRM applications in five specific ways. For one, CRM systems help you identify where to place ad dollars. Find out more.
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Even an advanced customer database system can have a troublesome implementation. Company culture clashes and fear of change often play larger roles in the failure of new customer relationship management (CRM) tools than the quality of the tools themselves. According to leading sales software experts, company leaders can insulate sales software projects from failure by following seven crucial steps. Find out what they are.
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The latest sales tracking software allows you to manage sales deals more effectively and efficiently. But without the right guidance, some veteran salespeople might view lead tracking software as burdensome. Sales database implementation specialists recommend focusing teams on the five most powerful outcomes of customer relationship management (CRM) tools. Find out what they are and how to use them for better leads.
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Since the last recession in 2001, customer relationship management (CRM) systems have gained greater acceptance. Though CRM systems haven’t been widely tested under adverse business conditions, results achieved by CRM strategies indicate that businesses with an effective CRM approach will have a vital competitive advantage in recessionary conditions. Discover three key strategies to using CRM as a tool against a recession.
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Companies that have adopted customer relationship management (CRM) solutions already know the benefits of tracking client information. However, salespeople in companies with older CRM systems are often forced to use workarounds for handling crucial industry-specific data. Luckily, the latest versions of popular CRM tools offer customized and targeted modules that can streamline and accelerate sales pipelines. Learn how.
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As businesses feel the squeeze of a tough market, many are looking to their voice networks to cut overhead costs—without compromising critical communications features, of course. Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) technology offers companies the flexibility to develop a lean, low-cost phone solution that can align perfectly with changing business needs. Discover five ways that adopting VoIP system can save you money.
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Businesses with large sales forces, customer service teams, and help desks must continually find ways to reduce their skyrocketing annual phone costs. Deploying a company-wide voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) system is one of the best ways for companies to save money. Learn the six most important things to consider when evaluating VoIP solutions, so you can choose the one that works best for your business.
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Choosing a business phone system is an opportunity to align a company’s communication infrastructure with its business processes and goals. To choose the best system, companies must clearly understand their requirements, find vendors who can handle those requirements, and leverage new technologies like voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). Read about three companies who followed these steps to find best-fit solutions.
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Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services have created the virtual office, allowing workers to connect and collaborate wherever they are. A VoIP network consolidates audio, video, Web conferencing, and data into one communications server for a flexible, efficient system that enables your employees to share information more easily. Discover the four advantages of VoIP solutions, for a remote—and more productive—office.
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Many companies consider customer relationship management (CRM) the new frontier in marketing. But many are also trying to adapt new CRM applications, or to choose systems that best align with their business needs. But some companies have stumbled and been forced to re-evaluate their strategies to avoid repeat mistakes. Read about six problem areas in CRM software strategy and learn from others’ mistakes, not your own.
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Investing in a customer relationship management (CRM) system can increase sales productivity and represent an addition to, not a subtraction from, your company’s bottom line. But a return on investment (ROI) from CRM software depends on whether you’ve identified strategies that leverage the CRM system’s sales productivity. Find out how to formulate CRM strategies before you choose a CRM solution, and compare CRM products.
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Many companies approach customer relationship management (CRM) software as an opportunity to save money via automation. While most CRM solutions offer powerful infrastructure benefits, approaching your new CRM tool with a focus on customer loyalty can earn you more repeat business. Learn about six ways your CRM solution can help your service agents personalize customer service—and maintain customer loyalty.
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Hosted customer relationship management (CRM) offers the same benefits as other forms of outsourcing—removing from under the in-house umbrella costs of services that can be obtained more efficiently via outside contract. Pretty picture, right? Well, yes, but there are also some key risks. Find out what they are.
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Choosing the right multi-location phone service requires understanding your organizational needs in three key areas: the number of extensions needed; the potential to offer telecommuting options to more team members; and the need to route calls from customers to individual staff members or to a large call center. Learn how you can use multi-location phone services to create major savings for your business.
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Most successful customer relationship management (CRM) implementations begin with a quality contact management tool. This free guide examines the key differences between the three most popular contact management platforms in today's market: client-based, browser-based, and blended.
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Different phone systems offer a variety of features, some of which might appeal to small businesses, while others are more attractive to large corporations. Choosing the right system is largely a matter of finding the solution that fits your particular business. Download this white paper to obtain checklists of separate selection criteria for office phone systems, tailored to the distinct needs of potential clients.
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In today s uncertain economy, the need to cut costs remains a top priority for companies of all shapes and sizes. Switching to a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) system can help you increase the flexibility and reliability of your communications systems—and lower your monthly spend on telephone services. In fact, VoIP can save you money in five different ways. Find out what they are.
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Why bother measuring your recruiting performance? The simple answer is, if you don’t measure it, you can’t improve it. Unfortunately, human resources (HR) is great at working with people, but not always so successful at driving strategic value. Turn touchy-feely comments like “our hiring managers are very happy” into hard metrics, and accurately measure your recruiting performance by following a simple six-step process.
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Social networking sites offer recruiters a valuable opportunity to seek out, scout, and connect with applicants in ways that traditional channels can’t support. The key to success in this space is to develop a smart, targeted recruitment strategy that works with, not against, the fundamental principals of social networking. Get 5 tips to crafting a social networking recruitment strategy—so you can recruit the best talent.
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Online recruiting is one of the pillars of smart recruiting strategies for firms in every sector. Job seekers and employers alike are turning to electronic resources for their job search and recruiting processes. But human resources staff may not know the best practices for online recruitment, and should stay on top of online recruitment trends. Get a clearer picture of the impact and implications of online recruitment.
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Business processes outsourcing offers a company value in many functions, such as payroll and benefits administration. But recruiting outsourcing is not yet so common. Three hurdles can stand in your way to successfully outsource your HR recruitment process. Learn about these and the top seven success factors in managing HR outsourcing services providers, so you can find the best recruitment outsourcing provider for you.
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Effective CRM deployment can bring many productivity gains. And although free customer relationship management (CRM) tools may sound great to overburdened company directors, there are five reasons why free CRM tools should be avoided. For one, free isn’t always free, as hidden costs can undermine your budget. Find out about the other reasons why it’s better to tighten your CRM budget now, rather than go bust later.
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Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) can exponentially multiply the possibilities for business telecommunications. But getting the phone system that meets your needs depends on your company’s size, structure, business model, industry, and budget. There are three main decisions to make as you explore your options. Find out how to choose a VoIP network, equipment, and type of service contract—for the best solution for you.
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Even if your company is facing budget cutbacks in other areas, you should consider how a well -implemented sales force automation (SFA) suite can significantly improve both customer satisfaction and your revenues. When looking to update your SFA suite, focus on five critical areas of functionality, including workflows, communication tools, and storage capacity. Find out how to reduce your SFA total cost of ownership (TCO).
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With so many customer relationship management (CRM) marketing systems to choose from, sales managers may be overwhelmed when selecting potential vendors, resellers, and other value-added providers. Industry experts suggest you should focus on five critical factors when evaluating marketing automation systems, starting with scope of service. Discover how these factors can reduce the time and complexity of choosing CRM.
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Streamline telecommunications and reduce total cost of ownership (TCO)—can it be done effectively? Yes. How? With voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). Whether you choose to implement a hosted service or invest in a licensed solution, the many benefits of VoIP, including lower start-up and maintenance costs, might prove to be the best way phase out your legacy phone equipment and boost the performance of your business.
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Choosing a business phone system requires more than just a comparison of feature lists and usage plans. If you want the best business phone solution for your company, you need to ask the right questions about reliability, scalability, and security that go far beyond the perfunctory. Not sure exactly what to ask? Consider this list of questions in case communication with your phone system vendors starts to break down.
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You've settled on a service plan and chosen the hardware for your new business phone system with voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). But without careful and informed bargaining, you can leave behind valuable discounts and vital service level agreements (SLAs). Before you commit to a contract, whether or not you're implementing VoIP, find out five tips that can help you get the most out of your business phone contract.
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You've analyzed and compared the functionalities of dozens of customer relationship management (CRM) applications, and finally you ve chosen the best solution for your enterprise. But the hard work's not quite over yet: before you sign on the dotted line, make sure your CRM plan offers terms your company can live—and grow—with. Take your seat at the negotiating table with this list of contract-signing essentials.
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There's a customer relationship management (CRM) solution for every business. But which one is best for yours? With so many variations in CRM modules, such as sales force management, marketing, and analytics, it can be difficult to find the one that meets your functional requirements. Read this checklist for five steps that can help you choose the CRM solution that aligns with your company's budget, scale, and goals.
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Choosing between a business VoIP business phone system and other types of system requires an analysis of users needs and a view of your company s long-term goals. Your decision-making process should include four major considerations. For one thing, your company s calling pattern impacts your phone system needs. Find out why, and learn about the other three considerations before you replace or upgrade your phone system.
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When buying customer relationship management (CRM) software, it s important to know what functionalities are offered in the wide range of solutions available. But just as important is your need to define your company's requirements in sales force management, marketing management, customer support, and analytics. Find out how to match vendor offerings with your needs with this concise guide to CRM essentials.
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Like telephony, radio, and television, the Internet has become the ultimate disruptive technology—dramatically changing many aspects of daily life. With each technological revolution, sales professionals have had to learn how to use disruptive technology effectively. Find out why some software firms are now launching their products under the Sales 2.0 banner, and how you can use it to leverage Web 2.0 technology.
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Purchasing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is a huge investment for any business—and knowing whether or not you’re buying the right system for the best price isn’t easy. Before meeting with your ERP vendor to negotiate the contract, there are a few important things you should take into account. Discover ten tips that can help you reach an agreement on pricing and service levels quickly and painlessly.
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Advanced phone features used to be out of reach for small businesses. Then came Internet connectivity, local area network (LAN) networking, and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). Read this white paper for an overview of the basic elements you should look for when buying a phone system. Find out what enterprise telephony can offer you, including available features as well as the pros and cons of traditional VoIP systems.
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A business phone system is only as effective as its implementation. Despite its streamlined architecture, installing a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone system can present some challenges. The key to a successful rollout is a well-planned, phased approach. Following these 10 steps can help you lay the foundation for a system overhaul as well as streamline your business communications for many years to come.
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What’s the difference between the right enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and the wrong one? What it’ll do to your bottom line. Knowing which questions to ask when researching your options, however, can help mitigate this risk. Here are five essential criteria that should top your list when evaluating ERP vendors. Find out how exercising due diligence can help you choose a system that won’t drain your IT budget.
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You know how important your customer relationship management (CRM) software is to your team; encouraging honest feedback allows you to act on any input you receive, good or bad. Create a trusting work environment. Let your IT, customer service, and sales force departments know they will be taken seriously—because optimizing your CRM experience requires user buy-in across the board, not just the boardroom.
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Small businesses often become trapped by their outdated accounting systems, limiting their profits and arresting their growth. How can your business avoid this software trap? Planning and anticipating your business growth will help you minimize this costly mistake. Find the right accounting or enterprise resource planning solution to help your small business continue to expand and remain successful.
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Accounting and enterprise resource planning software are not interchangeable solutions. How do you decide which option is for you? Outlining your business structure and considering four key facets of your selection process will help you determine which software meets all your business needs. You can find the right product for your business, whether you need a bookkeeping or all-encompassing business software.
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Offering health insurance is critical to recruiting new employees and retaining current staff. Taking care of your employees and attracting future intellectual property is a high priority in any business. But is it possible to find an affordable health plan in today’s costly health insurance market? Discover what insurance brokers can do for your business.
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Implementing customer relationship management (CRM) systems can be an expensive endeavor. That’s why you need to find a cost-effective system that’s compatible with your industry. Before purchasing a solution, you should evaluate the size of your business and your needs for industry-appropriate customization. Read this white paper for more insider tips—and the complete guide to choosing the right CRM system for you.
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With the advent of voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and virtual private branch exchange (PBX), phone calls are treated more like e-mail—with no loss of connection quality. Now, are you looking to update with a phone system that can grow with you, and allow for a remote data center? Find out how to generate cost savings and productivity gains with these tips to modernizing your business phone system.
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The increasing necessity of Web-based telecommunications means that businesses are choosing to streamline operations with voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). But what’s in it for you? Should you make the switch? Read about the top reasons other businesses are adopting VoIP applications—and see how the integration of voice, data, and video can open up a world of opportunity for enhanced communication.
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In order to stay competitive, growing organizations need technology that allows them to react quickly to changing industry. According to recent polls, nearly 40 percent of midsized businesses are getting that technology through customer relationship management (CRM). With a rapidly growing market of choices, it’s important to look within your company to assess its needs and goals—before you commit to a CRM solution.
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If you could have a 360-degree view of your business, wouldn’t you want to take a peek? Most companies would say yes, but no business could benefit more from this panoramic view than large enterprises. Today, they’re getting that view—and more, from customer relationship management (CRM) technology. For large enterprises, CRM represents a powerful opportunity for positive change—and you ignore it at your own risk.
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Just as back-office automation became critical for competitive success in the last half of the twentieth century, customer relationship management (CRM) is today’s imperative for success. However, the key to creating business value with CRM is remembering that business strategy and technology strategy are linked. Companies that believe they can implement CRM capabilities based on technology alone will fail.
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Organizations that implement a customer relationship management (CRM) system should evaluate software with an eye to the must-have features of the application. However, choosing the right software is just part of the solution. Businesses that intend to grow and compete must create an environment that encourages people at all levels of a company to take customer service seriously.
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New developments in telephony solutions have left some small businesses reeling; smaller organizations incorrectly assume there’s a steep learning curve for new products. However, there is no real reason for any business to be left behind. One-size-fits-all telephony is a thing of the past, and new flexibility can level the playing field for any size of business.
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Acquiring and retaining customers is crucial to an organization’s long-term success and growth. Finding new customers is more expensive and labor-intensive than maintaining a current client base. Haphazard marketing plans can be costly and ineffective, but customer loyalty solutions don’t have to be expensive. There are customer retention tools that can help your marketing teams hold on to your existing customers.
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Success often brings unanticipated growing pains to businesses at precisely the moment they’re experiencing initial triumph in the marketplace. When businesses add phones and operators to existing call centers to cope with growth, they run some predictable risks, including not only mounting staffing costs, unchecked calling costs, and scalability failure, but also customer dissatisfaction and outright abandonment.
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Your organization, like most others, is probably searching for ways to improve the capabilities of its telephone system, or to replace it altogether. But given the variety of telephony options, failing to research your choices means you’re at risk of stumbling over some of the most common pitfalls in telephony solution choices. The result: an inappropriate—and expensive—telephony purchase.
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Your product is excellent, and your customer service department is highly responsive. Your sales force is diligently acquiring new clients. You have made retaining clients a company priority. To be even more competitive, you need to continue what you’re doing, but better—while reducing the cost of doing it. Great theory. But just how are you going to accomplish the impossible?
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