Know-How Exchange : E-Marketing

All CRM systems have their limitations and accommodating Individuals as well as Companies throws most apart from the more expensive ones. There are workarounds in SFDC but I wouldn’t build a business on them – most are third-party add-on products not covered by a warranty. With CRM systems always ask how many people are going to use the system your end, what do I want as the base record – a company or a person or both and just how many will I expect the database to build to?

In the past I have recommended Maximizer to do the job as it stores companies with contacts along with individuals who can have their own contacts should you wish (Butler, accountant etc!)

The two records are related but separate so it used to ideal for business in the Personal Services area and Recruitment, where you could store Firms and their Executives (to whom you could introduce appropriate Candidates) as company records with your contacts listed by what they do and you can store your Candidates as individuals with their CV’s indexed into fields for searching.

Because it is a pseudo relational application you can add info, notes and fields to Individuals, Companies and Contacts, depending on what you want to do.

I havn’t a clue what it is like today but it is probable that you can either buy a local license and have it installed, or get a Business Partner to Host a license for you or Host your own. That way, you own your data and your CRM system as well as having it available locally for when the web is down or you are in a car.

If you want putting in touch with someone, please contact me privately as it is not right to push Maximizer, ex-product or not in this place!

Best wishes

Steve Alker
Xspirt