E-Mail Tracking within CRM
The other day, I was asked to draft a scope of work for a new client after a few weeks discussing his business, his processes, his target audience and friction points along the customer journey. Every savvy sales rep or manager knows how important momentum is to matriculate prospects through the sales cycle. I’ve waited anxiously for price and scope responses more times than I care to count. And no one wants to stalk a prospect during crucial points in the business development cycle…over-eagerness is the surest way to relinquish credibility, leverage and flow. Wouldn’t it be great to know exactly when your email was opened so you can time your follow-up accordingly? Wouldn’t your follow-up conversation be stronger if you were able to say, “I see you’ve received the price quote you requested. I’m calling to follow up to see if you have any questions I can answer for you”? Definitely.
Given how sensitive my communications typically are with business leaders, maintaining confidence is essential. I was able to do just that. Unlike Act!, Zoho, Salesforce and WiredContact allow for emails to be tracked in real time. When the message is sent through the CRM, it puts a 1×1 transparent pixel in the email. If that image is “requested,” then the CRM immediately reports the email as opened. No clunky third-party apps or plug-ins.
These CRM systems are fully integrated so critical data is shared with the people who need it, when they need it. We also integrate them with company processes to ensure great and seamless customer experiences throughout the cycle. And no awkward follow-ups. This tool can be used for all emails so communication statuses are always informed, be they price quotes or support sessions or dinner invitations. Like anything else, better information = better choices. Smoother communications = fewer hiccups in your sales cycles and business processes throughout your company.
How We Saved 8 Redundant Data Entry Steps in CRM
One of my clients needs an on demand method of getting contacts from Act! to the iPhone’s (or Android) native address book. He wants to make calls from his Apple CarPlay or iPhone and see caller ID. Currently, it takes 6+ steps.
- Sync 3rd party iPhone app to CRM database
- Open iPhone app
- Find the contact
- Go through the sandwich menus to export as a vCard
- Open iPhone file manager and search for vCard
- Open vCard
The business owner doesn’t want to do this, so he drives the iPhone back to the main office and allows the admin to struggle with the same steps. So, we are up to 8 steps plus windshield time.
So, I decided to make a button in WiredContact to export the current contact as a vCard. Then, I created an e-mail template that pre-fills the owner’s email address and attaches the vCard right in the letter. The video shows this about one minute, eleven seconds into the demo.
Now, it’s down to two steps for the admin:
- Click “vCard”
- Send E-Mail mail-merged template
For the owner, it’s down to checking email and opening the vCard attachment. The owner doesn’t need to learn anything new, and has zero down time.
In this use case, the contact doesn’t need to go back and forth to the CRM. It’s used for getting caller ID to work on the iPhone and making calls.
As a consultant, I used to cringe at this because I had to source third party apps or hire a coder. With WiredContact, I got this done in a weekend without learning more than .html and WiredContact’s merge codes. Also, it was about listening to our client’s requirement every step before jumping to a conclusion.
Getting CRM Work Done - From The Pub
Even though I haven’t played soccer in Europe since 1988, I still watch Champions League soccer. Due to the time zones, I took in the game during business hours at the local sports bar. So, how would I get work done ?
While checking email on the Blackberry Passport and making calls and checking e-mail, I used WiredContact on my Android (Alcatel Pop 7E) tablet.
WiredContact on the tablet lets me keep the same screen as my desktop so it’s an easy transition. I ran through my calls during half time. One of them led to a lead to consider WiredContact as their next CRM.
Within WiredContact, I pressed 3 buttons and mail-merge documented discussing WiredContact went out. I didn’t have to fire up Outlook or another mobile e-mail app. The email records to the contact history, and I can schedule a follow up in a week with one button after that’s done.
The notes were remarkably easy to enter. The Android’s speech to text tool allowed me to dictate the sales call’s results in a few seconds.
No sync needed, and it was back to watching Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
CRM Software Fixes in 30 Minutes
I reported two bugs in WiredContact this month, and they were fixed in within 30 minutes. Then, I can install the updates within 5 minutes without disruption. One of the reasons I added WiredContact to my suite of CRM solutions is for the developers’ response time. Can your current CRM do this ?
How to allow pop ups in Chrome for WiredContact
WiredContact uses pop-ups for certain functions like alarms or displaying reports after they are done. By default, Chrome blocks this. Here is how to enable them for WiredContact. For example, if your site is "http://wiredcontact.mondocrm.com/", then you would have Chrome allow pop-ups for mondocrm.com