how does business contact manager compare to other programs?

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Guest

I am trying to determine hwo deeply to get involved in bcm. I have had issues
with it that lock me out until I can get outside assistance. Contatc info is
crucial. What is most reliable and flexible program?
 
It really depends a lot on how you plan to use the application. Are you in
sales, customer service, or some other field? What industry are you in? Are
you primarily interested in email marketing, sales, or sales management?

These are critical first questions. From there, you can begin to develop
criteria for assessing Outlook along with BCM.

I have looked at nearly all of the "Contact Managers". The startling
discovery I made, and others may disagree with me on this:

Outlook 2003 along with some targeted add-ins may give you the most reliable
and practical and useful Contact Manager you can buy.

Carefully read the threads on this Message Board to find out what others are
saying about Outlook 2007 and BCM 2007. There are very few good points to
either of these poorly conceived applications. But there are bugs galore in
other Contact Management software applications produced by other companies as
well.

My vote currently: Outlook 2003 with select add-ins.

Good luck!
Bob
 
Bob,

I am genuinely curious about which select add-ins you are using with Outlook
2003. Can you post any links for reference?

-THP
 
Hi Tim,

My profession is sales & marketing. I need a good graphic email client, an
ability to quickly dash off an email or Word Doc, and some basic automated
task follow-up ability.

One add-in that gives the Outlook user powerful ability to one button write
an email merge or MS Word doc is Office Documents 4 available for trial
download at:
http://www.software-solutions.co.nz

This skillfully crafted add-in turns your pokey Outlook 2000, 2003, or 2007
into a useful Contact Manager. You can easily create mail merge templates for
emailing or snail mailing. You can easily create distribution lists that
contain your specific selection criteria. The application lets you set up
automatic journaling generated from emails and snail mails.

Set up is quick and easy. I have had few problems with Office Documents 4. A
corrupt template generated an error message upon entering a screen. Deletion
of the templete dispatched the error message in a hurry.

There's an additional add-in available by the same developer to assist you
with envelopes and lables. It gives you the same one button ability. Simply
select a contact and press a button. Like magic, Outlook prints your
contact's address on your choice of envelope styles or labels.

The two software applications cost about $100. You can download a trial
version with full functionality at : http://www.software-solutions.co.nz

By the way, I do not represent the developer or have any association with
them other than as a user who purchased their software.

Here are some other links:
www.mapilab.com
www.speedfiler.com
www.sperrysoftware.com
www.outlook4team.com

I haven't tried all of these but some have good potential. My current
favorite is Office Documents 4 from http://www.software-solutions.co.nz

Bob Heiney
(e-mail address removed)
 
Bob,

Thanks for your timely reply. I will check some of these out. How are you
tracking your sales opportunity records? Do you use the native Outlook
journal? Share more if you are inclined because I always like to "sponge-up"
various Outlook sales related best practices that others find useful and pass
along. There is much street level expertise among users in this newsgroup.

-THP

Bob said:
Hi Tim,

My profession is sales & marketing. I need a good graphic email client, an
ability to quickly dash off an email or Word Doc, and some basic automated
task follow-up ability.

One add-in that gives the Outlook user powerful ability to one button write
an email merge or MS Word doc is Office Documents 4 available for trial
download at:
http://www.software-solutions.co.nz

This skillfully crafted add-in turns your pokey Outlook 2000, 2003, or 2007
into a useful Contact Manager. You can easily create mail merge templates for
emailing or snail mailing. You can easily create distribution lists that
contain your specific selection criteria. The application lets you set up
automatic journaling generated from emails and snail mails.

Set up is quick and easy. I have had few problems with Office Documents 4. A
corrupt template generated an error message upon entering a screen. Deletion
of the templete dispatched the error message in a hurry.

There's an additional add-in available by the same developer to assist you
with envelopes and lables. It gives you the same one button ability. Simply
select a contact and press a button. Like magic, Outlook prints your
contact's address on your choice of envelope styles or labels.

The two software applications cost about $100. You can download a trial
version with full functionality at : http://www.software-solutions.co.nz

By the way, I do not represent the developer or have any association with
them other than as a user who purchased their software.

Here are some other links:
www.mapilab.com
www.speedfiler.com
www.sperrysoftware.com
www.outlook4team.com

I haven't tried all of these but some have good potential. My current
favorite is Office Documents 4 from http://www.software-solutions.co.nz

Bob Heiney
(e-mail address removed)
Bob,
Click to expand...
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
Click to expand...
 
Bob Heiney said:
It really depends a lot on how you plan to use the application. Are you in
sales, customer service, or some other field? What industry are you in? Are
you primarily interested in email marketing, sales, or sales management?

These are critical first questions. From there, you can begin to develop
criteria for assessing Outlook along with BCM.

I have looked at nearly all of the "Contact Managers". The startling
discovery I made, and others may disagree with me on this:

Outlook 2003 along with some targeted add-ins may give you the most reliable
and practical and useful Contact Manager you can buy.

Carefully read the threads on this Message Board to find out what others are
saying about Outlook 2007 and BCM 2007. There are very few good points to
either of these poorly conceived applications. But there are bugs galore in
other Contact Management software applications produced by other companies as
well.

My vote currently: Outlook 2003 with select add-ins.

Good luck!
Bob
Click to expand...
 
Hi Tim,

I don't use Sales Opportunity tracking currently because in my industry
(manufacturing) I never get to directly see my sales from start to finish. I
sell through distribution. This makes the waters a bit murky when it comes to
accurately tracking opportunities and sales.

However, you raise a very valid point. I don't see anything in bare bones
Outlook that could pass for Opportunity Tracking unless one was to get into
the netherworld of VBA and forms design. Certainly BCM can do this but in my
humble opinion, it's just not worth suffering through the horrible
performance and bugginess of the application.

I have gone from ACT, to Chaos Software (www.chaossoftware.com), to Goldmine
(awful- not worth giving you the website), to Outlook 2007/BCM 2007. BCM 2007
is unbearable and I finally uninstalled it. Chaos Software is fine software
for basic contact management and sports a worthy Opportunity Tracking module.
It could be better but for $59.95, WOW, what a deal! ACT used to be
absolutely the best contact managment software on the planet. And it may
resume its Royal Position in the future if the developers keep working on it.

I just found a contact manager I'd never heard of: Prospector, Vertical
Marketing Technologies. Perhaps I can update you on this software sometime in
the future. I downloaded an evaluation copy.

Best regards,
Bob Heiney
(e-mail address removed)



mrtimpeterson via OfficeKB.com said:
Bob,

Thanks for your timely reply. I will check some of these out. How are you
tracking your sales opportunity records? Do you use the native Outlook
journal? Share more if you are inclined because I always like to "sponge-up"
various Outlook sales related best practices that others find useful and pass
along. There is much street level expertise among users in this newsgroup.

-THP

Bob said:
Hi Tim,

My profession is sales & marketing. I need a good graphic email client, an
ability to quickly dash off an email or Word Doc, and some basic automated
task follow-up ability.

One add-in that gives the Outlook user powerful ability to one button write
an email merge or MS Word doc is Office Documents 4 available for trial
download at:
http://www.software-solutions.co.nz

This skillfully crafted add-in turns your pokey Outlook 2000, 2003, or 2007
into a useful Contact Manager. You can easily create mail merge templates for
emailing or snail mailing. You can easily create distribution lists that
contain your specific selection criteria. The application lets you set up
automatic journaling generated from emails and snail mails.

Set up is quick and easy. I have had few problems with Office Documents 4. A
corrupt template generated an error message upon entering a screen. Deletion
of the templete dispatched the error message in a hurry.

There's an additional add-in available by the same developer to assist you
with envelopes and lables. It gives you the same one button ability. Simply
select a contact and press a button. Like magic, Outlook prints your
contact's address on your choice of envelope styles or labels.

The two software applications cost about $100. You can download a trial
version with full functionality at : http://www.software-solutions.co.nz

By the way, I do not represent the developer or have any association with
them other than as a user who purchased their software.

Here are some other links:
www.mapilab.com
www.speedfiler.com
www.sperrysoftware.com
www.outlook4team.com

I haven't tried all of these but some have good potential. My current
favorite is Office Documents 4 from http://www.software-solutions.co.nz

Bob Heiney
(e-mail address removed)
Bob,
Click to expand...
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
with it that lock me out until I can get outside assistance. Contatc info is
crucial. What is most reliable and flexible program?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Bob,

Have you ever used the Prophet SQL add-in from Avidian? If so, I would like
your thoughts on this as I have recommended it as a simpler BCM alternative
to many a frustrated BCM users on this site. www.avidian.com. Thanks for
the dialogue.

-THP



Bob said:
Hi Tim,

I don't use Sales Opportunity tracking currently because in my industry
(manufacturing) I never get to directly see my sales from start to finish. I
sell through distribution. This makes the waters a bit murky when it comes to
accurately tracking opportunities and sales.

However, you raise a very valid point. I don't see anything in bare bones
Outlook that could pass for Opportunity Tracking unless one was to get into
the netherworld of VBA and forms design. Certainly BCM can do this but in my
humble opinion, it's just not worth suffering through the horrible
performance and bugginess of the application.

I have gone from ACT, to Chaos Software (www.chaossoftware.com), to Goldmine
(awful- not worth giving you the website), to Outlook 2007/BCM 2007. BCM 2007
is unbearable and I finally uninstalled it. Chaos Software is fine software
for basic contact management and sports a worthy Opportunity Tracking module.
It could be better but for $59.95, WOW, what a deal! ACT used to be
absolutely the best contact managment software on the planet. And it may
resume its Royal Position in the future if the developers keep working on it.

I just found a contact manager I'd never heard of: Prospector, Vertical
Marketing Technologies. Perhaps I can update you on this software sometime in
the future. I downloaded an evaluation copy.

Best regards,
Bob Heiney
(e-mail address removed)
Bob,
Click to expand...
[quoted text clipped - 55 lines]
Click to expand...
 
Tim,

I really need to download a trial copy of that software but they don't offer
one. The last time I looked at Prophet, I had the following 2 reservations:

1. Speed & performance; if Outlook 2007 is slow, why would Prophet be fast?
2. Price; Prophet is $149 & up (on sale today only!)

But- it looks like it may be a great alternative to ACT & Outlook 2007/BCM.
Thank you for the tip!

Bob





mrtimpeterson via OfficeKB.com said:
Bob,

Have you ever used the Prophet SQL add-in from Avidian? If so, I would like
your thoughts on this as I have recommended it as a simpler BCM alternative
to many a frustrated BCM users on this site. www.avidian.com. Thanks for
the dialogue.

-THP



Bob said:
Hi Tim,

I don't use Sales Opportunity tracking currently because in my industry
(manufacturing) I never get to directly see my sales from start to finish. I
sell through distribution. This makes the waters a bit murky when it comes to
accurately tracking opportunities and sales.

However, you raise a very valid point. I don't see anything in bare bones
Outlook that could pass for Opportunity Tracking unless one was to get into
the netherworld of VBA and forms design. Certainly BCM can do this but in my
humble opinion, it's just not worth suffering through the horrible
performance and bugginess of the application.

I have gone from ACT, to Chaos Software (www.chaossoftware.com), to Goldmine
(awful- not worth giving you the website), to Outlook 2007/BCM 2007. BCM 2007
is unbearable and I finally uninstalled it. Chaos Software is fine software
for basic contact management and sports a worthy Opportunity Tracking module.
It could be better but for $59.95, WOW, what a deal! ACT used to be
absolutely the best contact managment software on the planet. And it may
resume its Royal Position in the future if the developers keep working on it.

I just found a contact manager I'd never heard of: Prospector, Vertical
Marketing Technologies. Perhaps I can update you on this software sometime in
the future. I downloaded an evaluation copy.

Best regards,
Bob Heiney
(e-mail address removed)
Bob,
Click to expand...
[quoted text clipped - 55 lines]
with it that lock me out until I can get outside assistance. Contatc info is
crucial. What is most reliable and flexible program?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I have no interest in agressively promoting the Avidian Prophet add-in but I
can provide you the following thoughts to your reservations:

1. They do have a no hassle 30 day refund policy that works just as well as
a "free-trial."
2. The design architecture of the app has a simpler and contains a smaller
foot print with fewer new data objects to manage. It adds a very robust
opportunity record and also a company level relationship record. The
reporting tool is very full featured. The most significant difference is
that it does not require a separate Contacts db from your Outlook pst folder.
The SQL will automatically write and mirror all Outlook pst contacts directly
into the db thus making it more scalable to co-exist within an Exchange
environment.

-THP



Bob said:
Tim,

I really need to download a trial copy of that software but they don't offer
one. The last time I looked at Prophet, I had the following 2 reservations:

1. Speed & performance; if Outlook 2007 is slow, why would Prophet be fast?
2. Price; Prophet is $149 & up (on sale today only!)

But- it looks like it may be a great alternative to ACT & Outlook 2007/BCM.
Thank you for the tip!

Bob
Bob,
Click to expand...
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
Click to expand...
 
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