Client Management Systems

[DesignerNick]

Can anybody recommend software which will manage my current clients, allow me to put job data in and also manage potential clients?

Web based would be best

Thanks

 

[webhostuk]

Hello,

You can take a look at Vision Helpdesk if that helps.

 

[DesignerNick]

Hello,

You can take a look at Vision Helpdesk if that helps.

Thanks. That is more of a helpdesk software.

I think I need a free CRM

 

[stugster]

If you're willing to accept that it isn't super fast (as it's hosted) then Sugar can be a good choice. There's a learning curve you're going to have to go through, but it's a good package.

Our telesales guy uses ACT! and swears by it. I however, do not. It's a horrible old-fashioned clunky slow and annoying system, and you can tell its a Sage product.

Others swear by vtiger (http://www.vtiger.com/)

 

[RebornMedia]

Vtigar is my prefered choice. It is incrediably powerful - a fanastic resource.

SugarCRM is the other one. Although I have never looked beyond vtigar myself.

You can run it on a local machine or on a server, installation and set up is very quick and easy.

Go for it!

 

[DesignerNick]

Thanks Guys. Installing vTiger as we speak

 

[KM-Tiger]

It's hard to recommend, as it does depend on your exact requirements.

OpenERP will be worth a look, to see if it can do what you want.

Tip: It's a bit confusing at first, as all contacts are described as "Partners". Once you realise that it gets much easier.

 

[akirk]

We write our own...
It is part of the credibility for us - when we talk to clients they love our internal system - which has led on a number of occasions to doing similar systems for clients (and these bring in a lot of money) To be using someone else's system would cast doubts on our ability to write such systems...

plus it is useful being able to tailor it exactly to how we run the business...

Alasdair

 

[andy@telecomhelpcouk]

Vtigar is my prefered choice. It is incrediably powerful - a fanastic resource.

You can run it on a local machine or on a server, installation and set up is very quick and easy.

Go for it!

I'm too lazy to plough through VTiger's rubrick - can I host everything locally or is it cloud?

I'm concerned about my business being in the ether in case the interwebulator machine breaks. Would it also be possible to migrate from VTiger if something better comes along?

Ta Andy

 

[stugster]

Hey,

vTiger can be hosted locally on any server of your choosing. If it was me, I'd put it in a datacentre though, so you can acess it (Fast) from anywhere. (and lock it down)

Yeah, data can be moved... as long as you move to a system that imports it.

 

[RebornMedia]

I run mine on my own server - It was very easy to install. You need to think if you are going to need to access it from different computers, my guess is probably yes.

Regardless of where you host it - make sure you create a good backup culture - things can go wrong!

 

[MarcusMiller]

I am looking for something like this but never really got on with vTiger - no real fault of the software, just found it a bit clunky and probably over capable for my basic needs.

Anyone use any light weight CRM software - have no objections to hosted (would actually prefer it) or paying a reasonable monthly fee *cough* bite me salesforce *cough*.

 

[cmcp]

Can anybody recommend software which will manage my current clients, allow me to put job data in and also manage potential clients?

Web based would be best

Thanks

I can recommend WHMCS. It was recomemnded to me by Carl-CSNM a couple of years ago, and it's amazing.

Easy to template, easy to hook into. Out the box it handles all your customer contact details, hooks into payment providers (you can set up your own products for one off purchase, recurring billing, or set up a quote then turn that quote to an invoice when approved), it hooks in with Enom and loads others for domain registration (something I don't use it for), it hooks into WHM and VPS software, it's got all the usual helpdesk ticketing and email piping.

I mainly use it for support tickets, email piping (people reply to support@... and it adds their email onto correct ticket) turning quotes into invoices and automatically generating pdfs.

 

[DesignerNick]

I am looking for something like this but never really got on with vTiger - no real fault of the software, just found it a bit clunky and probably over capable for my basic needs.

Anyone use any light weight CRM software - have no objections to hosted (would actually prefer it) or paying a reasonable monthly fee *cough* bite me salesforce *cough*.

I agree. vTiger seems a bit over complex.

I just want to manage current clients and potential clients. I use Accounts Portal for the finance side

 

[johndon68]

and you can tell its a Sage product.

It's not written by Sage, they just happen to own the company that writes it, it was around LONG before Sage got their hands on it...

John

 

[sidera]

how about the zoho CRM? https://www.zoho.com/

 

[DesignerNick]

how about the zoho CRM? https://www.zoho.com/

I might look into Zoho.

I have been trying out Sales Force which seems ideal but very expensive (£40 odd a month)

 

[wdltd]

We've tried out most of the products out there trying to find the perfect one, and I don't think it exists. We've ended up using Feng Office (http://www.fengoffice.com) which does a lot of things very well. We use it for contact management, support tickets, document management, CRM & project management. Definitely give it a go.

 

[stugster]

It's not written by Sage, they just happen to own the company that writes it, it was around LONG before Sage got their hands on it...

John

That doesn't change the fact it's still a clunky old-fashioned looking product, just like Instant Accounts

 

[johndon68]

That doesn't change the fact it's still a clunky old-fashioned looking product

Indeed not but, for once, you can't blame Sage

My colleague loves it but I'm afraid I'm firmly in the camp that doesn't...

John

 

[garyk]

Yes ACT! is popular and has been around for years. Always used to make me smile when companies say they would buy because it was cheap, something like £69 a seat but then have to pay £250+ to send their staff on training courses on how to use it!

Sadly most organisations get sold 'CRM' when in fact what they are buying is a contact manager. vTiger is feature rich but as stated above is overkill for many SMEs.

Gary

 

[amphis software]

you are welcome to download a free 30 day trial of Amphis Customer - easy to use contact management and CRM.

www.amphis-software.com

if you decide to purchase a license there are no monthly fees, no charge for support or upgrades.

we have some testimonials here

[URL="http://www.amphis-software.com\testimonials.htm"]www.amphis-software.com\testimonials.htm[/URL]

Tom

 

[NorfolkAl]

I can recommend WHMCS. It was recomemnded to me by Carl-CSNM a couple of years ago, and it's amazing.

Exactly what this chap says.

WHMCS is a really great tool. If you go to the WHMCS website you can trial the script free for 15 days.

Although it's designed for people who sell web hosting, it is easy to adapt it to what you want it to do. I set up a site for a friend using WHMCS - mainly because the invoice/support system is easy to use for clients and admins.

My rating is 10 out of 10 - but it might take you some getting used to!

 

[DesignerNick]

I didnt need the invoice side as I use Accounts Portal for that. I am using Zoho now, just paid.