| |
| |
|
Software Information |
|
|
|
How To Create A Data Capture Procedure Checklist For Your Small Business CRM Software
Fortunately one of the most common reasons cited for the high failure rate of CRM systems - poor data quality - is also one of the easiest to avoid. Your CRM software is only as good as the information it contains. As the old programmers motto goes 'garbage in, garbage out'. So how can you avoid incomplete, incorrect, irrelevant or out-of-date and generally unfit-for-use data from permeating your CRM software? You need to gather your key CRM users together and thrash out a DATA CAPTURE PROCEDURE document, defining the rules of use. Spell out: ? Who has what rights to the system; who can Create, Insert, Modify or Delete records, assuming your software supports all these functions? Forward this information to your system administrator to action. ? Decide on a procedure to check for any duplicates before creating a record. Depending on what 'de-duping' or 'data scrubbing' features your system has, this might require some simple searches before starting a new record. ? Do you allow abbreviations or acronyms? For example: IBM, or I.B.M, or International Business Machines Inc. or Incorporated and so on. A policy on ensuring consistency of input will help to avoid duplications in future. ? Are records going to be created in Upper and Lower case and when are CAPS acceptable? ? By when do you expect records, notes and so on to be created or updated? Same day, on return to the office? ? Check to see whether your Postal Services have specific requirements. Ensure your data meets these criteria. ? Is the primary address of clients to be created as a postal or a physical address? ? Make sure everyone checks spellings if they are unsure and do not trust spellchecker! When in doubt, ask the client - they'll respect that. Is it Clark with an 'e'; Shawn, Sean or Shaun? One certain way to get your mail binned is to spell someone's name incorrectly. ? Also confirm the kind of corporation e.g. LLC, Inc, PTY Ltd. and so on. ? Make rules for creating new profiles or User Definable Fields (UDF) (or whatever your specific CRM software calls them.) Place a lot of emphasis on this. Every time a new UDF is needed, it should first be approved. Otherwise duplicates will permeate your database e.g. Lead Source: Yellow Pages, YP, yelo pages. ? Ensure that email addresses are put in correctly. Basic but common mistake! ? Set up procedures, if not supported by your software, of how to create records from inbound emails. ? If applicable, are you going to use Mandatory/Forced fields? You might as well address the issue of Backups while you are about it. ? Who is the responsible person for backing up your databases/s? Who covers for them when they are absent or unavailable? ? How frequently are backups to be done? Diarise! ? How are backups done e.g. by the Grandfather, Father, Son method. ? Ensure backups are made on good quality CD's or whatever format you are using. It's no good doing a backup, then finding on attempting a Restore that it doesn't work! It is also a good idea to copy backups onto more than one data format. ? Where are the backups to be stored? ? Are the backups secure? This is important for both security and practical reasons. Once your Data Capture Procedure Document is finished, get everyone to sign it off as READ! As standard practice, ensure that document is handed to all new employees at your company. Refer back to this document for possible revision every three months or so. Try this: select a couple of records - both good and bad - every week, to put on the overhead at staff meetings. Make sure you don't unduly embarrass anybody but watch this become the light-relief highlight of your meetings! People learn best when having fun! What if your database is in one unholy mess? Has the rot set in so deeply that your database needs a complete overhaul? Turn this seemingly insurmountable task into an opportunity to you. This is an excellent excuse to re-establish contact with your clients and let them know you care. You can always put lapses down to data crashes but tell them you have fixed the problem! Importantly, help your staff understand what you need from the data to facilitate more accurate marketing and reporting and hence the success of your business and their careers. By creating a sense of pride and ownership in the company database, you are nurturing the essential process of buy-in, necessary for the success of your CRM initiative. Don't compromise this critical tool by allowing your CRM software to be infected by inferior data. About the Author: Perry Norgarb has specialized in Small Business CRM solutions for the last 15 years. Contact him or find out more about CRM, Contact Management and other Sales Tracking software tips and solutions for small businesses at: http://www.smallbizcrm.com You are free to re-publish this article as long as this bio box and copyright remain intact. © 9 March, 2004.
MORE RESOURCES:
Software - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Secure File Transfer Using SSH Plus Additional Audit & Automation - FSA Reporting In order to meet regulatory and corporate compliance requirements reporting members will require a cost effective solution that may be installed at one side of the data transfer without being tied to any proprietary protocol.Considerations include:- is it designed for use in most enterprise environments?- is it flexible & adaptable to suit an unlimited range of needs for secure file transfer internally and externally? Functionality and benefits should include:+ can easily be adapted+ Automatic transfer to single or multiple destinations of any file. S is for Spying, Surveillance -- and for Software as Well Words we choose to describe things and phenomena often show our attitude towards what we say. They imperceptibly reflect our opinions and judgments, prejudices and preferences, moral convictions and beliefs. Adware and Spyware What is 'adware'?Adware is basically software or scripts that are hidden on your computer, that make advertising show up all over the place. It may be an extra menu in your web browser, icons appearing on your desktop, bookmarks or favourites appearing out of no where, and pop up ads that seem to come from no where!What is 'spyware'?Spyware is similar in nature to adware, however I feel its purpose is slightly more sinister. Spyware Protection: A Must for Any Home Computer Now that spyware is the single most dangerous threat to home computers connected to the internet today, getting your hands on some sort of spyware and adware protection is critical. Spyware has outpaced computer viruses in its prevalence, and in the kind of damage it can do to your system. The Software 2005 Conference - A Review The Software 2005 conference is now a wrap. This conference, presented by M. Great Plains Dexterity History and Programming Overview As of now - Great Plains Dynamics/eEnterprise is transformed/renamed into Microsoft Great Plains and Microsoft Business Solutions is in process of merging all its accounting applications: Great Plains, Solomon, Navision and Axapta into somewhat granular: Microsoft Financials, Microsoft HR, Microsoft Distributions, Microsoft Project Accounting, etc. So the original design of Great Plains should be deemphasized. ERP Consulting: Microsoft Great Plains Partner Future Directions In the Clinton era the status quo was simple: you serve your local clients and if you want to expand your business - open offices in other business metros. Great Plains Software was granting generous margins on the software sales and stimulated local leading VARs/Partners/Resellers with so-called orphan leads - customers who lapsed in payment annual enhancement program or called Great Plains Software directly to comply about quality of service by their VAR. Microsoft Great Plains eCommerce - Stored Procedures Approach Since Version 8.0 Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains & Great Plains Standard are available on Microsoft SQL Server and MSDE (which is in fact MS SQL with database size limit of 2GB). Review of TikiWiki Content Management System TikiWiki is open source software - it is written in PHP, uses phpAdmin for mySQL database administration, and uses the Smarty Template Engine.Installation - Since our host installed the TikiWiki, I cannot comment on ease of installation. Mapping Software: Putting Data Visualization on the Map Mapping Software Improves Data VisualizationFrom the outset, it is important to clarify exactly what mapping software is and what it has to do with data visualization. If you are looking for driving directions for your next road trip, this is not the article for you. 7 Things to Consider Before Buying Small Business Accounting Software The world of small business accounting software can be a minefield for any business owner. However choosing the right package is one of the most critical business decisions you will make. Manufacturing Outsourcing: Microsoft Great Plains Implementation, Customization & Reporting Manufacturing in the USA is far away down from mid 20th century top of the hill or its golden time. However we are in very competitive business environment and we have to do what market tends us to do. What is Spyware? Are You Being Watched? Find out why Spyware Removal from computers is important and how adware infestations affect your computer, your privacy and your family.Internet users worldwide spend several hours to several days each week browsing or searching the net. Microsoft Great Plains Customization and Development - Overview for Programmer When Great Plains Software was designing and developing Great Plains Dynamics/Dynamics CS+/eEnterprise - it placed several fundamental principles into the system1. Computer platform independence. Is Your Computer Sick? Viruses and spyware usually show up on your computer one of two ways.Either they invade your system with a frontal assault like the Huns attacking the Romans, or they sneak in a back door like a cat burglar. Microsoft Great Plains Implementation for Large Corporation - Overview for VP IT Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains was historically designed to serve mid-market first and then with addition and acquisition of new modules - Great Plains Dynamics architects planned to enter into corporate market. When Microsoft SQL Server took its place as relatively reliable and stable database platform, Great Plains gained scalability. Rapid Application Development - Is it Really a Need of Today? Rapid Application Development (RAD) is a software development methodology. In this competitive world, software product delivery time should be as little as it can be. ERP Remote Support: Microsoft Great Plains Analysis - Pluses & Minuses Former Great Plains Software Dynamics/eEnterprise and currently Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains serves midsize and corporate clients as ERP system in the following countries and regions: USA, Canada, Mexico and Latin America, Brazil (where MBS actually promotes Navision and has GP for multinational corporations), Saudi Arabia, OAE, Egypt and the rest of Middle East, South Africa, Nigeria and the whole African continent, U.K. Microsoft Great Plains international implementation - USA / Mexico - overview for consultant Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains was purchased from Great Plains Software and Great Plains Software itself had strong international marketing plans and campaigns. If we look back to 1990th - we'll see that GPS had Multilanguage support and Great Plains Dynamics / Dynamics C/S+ was localized and translated into multiple languages, including Spanish. Microsoft CRM Development Microsoft CRM is CRM answer from Microsoft Business Solutions.The whole conception behind CRM seems to be different.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
