Have you talked to your clients lately? Customer Relationship Management

Whether you are a small business with lots of cash flow to start, or a small business who lacks funding, having a client base with no client management is silly. Think about it: wouldn't you want your clients to feel loved and appreciated? How can they feel this way if you've dropped them off in a stack of paperwork or file after completing their project? Or if they have to call and remind you about to-dos or deadlines you discussed? You need a system to help you manage your customers.

Remember the guy who cut your hair last year in his small but clean barbershop? You actually liked his work a little, but where is he now? You had a great time while he cut your hair, you chatted about football and your new son on the way. You thought he was a decent guy...but what happened? Did he forget about you?

Or maybe you've thought about the lady who owns the cafe down the street from your house. You've visited her coffee shop a few times and lately, you haven't been in for about four months. Didn't she miss you? After all, you were there at least once a week....

Here's the answer: the owners of those businesses never initiated follow-up with you. They probably didn't ask for an email, an address, a phone number, asked you to sign up for a contest or invitation to events. And if they did, they probably didn't keep up with you. You were forgotten. How does that make you feel? I know, you feel insignificant.

Get a client management system! It's that simple. There is no excuse. Look for one that could fit your budget and pay for it. Quit being cheap! Your customers are your diamonds and should be treated as such.

What is a client management system? Well in simple terms: it is a way to get rid of loose paperwork. It is a method that helps you arrange your clients and their information into one database, web-oriented, easy-to-locate place for you, an assistant or virtual assistant, a business partner or employee to access together from different places and computers.

Why is it important?

• It gives you some sense of automation. You can automatically bill clients, or send emails at various dates (i.e. we haven't seen you in 3 months, here's a reminder that it's time for your treatment).
• It gives you control. You can control cash flow by controlling customer count. Imagine that.
• It Decreases workload and Increases Productivity. Your client management system acts like an automated assistant for you. You may call a potential client to schedule a meeting. Maybe the client prefers to meet at a little date. A simple click of your mouse can have your automated assistant reminding you on that date to follow-up with that client. Can you imagine how much time searching through files and sticky notes will take in comparison?
• It helps with conversion. You now can turn prospects into clients by following up with them and making them feel special. Or, you can have current clients buy different products or types of services. Sounds good right?

Well before you go looking at Customer Management database systems, here are some things to consider in your search:

• Usability. How easy is it to manage? This will vary for most. There are tech savvy people who may have higher expectations. If you're like me, you want something easy and simple that already has an interface that seems user friendly. Go for what works for you and your business.
• Business objectives. Are you using this system mostly to store information or to manage customers? Your answer to this question could help you choose the right Customer relationship management system (CRM).
• Employees or none? Most of these databases have limits on the amount of users you can have so this should be a question you ask yourself before shopping CRM systems.

How does it work? Simple: you sign online everyday, you see all of your customers listed and the to-do's you have assigned for them. You can easily click to get a contact phone number or email to contact them.

One system I've used before is called SalesForce. For a small yearly price, I would log in to a secure platform everyday and send my clients reminders, see a list of tasks, view amount in dollars coming in every week, take automated payments, send emails, etc. Salesforce goes up to $65/month and has prices around $20/month (depending on your business and its needs)

I've called prospective clients 4 months after we talked and shocked them. They would ask, "What? You remembered me?" Yes I did. You know why? It was because I felt my clients were important enough to invest in a system/accountability partner.

How do you feel about your clients?

Here are a couple of platforms and client management software systems I came across:

1. CenterBase. Starting from $39.95 a month, they offer a system to keep your client information in one place, capture all your emails sent through outlook and place them in your client's history, and they even have an option for you to host on your own server. Good news: there's a free Trial Version Download, try it and see if it works for you.
2. Essential PIM. Starting from $39.95 a month, You can organize your schedule, contacts, mail, to-do, notes, etc in one location. You can also synchronize with Outlook, Palm, IPOD, Google calendar and any Windows-based device.
3. Relenta. Starts at $25/month and gives you shared email, contacts and a way to manage tasks. Good news: they also have a 14-day Free Trial.
4. Microsoft Office Live. You can get a FREE online workspace, way to share emails and documents on clients, collaborate on documents with your essential partners or employees, and a free website. And of course, the workspace works with any Microsoft document.

There are tons of different softwares and systems that work similar to these. I suggest you try finding the one that is the best fit for your small business needs.



About the Author: Cheryl Isaac is the writer of this blog and a Startup Business Consultant & Owner of Isaac Business Services, an agency that offers startup concierge & business planning services for small businesses