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The CRM Swiss Army Knife: Mobile Apps
By Joe Purcell
Expert Author
Article Date: 2011-06-01
Mobile CRM applications are like the "Swiss Army Knife" for CRM teams. As one article notes, it allows one to access CRM data anywhere, such as in a meeting, and allows for better flexibility in being able to reschedule meetings with clients. There are many other benefits and plenty of mobile apps to choose from to match nearly any company's needs.
There are two great lists of top CRM mobile apps, one by Practical eCommerce and the other by eCRM Guide. Let's look at some of the various functionality these apps offer.
Contact Synchronization
Many apps allow for storing and synchronizing contacts between mobile and desktop, and even with other employees. Contacts can automatically be added from leads obtained through online campaigns to easily setup meetings. If a meeting falls through, contacting the next priority lead can be easily coordinated.
Social Networking
Twitter and Facebook are great venues for keeping in touch with customers. Many apps integrate with social sites and blogs to share events, meetings, promotions, and the like. Social media can also be used for collaborating on ideas and responding to questions from customers or even other employees. All this can be easily done straight from a mobile device.
Tracking Meetings and Calls
Mobile apps can keep track of where the next meeting is or show which contacts were just contacted. This data can be shared with others within the company to make sure that no clients overlooked or that no leads were dropped.
Real-Time Analytics and Reports
With a mobile app, keeping up on how marketing campaigns are doing and quickly accessing previous data can quickly and easily be done on the go.
Collaboration
Mobile devices can allow for on the fly collaboration with coworkers. A customer relations rep can quickly notify a manager to reschedule a meeting or setup a new meeting when one falls through. Or, if a rep is in a meeting or on the go, a question can be asked of a member of the production team to get a quick response for a client.
Automation
Instead of manually adding in prospective clients, many CRM apps tie into a cloud system that will automatically add new leads or display new customer needs. Companies can stay on top of the game with real-time feedback from customers and data about new leads.
There are plenty of apps to choose from: Sugar, Salesforce Mobile and Chatter, Hashable, HubSpot, Resco, SAP Business ByDesign, SAP Business One, Oracle Mobile Sales Assistant and Sales Forecast, CWR, TenDigits, Sybase, Box Mobile, Batchbook, Sales CRM EZi, and Field Force Manager. All these apps have their own characteristics and benefits. Finding just the right mobile app to manage leads, collaborate with coworkers, and take more control of customer relations can increase efficiency and boost ROI.
About the Author:
Joe Purcell is a technology virtuoso, cyberspace frontiersman, and connoisseur of Linux, Mac, and Windows alike.
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