Keeping track of customers - Pointers needed.

M

MinorDetails

New member
Hello all,



I just wanted to know if you could help me w/ something. I'd like to keep track of all my customers for whom I detail. I'd like to keep a record of work performed.



Could you please share how you keep track of customers? Right now, I use folders for each customer, but as the work load grows, folders won't cut it.
 
I am not a detailer but I do have about 500 clients plus anothyer 3000 contacts I need to keep organized...with that said I woul look at a computer program like ACT.



Although it is primarily designed for sales it is great with being able to ebnter all databvase info plus custm notes and reminders.
 
Index cards and an index card box is a very simple and easy way to keep track of your customers. Name, address, phone number, date of details, etc.



You could also use a 4 column Premium Analysis Pad made by Avery to keep a journal of your income, by customer and expenses.
 
Act is a great tool. The only issue with it is that if you lose your hard drive, unless you've made backups you've lost all of your customer data (ouch!)



If this is an issue for you, there are plenty of online CRM (Customer Relationship Management) application/database type tools you can use. Typically these are hosted on redundant (co-located) servers in different physical locations virtually eliminating single point of failure problems that would wipe out your data completely. This ASP (application service provider) model may be a little bit more than you wanted to spend though. A lot of these tools are probably more robust than what you need, and charge a monthly fee or annual subscription fee for the service and hosting.



The cheaper solution would be to use ACT! or even MS Outlook, Excel or Access and back up your files on a weekly basis. (assuming you have a CD burner.) Then your only point of failure that could potentially wipe all your data would be a natural disaster or Fire. The severity of this can also be addressed by keeping a copy of your backup at a friend's place or in a bank, etc. If everything is in one place, you stand to lose it. I would update this off-site copy on a monthly basis or so.



I hope this helps.
 
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