There is a very strong case for clubs with a membership list (golf clubs, leisure clubs, special interest clubs, trade unions, chambers of commerce, etc.) to start benefiting from easier marketing processes to win business. Customer Relationship Management puts you in touch with your members at regular intervals, whether the contact be letter, e-mail, SMS. It also offers the added benefit of tracking all information for each member and keeping this information in one place – invaluable particularly for voluntary organisations where there may be different people dealing with the administration function. Everyone knows who said what to members, and when they said it.

Recording members’ communication may be tedious, but it is also vital for an organisation that wants to retain customers or members, because it is with this information that staff are able to cross-reference and up-sell products and services, thereby increasing revenues – something all clubs need at the moment.

There are many ways in which CRM can take care of the time-consuming but essential tasks that club managers face on a day-to-day basis. With full integration across the club, CRM can help with the following:

• driving marketing campaigns
• sending task reminders
• shared calendars for appointments
• integration with booking systems where relevant
• keeping in contact
• automatic reminders to follow up when fees are nearing due

The new age is here for clubs, so don’t get left behind when it comes to revenue-generating solutions which offer a measurable return on investment and in the long-term increase the lifetime value of members to your club.

In today’s economy, maintaining contact with your club’s membership base is critical to survival. We must communicate with those who spend their hard-earned cash for the enjoyment of all. Communication keeps interest alive.

For more information on CRM products and services, please see www.profitsflow.com

The increasing mobile phone penetration globally has instantly resulted in SMS becoming an effective alternative to traditional modes of business communication. With over 1.2 billion mobile phones and increasing penetration among semi-urban, rural areas mobile text messaging (SMS) just cannot be ignored by marketing leaders.

SMS Software is an effective tool to send short, instant and personalised text message (SMS) to the target audience. Brand managers like to be in contact with their existing customers and prospects to inform them about new products, features and other value-added offerings for them using SMS Software and SMS Integrated CRM Systems.

Their main concerns for marketing leaders related to SMS marketing are security of their database, getting a flexible platform to run SMS campaign at a schedule convenient to them, doing the campaign effectively, irrespective of the numbers of messages to be sent.

The critical questions related to SMS marketing, from the perspective of marketing leaders, are as follows:

• Whether the platform provided by service providers is secure?
• Is the delivery being carried out using reliable channels?
• Are the message delivery service levels measurable and is the client data is confidential?
• Is there enough transparency e.g. online delivery and real time reports?

SMS Marketing using CRM software:
A flexible and high throughput service using client software is the solution to marketing woes. Such companies provide an end-to-end service using its software products for complete marketing activities which can be done on SMS.

The user is able to devise his own campaign and carry it out without any involvement of the service provider. The client software application products are installed at client premises and campaigns are carried out with clients getting on-line MIS. Delivery reports which are provided by the service provider help the user in cleaning-up his data-base. It is easier to do small campaigns, run contests and advertising agencies can use the platform to carry out simultaneous campaigns for multiple-customers.
SMS limitations: While SMS users enjoy several benefits like sending an instant, personal message which is always read, there are limitations associated with SMS. It is nothing more than 160 characters of text, devoid of sound, pictures and special effects of traditional print media. In spite of the limitations SMS has its own specific uses which help marketers give specific information to their customers. Incoming SMS on 4-digit or 5-digit short codes in conjunction with conventional media has become the most effective tool for generating leads and carrying out contests for promoting brands.

On Friday, May 21st, to coincide with the Wicklow Business Expo 2010 and the official launch of profitsflow.com, we will announce the creation of 20 full time positions based at our Wicklow headquarters over the next five years. Having recently been approved for grant aid from Wicklow County Enterprise Board, we will take on multi-national software giants, providing sales and marketing automation to businesses using a low cost, on-demand model over the Internet.

Focussing initially on the domestic market, we have eyes on the UK as our first export territory, where a reseller has already been appointed. Other markets in sight include the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

The launch is an exciting development for the firm which started out life as profits.ie. The principal reason behind the name change and re-branding is to facilitate development of export markets. profits.ie will however continue to provide training and consulting services to the domestic market in all aspects of the sales process – marketing, cold-calling, advertising content, and the use of software systems to achieve these ends.

The new positions, which will come on stream incrementally over the next five years, will include administration, finance, software development and sales personnel.

While still challenging, we believe that market conditions are now ready for business to adopt new technologies in order that they can win new business and keep existing clients. We offer an unparalleled personalised service with a product equivalent to the best in the market, at a fraction of the price. For more, visit us online at www.profitsflow.com

Dublin, Monday, March 15th, 2010
PROFITS.IE today announces details of a new partnership to bring our advanced Customer Relationship Management software and services to the UK Market. We have forged a relationship with Profits Flow UK, headed by software industry expert Peter East. The deal will have far reaching consequences for our business and will allow us access to a vastly larger market that was previously available to us here in Ireland.

Tadhg Henderson (PROFITS.IE), Peter East (Profits-Flow UK) and Charlie Melia (PROFITS.IE)

Profits-Flow UK will act as PROFITS.IE authorised reseller for the United Kingdom.  All support and service will be provided through the Wicklow headquarters of PROFITS.IE.  Due to the nature of the product offering – a “software as a service” model accessed via the Internet – customers from anywhere in the world can access their systems 24/7 without the need for on premises installations.  Commenting on the new deal, Charlie Melia, sales director at PROFITS.IE said “This agreement is the cornerstone of our medium to long term sales strategy. Profits-Flow UK is our gateway to a much greater market.”

In the coming months, we expect to announce details of a similar deal with a reseller for the East Coast of the USA. We are also looking to identify other similar resellers for markets in the rest of the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) can be used very successfully to improve Customer Service within a business. It involves gathering a lot of data about the customer. The data is then used to facilitate customer service transactions by making the information needed to resolve the issue or concern readily available to those dealing with the customers. This results in more satisfied customers, a more profitable business and more resources available to the support staff. This data can also be used to assist management in deciding on the future course of the company.

There is much data needed for the CRM system to work. Types of information needed are customer name, address, date of transactions, outstanding transactions, issues and complaints, status of order, shipping and fulfillment dates, account information, demographic data and many more. This information is important in providing the customer the answer that he or she needs to resolve the issue without having to wait for a long time and without going to several departments. With just a few mouse clicks, a customer support representative for example can track the location of the customer’s package or order. Furthermore, the customer service representative will also be able to see the previous correspondance and notes on the customer. This is a great help especially if the customer is calling about the same issue since he or she will not have to repeat the story all over again. This results in less time in resolving the issue, thus, higher productivity of the support staff.

Reports on customer service activity generated by CRM systems are invaluable to your marketing department as this information provides the opportunity to target specific groups – be they industries, regions, or customers with a particular recurring problem. This means that marketing efforts are now addressing the issues people have, providing both a solution to the problem and an opportunity to increase revenue.

Expanding upon the customer service theme, complaint and fault logging means that we can now track problems, suggested actions and resolutions to individual contacts within a customer’s organisation. These complaints, problems or issues can be documented as standard FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) which give a standard response to a common question, resulting in much improved turnaround times in the for customer service enquiries. Most importantly, a customer who has not responded on a particular issue can be followed up with, or the issue escalated to a manager or other senior member of staff.

Email marketing is a very effective tool and this has many benefits compared to other forms of marketing. Some of these include the following:

Familiarity – Email has now become “the norm” both in business and home. Most people use it on a regular basis to keep in contact with friends, family and colleagues. It has become an integral part of people’s daily routines, so much so that email is now the most popular online activity. In 2005, US users sent more that 5 billion emails.

Costs – Email marketing costs are much lower than their paper equivalent. An email can be sent for pennies. Depending on the service chosen for sending, the cost can be anything from nothing at all to a few cents per recipient.

Ease of setup – Even novice users can get into email marketing – anyone can send a text based email. If more sophisticated graphical content is required, this can be set up once and the same template used over and over substituting images if needed.

Faster – Email achieves results quickly. Most emails are read within a day or two, if not sooner. Plus instant delivery means it does not take weeks to measure the results.

Branding – Email marketing is an ideal opportunity to build brand recognition. Including your logo, tagline and other branding helps the recipient to become more familiar with your name. Permission based emails and newsletters are especially valuable for reinforcing your brand among customers who have voluntarily chosen to subscribe, indicating they clearly want your information.

It’s irresistible – A carefully chosen subject line causes people to feel the urge to open that message. It’s a push marketing strategy that is much more compelling than some of the more traditional internet advertising approaches such as banner ads and links which require the user to click for more information. The recipient may not read the entire message, but it is highly likely they will consume at least some of the message.

Some examples of how email marketing can be used:

• articles/datasheets about your products and/or services,
• customer profiles, testimonials and success stories,
• weekly, monthly, tips and tricks,
• newsletters,
• event announcements,
• advertisements about your company

Why would you implement a CRM system?
There are many different views and opinions out there on what CRM is and what it is intended for. Firstly, its acronym, what does it actually stand for? Customer Relationship Management. It’s all about managing, and keeping control, of a business’ relationships with its customers. In the good old days this was easy – every business generally had personal contact with its customers. In some sectors this remains true however even in traditional businesses the business dynamic has changed. Sales reps no longer stay in the job for a lifetime, and they are now normally a member of a sales team, with a manager above. Andre in the newer style businesses, such as distributors, internet shops, green businesses, etc. where personal contact is non-existant, good information on profiling customer activities and trends is critical to sales growth. So how can CRM be used to help business?

What does a CRM system provide?
A good CRM system will provide various modules which can be enabled/disabled for certain users. You would expect to have modules for managing contacts, a separate area for leads (firms with whom we hope to do business at some point), facilities for generating marketing material (e-mail and letters), support for raising quotations, orders and invoices, and a shared calendar as a minimum. It’s important to be able to track the sales pipeline and allocate everything to an individual user. Some of the newer systems are beginning to include customer service automation as well – trouble ticketing/fault logging, follow ups and basic stock control are important for keeping customers up to date on where things are at.

What about the customer?
As with all facets of business, the customer is always of most importance. Bear in mind that a computer system is just that – it can’t forge a relationship with clients all of its own accord. It is a very useful tool for helping in the process but users must use it and remember that it is not there to do the job for them, but to help. So prior to implementing, it is a good idea to conduct a review of all customer-facing processes in the business. It should then be possible to identify areas for improvement, and how the system features can be used to this end.

So what about Marketing Automation?
This is one of the quickest immediate gains acheiveable from implementation of a CRM system. As soon as the data is cleansed and loaded, marketing can begin. But to do it right, it’s important that you target market is analysed and segmented. You can then tune the message depending on sector, region, industry, number of employees, emerging trends or a combination of these factors. This gives a a subset of the market to target at a micro level.

And the Pipeline?
By defining a number of sales stages it is possible to review on screen or paper the current status of the sales pipeline. This is a huge benefit of CRM – if the data is input correctly then it is easy to identify what’s coming down the line in terms of sales. Each potential sale should be logged as it arises and allocated to a sales stage. As negotiations evolve, the stage is updated, such that the potential value at each stage can be analysed.

What about reports?
Once the system has been running for a short while, reporting can be used to develop trend analysis and get information back from the system. Sales in a particular sector drop on Fridays. Why is that? What can we do – maybe ensure that customers/prospects in that sector are contacted every Thursday. We can also begin to focus on performance of sales reps, teams and customer service.

The above are but a few of the benefits that can be realised by implementing a well-balanced CRM system. The good news is that for most businesses, it can be a relatively painless process, provided that the steps are followed and there is a willingness to take the implementation one step at a time.

We have heard it hundreds if not thousands of times at this stage. There would appear to be general consensus amongst experts that economic recovery is on the horizon and Ireland will finally pull out of recession (at least officially) in 2010. The only point is that there does not appear to be agreement on is when exactly this will happen. However, with regard to taking advantage from a sales perspective, the most critical factor is to be ready for it when it arrives. Laying the groundwork now means that when the time comes, you’re ready for it. While it’s often said that a rising tide lifts all boats, that’s not strictly true. The ones with the holes in them go under. So what can we do to ensure maximum advantage when the tide turns? Some useful tips below.

Make sure your market knows who you are
Sounds simple doesn’t it? But if your prospects and customers don’t know you exist, they can’t contact you. Advertising budgets have been slashed, sales teams reduced so it may not seem as easy as it once was to contact your market. However it is possible at a much lower cost using direct marketing techniques – email, or direct letter advertising and/or cold calls. Plus when done correctly it has a measurable return and much higher hit rate than media advertising.

Don’t forget Customer Service
Make no mistake, your customer list is your most important asset. Treat it as such and you will likely keep the majority. Now is the time to maintain regular contact – call them, talk to them, e-mail them, write to them. If a customer complains or raises an issue, ensure that it is dealt with efficiently and quickly. Customer Service was forgotten in place of more business by many companies during the boom. Many have since been unable to resurrect the art. Set yourself aside from your competition. As we emerge from recession, value is set to over-take price as the critical factor in business decsion making. FACT – you will be valued more highly if you are known to provide better customer service.

Follow up on old customers
It might sound simple, but many just don’t do it. You had a regular customer 12 or 18 months ago, but they’ve disappeared. Contact them! Maybe the went out of business, maybe the went to a competitor. You won’t know until you try to get in touch. Often a telephone campaign targetting older customers can dig up some new business.

Segment your customer/prospect list by industry/region
If your product offering appeals to a wide range of customer profiles you need to segment your target market and deliver a specific message to each industry. For example a packaging manufacturer needs a different campaign for healthcare businesses than for example for the food processing industry. Also location can be important. There might be a specific event in a county or country. The London Olympics 2012 is an example. There is a requirement for everything from construction supplies to sportswear, they’re even predicting a surge in sales of cheap sunglasses (or maybe umbrellas!)

As we prepare to emerge from the recession which has plagued business over the past two years, there are many opportunities to take advantage of the increase in activity. Instead of being dragged into day to day survival strategies, try to make time to explore some of the areas outlined above. Here’s to success in 2010!

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a technology that can be readily deployed across all sectors and industries where the customer is the primary focus. There is no industry where the customer is more important than in the Motor Industry. But how can CRM help the motor industry boost sales and retain customers in these stringent times?
 

Local Direct Contact
All Motor Dealers, including main dealers for the big names can use direct marketing techniques to hone in on their local market. Most of the large manufacturers have centralised advertising and direct marketing campaigns targetting new and existing customers. However, at a local level, it’s possible to personalise the message. Target local businesses for fleet sales for example. “We’re just down the road” is seen as great benefit – if there’s a problem it can be sorted quickly and easily.
 

Partnering opportunities
Build relationships with local companies, and use the system to keep in touch. For example, a Motor Dealer might work with a preferred petrol station whose newsletter might feature the dealership. This can work both ways – discounts or vouchers for free coffees with every services.
 

Servicing
All motor dealers have access to relevant information on their customers’ motoring patterns. A client who clocks up 40,000 KM in a year needs a service every 6 months. We know this, so why not give them a reminder with a concession 5 months after the last service? Keep an eye on tyre wear and other value add items – if tyres are approaching end of life, let them know in 2 months time. If you don’t offer tyres as a service, partner with a local tyre provider. It works both ways.
 

Take advantage of emerging trends
The classic example is the introduction of a carbon tax – if it’s coming, start pushing the low emission vehicles. Who better to connect with than those who are most likely to be changing their car. Businesses on fleet arrangements, businesses with a green ethic, customers who bought a car 5 years ago who we know have not changed. You have the information, why not use it?
 

It is common knowledge that the motor industry, in Ireland and internationally, has been heavily hit by the Recession of the past couple of years. Using technology to gain the edge over the rest in this highly competitive market need not be expensive nor difficult. At www.profits.ie we offer CRM and direct marketing solutions right across the board.

The first Wicklow Business Expo took place on November 24th last. Lauded as a great success, the exhibition showcased businesses from throughout the county. Most of the exhibitors were more than pleased with the turnout and there is no doubt that there will be significant volumes of business generated as a result. Many thanks to the Wicklow Chambers who organised the event, and we’re looking forward to a repeat.

Tadhg Henderson, Charlie Melia, PROFITS.IE and Pat King, VOIPLINE.IE at Wicklow Business Expo 2009

PROFITS.IE held a free draw on the day – the prize being a free hosted CRM setup, training course and first month’s subscription. The name drawn from the hat was ABCD Engineering of Arklow, who specialise in stainless steel and aluminium sheet metal manufacturing. More information on PROFITS.IE range of business services can be found on our website at www.profits.ie