CRM in Action: ProfitLinc and Entellium

When Billy Shepherd took over leadership as executive vice president at ProfitLinc, he knew that managing telecom expenses and assets for his midsize company clients should have two common themes: simple and seamless. Telecom expenses are often one of the top three line items on a large company’s expense sheet, and ProfitLinc’s mission is to make telecom contract, invoice and asset management easy and worry free for their clients. This is why, when Shepherd took a look at ProfitLinc’s internal systems, he couldn’t justify the cumbersome, expensive CRM system in place at the time of his arrival.

Starting Over
To maximize the return on every dollar a client spends on telecom, ProfitLinc must pay critical attention to detail. Whether it’s reviewing contracts from many different carriers or maintaining accurate asset inventory for clients, the core of ProfitLinc’s customer service lies in its ability to keep every line item, every contract and every expense in perfect order. When Shepherd realized that fundamental CRM details were lacking in their current system, he turned to Entellium’s eSalesForce to start sales and marketing contact management anew.

“I conducted a direct-mail marketing campaign that I couldn’t run a simple report on without buying an additional application from a third party,” Shepherd said. “That’s when I knew it was time to make a change and start over with Entellium.”

The change was a good one for ProfitLinc. As a result, the company can now handle a wide range of reporting tasks. “The reporting is so simple,” he said. “I can administer and post information with ease.”

The intuitive nature of Entellium’s eSalesforce also caught Shepherd’s eye. “The ‘What Would You Like to Do?’ feature in eSalesForce keeps me on track when I’m moving through the system. When I’m done with one task, it takes me directly into the next without any guessing. It’s like ongoing training that I enjoy daily.”

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The CRM Advisor
You ask the questions, and our resident CRM guru shares her wisdom.

This week’s question:
“The CRM vendors we are currently evaluating have been talking about opportunity relationship management.  What is it and what value can it provide?”

A: Customer relationship management (CRM) solutions are highly effective at helping businesses manage clients throughout their lifecycle – from the time they first make contact with the company, until they “sign on the dotted line” and continue to interact with various members of the organization as they use its products and services.  In most cases, these relationships become more multifaceted after a prospect is converted to a client, when multiple departments – such as sales, service, and accounting – interface with customers on a day to day basis.

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By Clate Mask- President of Infusion Software

With any “good” technology, there is always a hidden benefit waiting for the right entrepreneur to profit from it. With CRM software, the hidden benefit lies within the personal value it creates. At Infusion Software, we encourage our employees to truly embrace the CRM. Within the first week of being hired (no matter what position they fill) they receive training on Infusion CRM and are encouraged to explore it until they are comfortable with each of the features. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been listening to my employees share stories of how they are using the CRM for their own benefit. These are just a few:

• To sell their homes (even in a slow market)
• As a time management tool
• To keep in contact with friends and family
• To promote and improve their blogs and other websites
• To promote church, city, and other functions

I will not be surprised when CRM systems have completely saturated businesses and start making their way into the homes of average consumers. Because of the extensive features CRM offers, the possibilities are endless for businesses, employees, and consumers alike.

By Lee B. Salz - President of Sales Dodo, LLC

Companies think that once the sales person agrees to join their company that the goal has been accomplished. The truth is that this is only one more step of the process and there is still much work to be done.

It’s a great day at Newman Industries today! For the last month, they have been actively recruiting a hot candidate to join their sales team. Today, Steven Harmon agreed to join them. They see him as a true rainmaker. The recruiter and sales manager share high-fives. Mission accomplished! Spike the ball in the end zone. The job is done! The competition was fierce for Steven, but Newman Industries won.

While Newman Industries was celebrating, Steven resigned his position with his present employer and enjoyed a celebratory dinner with his wife. That night, Steven lay in bed wondering if he made the right decision. He came to terms with his decision and looks forward to his first day at the company.

It’s 8:28am when Steven arrives for his first day at Newman Industries. He is excited while also apprehensive. When Steven walks into the office and introduces himself to the receptionist, he is surprised to hear, “Oh, I didn’t know we had a new person starting today. Who did you say you were here to see?” Steven brushes this off as it is not completely foreign for the receptionist not to be notified about a new employee joining a company.

The receptionist calls around and tells Steven that he is in the right place, but his manager Jamie has not arrived yet. Steven sits in the lobby as person after person walks by without saying a word.

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