Social media has revolutionized our personal and business relationships. Leaving messages on landlines, dialing through a list of business cards, and writing hand written letters are things of the past; tweeting, poking, emailing, and reminding ourselves to follow up (with alerts on our smartphones) are the present reality, and will continue to evolve.

The biggest brands in the world are shifting their media buys from traditional marketing to digital and social campaigns, and we all must take notice (See: Pepsi and the 2010 Super Bowl). Are you spending thousands of dollars a month on print, TV, and direct mail advertising? What kind of return are you seeing? I would wager a bet that your money is not being wisely spent.

In addition to lower returns on traditional marketing initiatives, brands are learning that the real-time, live tracking and reporting that is possible with social and digital marketing is simply not with old media. Let’s dive into two examples:

Option A:  Direct Mail Postcard

These used to be great initiatives for marketers; you put together some beautiful creative to go with engaging copy and a killer offer, and send out two versions of the card (A/B test) to 20,000 qualified prospects. On the card you offer two dynamic URLs for tracking (if you’re slick), two different phone numbers with associated “whisper messages“, or you rely on the business reply cards to come in. Then you wait. Days, weeks, and months go by while you wait for people to visit your URLs, call your numbers, and (gasp) mail back in the business reply cards.

Thousands of dollars are spent on this campaign and there are several issues from the onset:

• A large chunk of the recipients will throw the postcard out before reading it
• Marketers love reporting and seeing a campaign’s return, and we are very impatient for this information
• The return on this type of campaign is simply not worth the expense (time and cost)

Option B:  Email Blast with Social Media Offer

The digital alternative! A web-savvy marketer can put together an awesome email blast in a few hours. Prebuilt template designs that are easy to customize, instant CSV file list uploads, and cost-effective email marketing software, make this type of initiative a no brainer for digital marketing. Also, A/B testing; an email marketing program worth its salt lets you randomly split your list in two with a click of a button.

Also, rather than driving people to a landing page or asking them to call a phone number, your offer can be social-focused; “Like our Facebook page today and receive a special coupon code for 25% off!“. This is where things get interesting. If you send your email blast out at 9AM you can start monitoring results of the campaign at 9:01AM; that is not a typo. Powerful social media software exists that allows digital marketers to track their campaigns in real time; some of the perks?

• Live reporting on which prospects are clicking your offer, who’s “Liking” the Facebook page, and who’s ignoring the email
• Watch as your Facebook “Likes” rise and declare a winner for the A/B test in hours and days (not weeks and months)
• Save money! The same list of 20,000 prospects can be emailed at (literally) a fraction of the cost

The best part is that cloud-based software normally comes with a free trial period. Test out the software, try some different campaigns, and if you don’t like it then you don’t have to spend a penny. If you have any questions about how to pull something like this off, let us know!

Social media has changed the way we all manage relationships and it’s time for it to change your marketing strategy too.

VM Associates is a New York City cloud computing consulting firm. We help companies transition into newer, better, smarter software. Contact us to talk about your business, the cloud, and how we might help.

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We hear it all the time. What CRM is the best? Google it and you’ll get a litany of responses, almost all in contradiction of one another. Some say Salesforce. Some say Zoho. Some say Capsule, some say Brightpearl. You get the idea.

Thing is, they’re all wrong. See, there is no “best” CRM. It doesn’t exist. Instead, there are dozens of “good” CRMs with individual strengths and weaknesses. Asking which one is best is like asking for a town’s “best” restaurant – it’s a contextual matter. What kind of meal are you looking for? At what price? Who’s eating with you? Is atmosphere important, or just the food? What are you looking for?

Finding a suitable CRM is a similar process. You’re not looking for “the best” CRM – if you’re asking that, you’ll just find opinions (and the Internet has many…). Instead, you’re looking for the CRM that’s most suitable for your business. What issues are you trying to solve? What needs must be met? What does a sales cycle look like? What’s the priority – sales, customer service, project management? What are the different use cases? What are you looking for?

Even companies of the same size, in the same industry, will have different answers to those questions. They’ll need different solutions, too. That’s why we’re not resellers, and it’s why we stay away from software “verticals.” Software is your company’s backbone: it’s too important to not get right.

Do your research and find the solutions that make sense for you business – it’s worth your time and money. If you’d like some additional guidance, let us know in the form below (or via our contact page). We’d love to chat!

VM Associates is a New York City cloud computing consulting firm. We help companies transition into newer, better, smarter software. Contact us to talk about your business, the cloud, and how we might help.

The post On Asking Bad Questions (Or, What Small Business CRM is Best?) appeared first on VM Associates.

Software changes fast. So fast that sometimes it’s hard to see the trends and changes, the patterns that determine how tomorrow’s tools will work. Normally that’s no big deal – it’s exciting, right? – but in the world of business software, even subtle changes can carry implications.

We test and implement new software systems all the time, so naturally we get a pretty good idea of what’s changing. Here are 3 of the major trends we expect to see in 2013.

More mobile

Since “cloud” became a household word in the early 2000s, software has become increasingly mobile. That trend will intensify in 2013. More applications will offer features unique to mobile devices, and new applications will be built with mobile as the primary intended access point. That’s a big deal – it’s great news for businesses who work “on the go,” but it means changes for sedentary workflows. The cellphone is the new desktop. Working that way will bring technological benefits.

More integrations

Gone are the days of the multitool approach to software. Instead, development teams are throwing out the superfluous stuff to focus on core functionalities. For businesses, that means integrations are increasingly crucial – getting your CRM to work with your proposal software and your accounting tools could save hours on every deal. Expect to see more cooperation between the tools you use, but fewer features in standalone apps.

Better UX

Every week we see new solutions sprouting up. Email CRMs, sales CRMs, real estate CRMs – they’re a dime a dozen. To stand out from the rest, the good developers are increasingly focused on UX (“user experience”),  which means software *should* get easier to use. Instead of being built for middle management (ala Salesforce), tools are being built for the salesperson who doesn’t like computers, or the receptionist with a billion things to do. That’s a good thing (using Salesforce sucks). Expect more UX overhauls.

All in all, it should be a good year. Leave your predictions in the comments below!

VM Associates is a New York City cloud computing consulting firm. We help companies transition into newer, better, smarter software. Contact us to talk about your business, the cloud, and how we might help.

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1. Intuitive navigation. Software is only as helpful as the people using it. If you find yourself struggling to get things done inside a solution, imagine trying to launch it as a central piece of software for your employees. It’ll be an uphill battle. End-user usability should be a chief concern as you pick a CRM – don’t just focus on things managers like to see.

2. Extensive integrations. Great development teams know what their solution should and shouldn’t do. They’ll also integrate with other solutions to achieve functionality they otherwise wouldn’t have. In the case of CRMs, that means integrating with small business focused accounting solutions (like Xero or Freshbooks), helpdesk solutions (Zendesk), and, of course, Google Apps.

3. A+ support. Don’t just demo a solution – post on the forums and bug their support staff. Does it take a week to get a response? Forget it then – you’re implementing a vital software component and need (deserve?) top class customer service. Also, have a look at their partner page – do they have a network of 3rd party consultants who can help if you need additional support? It’s a good sign if they do. Dedicated partners means the solution is strong enough for other businesses to invest in.

4. Open APIs. “API” is nerd-speak for how solutions cooperate together. Great CRMs have an open API, making it easy for 3rd party developers (like us) to build our own integrations and add-ons. It’s essential, especially if you foresee building a network of applications for your business.

5. Frequent updates. Great pieces of software don’t stand still. Get a feeling for how often the software is updated (check the blog, updates page, or forum announcements). Is it more than once or twice a year? Are new features oriented with where your business is going? Be wary of software that isn’t being updated – it might mean the team behind it is working on other things.

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VM Associates is a New York City based cloud computing consulting firm. We help companies transition into newer, better, smarter software. Contact us to talk about your business, the cloud, and how we might help.

The post 5 things to look for when you’re choosing a cloud based CRM appeared first on VM Associates.

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Spend anytime among the cloud-computing crowd and you’ll soon find that API integration is a hot-topic. How friendly or unfriendly a given app’s API is, how many native integrations the app has, the price-point at which API reference keys become available: all those factors are huge selling points for SaaS and a major consideration for would-be consumers.

Naturally, we also think API integration is great, especially when it’s native (see our recent review of RightSignature as an example of a service we think would benefit from more integration). When two or more apps play nice with one another it can mitigate double entry and other workflow “knots,” making IT more bearable. Next-gen apps are (should be?) all about simplicity and function, which integration can (sometimes) deliver.

Thing is, the urge to integrate is a double-edged sword. It’s an understandable urge – and as we say above, it’s an urge that’s often justified – but it’s also something that can negatively perpetuate legacy business processes. Let me explain.

Sometimes users want products to integrate to deliver some new functionality (Solve360’s recentish Gmail gadget is one example). That’s awesome. Sometimes, however, users want products to integrate so that the new system looks like the old system. That’s not awesome. For example, we speak with clients all the time who want API integration in and amongst everything: email, CRM, ERP, invoicing, shipping, accounting, everything. We certainly understand that desire – who doesn’t want a “one-stop shopping” software solution? – but more often than not the desired outcome is something that mirrors old systems and processes. The question asks itself: why change software solutions if you won’t change workflow habits?

While I’m at it, I might also note that non-native integrations (ie integrations that aren’t available “out of the package”) can also decrease the scalability of SaaS solutions. If today you spend $5k integrating two products and tomorrow decide those products aren’t right anymore then you’ll have sunk $5k plus interest in a system you’re not using. Hardly the flexibility you were looking for in the first place, is it?

The point isn’t that API integration is bad: it’s that users should think long and hard about what they’re trying to accomplish before they invest in integrating solutions. In particular, non-native integrations need be examined for cost (including scalability costs) versus value. Above all, businesses need to accept that new software systems will invariably result in new business processes, and that change can be good.

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VM Associates is a New York City based cloud computing consulting firm. We help companies transition into newer, better, smarter software. Contact us to talk about your business, the cloud, and how we might help.

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So, you use and love Zendesk. We do too. But what’s this new Zendesk thing that launched this week? How does it work? Will it affect your customer support? What does it all mean?

Live Zendesk support, NYC-style

This September 26th, at 6-7 pm, we’ll be answering those questions and more at our first “Zendesk Office Hour.” Held at New York City’s always-happening General Assembly, we’ll take a close look at the new Zendesk, discuss how it differs from the classic interface, and show off its cooler features. The goal is to help ease your transition into the new system.

Best part of all? It’s free. That’s right – live Zendesk support, in the heart of Manhattan, for free. Now that doesn’t happen every day…

Register here, and be quick – spots are limited!

The Details

What: An hour with Zendesk professionals, discussing the new Zendesk’s user interface.

When: September 26th, 6-7 pm.

Where: General Assembly, 902 Broadway, Floor 4, New York NY, 10010.

How much: Free! Just register here.

PS: We’ll be holding more of these events in the future, so if you’d like to learn of them in advance, sign up here for our Zendesk mailing list here. Knowledge is power!

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VM Associates is a New York City based cloud computing consulting firm. We help companies transition into newer, better, smarter software. Contact us to talk about your business, the cloud, and how we might help.

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When small business owners think of software, they think of email, file management, and…. CRM. Shorthand for “Contact Relationship Management,” CRMs help businesses organize their customers, leads and sales. Important stuff.

Unfortunately, choosing a CRM isn’t easy. The Google Apps marketplace lists 90 of ‘em: GetApp has over 280. There are thousands more (and they all sound the same). How’s a business owner to choose?

We review (and break) new CRMs every week, so we’re pretty confident when we spot a good one. Here are 5 tips for choosing your own CRM – hope it helps!

#1 Choose a usable CRM

Usability matters. A lot. As you try new systems, pay due attention to the experience. How intuitive is navigation? Can you find what you’re looking for? Will employees enjoy this? Does it make their job easier?

It’s tempting to pick CRMs solely for their feature set, but remember that features don’t matter when employees don’t use them (Zoho, anyone?). Stay away from poorly designed, unwieldy, or archaic interfaces.

#2 Choose a well supported CRM

No CRM is perfect – you’ll always have problems. The quality of help you’ll get in solving those problems is a key differentiator among small business CRMs. Check out support resources before you commit to a CRM: you’re looking for quick response times, active user forums, and well stocked knowledge bases. You’ll need them (eventually).

Consultants that we are, we also like to see affordable third-party services available, especially non-resellers. That’s a good sign the vendor cares.

#3 Choose a CRM that fits your process

We can’t stress this enough. Sort your internal workflows out before choosing a CRM, then find a CRM to match (not the other way around). There’s no surer waste of time and money than buying software that doesn’t work how you do.

Service based? Look for CRMs that stress project management or sales pipelines. Product based? Find something with inventory capabilities. Just don’t smash the square peg in the round hole.

#4 Choose a CRM with good integrations

Integrations are a big deal. Invoicing, accounting, helpdesk, marketing, whatever: you want it in one place. CRM should be that place. It’s where sales happen.

Take a good look at a solution’s integrations before you buy. Are the integrations with services you currently use? If so, are the integrations helpful (or just eye candy)? If not, are alternative services offered? Is this an ecosystem you want to be a part of?

#5 Choose a CRM that’s aligned with small business

Just because something claims to be “for” small business doesn’t mean it is. Many so-called small business CRMs are actually geared toward helping larger companies, meaning they’re focused on the Nikes and Wal-Marts of the world, not you.

You can tell if a CRM is misaligned by distorted pricing mechanisms, a focus on middle management, and unexpected client testimonials (if NBC uses it, you probably don’t want to). Research the company too – they may be playing for acquisition. Stick with companies that are 100% committed to small business.

Conclusion

Choosing a CRM ain’t easy, but it shouldn’t be impossible. Armed with the right questions and a willingness to get dirty, you’ll find some real gems out there – it’s worth it!

VM Associates is a New York City based cloud computing consulting firm. We help companies transition into newer, better, smarter software. Contact us to talk about your business, the cloud, and how we might help.

The post Top 5 Tips for Choosing a Small Business CRM appeared first on VM Associates.

That’s right, you read correctly – we’re now offering a weekly “Capsule 101″ webinar, intended to help new users understand, use and customize Capsule CRM. Read on for details.

Who it’s for

New to Capsule and finding your way around? Looking for best practice tips as you customize milestones, tracks, fields and tags? Or maybe you’re just curious about what Capsule CRM offers?

Capsule 101 is for you. Via this online group webinar, we’ll cover basic navigation,  customization, and business best practices. The goal is to help you get the best out of what Capsule offers.

How it works

Every Tuesday, at 11 am EDT, we’ll host Capsule 101 via an online meeting. You can register here – once we’ve confirmed your registration and payment, we’ll send you  meeting details. Easy peasy.

Capsule 101 costs $49/USD per attendee and includes a 45 minute group webinar and 15 minute group Q & A.

Interested?

Register now, or read more about the class here. We can’t wait to see you!

VM Associates is a New York City cloud computing consulting firm. We help companies transition into newer, better, smarter software. Contact us to talk about your business, the cloud, and how we might help.

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In the good ‘ole days…

Customer service use to be simple — if you had a problem or a question then you called the designated 800 number. In more advanced systems you had a menu of options to choose from (“Press 1 for sales, Press 2 for technical support, Press 3 for general questions”).

Still, simple systems aren’t always good systems. Generic support lines suck for customers (they reinforce the “us vs. them” dynamic that the best companies avoid), and they suck for companies (unhappy customers equal lost business). Lose lose.

Recent changes in business software (led by cloud-based applications) has changed things drastically. While customers still frequently call into a designated 800 number, and sometimes are still prompted to select a numerical option (ugh), company’s now are able to seamlessly record and catalogue inbound calls into robust customer service helpdesk software systems.

If you are an active customer the the system will match your phone number with the one already in the database and the support ticket will automatically get created under your name. No manual entry or tedious searching necessary for the support team, and customers receive higher quality, quicker support (theoretically, at least).

Support on your terms

More importantly, the support “channel” is no longer just a designated 800 number. Customers can now submit support requests through a host of different channels; email, web form, text message, live chat, social media, and more. Whichever is most convenient for the customer works all the same for the customer service team. Your ticket gets created into the helpdesk system, attached to your user profile, and it is automatically distributed, assigned, and handled by customer service teams dedicated to different areas of support.

For the customer, you have several channels to submit help tickets and you will receive more efficient and more personalized help. Hopefully, you will never again be told by a recording that “you are currently number 6 in the queue and your estimated wait time is 25 minutes”.

Better support means better business

For the support team, your customer service just got much more efficient, much easier to handle, and way more powerful. Small businesses now have access to powerful reports that show which agents are handling requests the fastest, which issues are showing up repeatedly, and much much more. Cloud-based software systems frequently include these robust reporting capabilities as part of the service subscription, meaning there’s little capital expenditure. Oh how we love the cloud.

What does your customer service setup look like? Could it use a makeover? If you are looking for some professional guidance on improving your customer service, give us a shout. It’s 2012 and we no longer expect to wait for support.

The post Customer Service, Welcome to the Cloud appeared first on VM Associates.

Still, as the business grew, the sheer size of the spreadsheet made it more of a headache than anything. As is so often the case, they had outgrown their tools – the hacksaw wasn’t doing the job they needed it to. Documents took forever to load, redundant copies were lost and confused, key reports went missing. It was a mess.

Clearly, they needed something new. At that point, they had no idea what a “CRM” could do; for them, best case scenario was re-creating the same spreadsheet in a faster, and easier, interface (Microsoft365 was the logical next step in their minds). They feared that a CRM to replace what they have now would be super expensive and time consuming. Turns out, the tools are readily available – you just have to find the one that matches your business, then fit your workflows in. That’s where we came in.

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