Efficient Customer Database Organization for Consultants: Tips and Tricks

[Lorna May]

I am curious to know how other consultants are keeping track of their customers?
I have a list in Excel, that I am not to often updating, and it doesn't seem to have all the information that I would like. For instance if a customer would like to book a show but in 8 months, or they are interested in cookware but can't afford it; I would like to contact them when the time comes. Or just some information to remind me who they are or what show they were at.
Am I asking for too much!
I will be updating my customers in the new year and would like to have a more productive, informative system in place.
To date I have over 200+ names, numbers and some email addys?
I also have a monthly rolodex of possible hosts.
Please help me organize!!:chef:

 

[raebates]

I use PP. If someone is interested in a show in August, I put a reminder to myself to contact them in July. If someone is interested in stoneware when it goes on sale, I put a piece of stoneware in their order but put the quantity at 0. That creates a wish list for them.I'm guessing you can do these things in P3.

 

[Lorna May]

I tried using PP but not sure exactly how to set it all up so didn't find it useful. Still open to other suggestions if someone has any. Perhaps there is a program I can buy? I checked out constant contact, and although it looks useful I don't think I want to commit to it.

 

[dannyzmom]

Customer Connection on our personal websites offres us all this.

 

[Lorna May]

Any other ideas?

 

[sfdavis918]

I have heard some people use ACT by Sage. It is very powerful and may be overkill but you can get a free download at ACT! by Sage 2008 - Contact and Customer Relationship Management Software | Home.

 

[pamperedposey]

Free trial, but $229 after 30 days. Looks good, but that's a lot of $$.

 

[jenm42]

Pampered Partner is set up exactly how we need it, and it's free. If I will need to contact a customer again, even if it's a year from now, I just add all of their info (address, phone, email, etc), write some notes in the notes field that will remind me about them (met at Judy's party, very friendly and outgoing, had lots of stoneware, interested in cookware, etc) and add a reminder for the date I need to call them back, with notes, of course (son getting married in May, call late May/early June to book party for late June/July, etc). Then on that date, the reminder will pop up and I will remember to call that person back!

Using PP will eliminate the need to retype the customer's info into some other program. Plus, for things like host coaching, you can set the reminders to automatically set themselves when you book a show. It's very easy.

I use PP for all of my host coaching reminders, reminders to call/check on catalog shows, product adjustment followups, reminders to call about bookings, reminders to followup on recruit leads, absolutely everything.

If you find it confusing, try going through the Tutorial in the Help files in PP. PP is a pretty simple program, but it does everything that we need it to do.

Hope that helps, even a little.

=) Jen

 

[cmdtrgd]

What is difficult about PP is that you can't search every field nor for your notes. Also, if I want to locate which show a certain customer purchased a specific product on, I have to search each one manually. Now, I haven't switched over to P3 - holiday break is when I will - so I don't know if these features are available. I would love to be able to bring up a customer and see his/her ordering history and which hosts (not show numbers) s/he ordered with.

 

[graciec1977]

Lorna to figure out PP the easiest thing to do is create a fake show and contacts and play around with it, you can always delete them once you get it figured out. Each morning i open PP and it has a to do list ready for me, tells me who to call and why. If they want to know when items are going on sale i enter them on their sales as 0 quantity then when i see they are coming on sale, like the stoneware, I go to reports and click on wish list and it shows ev1 that is interested in them.Hope this helps

 

[chefann]

I would love to be able to bring up a customer and see his/her ordering history and which hosts (not show numbers) s/he ordered with.

That's in P3. It's nice.

 

[PChefPEI]

I've been trying to use PP as well, but not much luck. Guess I have to play with it some more. Not sure if P3 is available in Canada, but I'd be interested to try it out.

It sounds like you are more interested in an electronic system then a paper-based system. But, what I do is use a binder with monthly tabbed dividers and staple the guest care card on a sheet of loose leaf and keep my notes on it. I put the sheet of paper behind the month that I want to contact them. If I have a specific date that I want to contact someone, it goes in my consultant planner. I write EVERYTHING in there!! I found that was the best way for me, 'cause it's right there in front of me everyday!!

I would really like to completely switch my binder system to an electronic one, but haven't been comfortable enough with anything yet.

I'd be curious to find out who has a completely electronic tracking system and what exactly they do.