Click for larger image

You need to connect with your customers and respond quickly to customer inquiries, but access to information is difficult and often scattered throughout the organization.  If you’re a firm with remote or virtual offices the problem may be even worse.  Thank God for your accounting system and Excel spreadsheets that at least provide you with critical customer data, but these are too difficult to manage and cannot be easily shared with the people who need it to efficiently do their jobs.

Companies that have found themselves in this position are leveraging the Web and online CRM software systems to address this challenge.  Online CRM systems provide companies with a central database that houses company and contact information along with notes, history, pre and post activity, e-mail correspondence, and sales activity.  Some of the more advanced CRM software programs include quotes or proposals, service history and project management and support for the Apple iPad tablet.

Because these programs operate over the Web, there is no expensive hardware or software to purchase and no IT infrastructure to maintain.  With programs like Commence CRM from Commence Corporation you can be up and running in just a few hours, and access to customer data is available anytime and from anywhere using any Web browser.  Best of all many online CRM programs are now affordable for small to mid-size businesses.  CRM software simply addresses the business challenge of capturing, tracking, managing and sharing customer data at a price point that can no longer be overlooked.

For information about selecting the right CRM software for your business, view a free report 7 Points to Consider Before Selecting Your CRM System.

Click for larger image