Sales personnel slowed down by the need to fumble with folders and laptop units in search of customer data now have a far better alternative.
They can take advantage of a customer relationship management (CRM) application that can be loaded on to a BlackBerry smart phone.
Dubbed Maximizer CRM 10, the tool was designed by Maximizer Software Inc.
“Customer leads, contact lists, sales forecasts, and case data are now literally at the salesperson’s fingertips,” said Angie Hirata, worldwide director of marketing and business development for Maximizer Software Inc.
She said CRM 10 enables mobile employees of small and medium scale businesses (SMBs) to access most enterprise-level applications, as well as customer-related data right from their BlackBerry units.
The application was developed in cooperation with Research in Motion (RIM), the Toronto-based makers of BlackBerry.
Along with increased visibility into valuable business data, the application provides reporting capability via more than 175 out-of-the box report templates, Vista Gadget desktop dashboards, and a Microsoft SQL-based reporting application developed by 90 Degrees Software Inc. of Vancouver.
Rather than leafing through a customer file or firing-up a laptop, users can call up a client file from their home office on their BlackBerry said Joseph Hui, vice-president of research and development for Maximizer Software.
He said users can enter file updates via their BlackBerry, and the application can also be configured to send updates from the home office on a pre-set schedule, he said.
Maximizer CRM 10 Group edition starts at $499 per user.
The popularity of mobile-ready CRM applications is fueled by the growing demand for mobile devices in the SMB space according to Barton Goldenberg, president of ISM Inc., a Bethesda, MD-based CRM advisor.
“With the worldwide number of mobile subscribers crossing the three billion mark by years end, mobile devices are becoming an integral part of CRM solutions,” he said.
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