Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

All WYSIWYG Web Builder support issues that are not covered in the forums below.
Forum rules
IMPORTANT NOTE!!

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR PROBLEM AND WANT QUICK HELP?
THEN PLEASE SHARE A "DEMO" PROJECT.



PLEASE READ THE FORUM RULES BEFORE YOU POST:
http://www.wysiwygwebbuilder.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1901

MUST READ:
http://www.wysiwygwebbuilder.com/getting_started.html
WYSIWYG Web Builder FAQ
Post Reply
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

Hi All,

I have a website spec to ender for. One of the items is "CRM Capacity" - sorry, that's all it says and I'm waiting on more info from the potential client.

Any suggestions please?
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
User avatar
onlye
 
 
Posts: 366
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 12:36 am
Location: Gluckstadt, MS USA
Contact:

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by onlye »

Wow, Colin. CRM can span from simple names and addresses to very complex ones. Not typically what I would think of as part of a website you build but a separate application like salesforce.com. I have done some work with https://suitecrm.com/ which is a very powerful solution that is available as open-source. I do have a bit of background in CRM so once you get the details I'd be glad to try and help.
onlye
Gluckstadt, MS USA
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

Hi Onlye,

Thanks heaps for the quick response. Yes, I know "CRM Capacity" isn't much of a spec and as you say, there are endless possibilities from a secure web form with a MySQL back end through to hundreds of 3rd part solutions.
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

Hi Onlye,

Ok, I now have some further info from the potential Client:

"The CRM Capacity will facilitate the collection of data from linked social media accounts and website, which will allow us to target promotions and sharing of information."

They haven't spelt out whether this is to be automated or just allow the input of data, and what data they want to collect. I've asked them for more info on this.

EDIT - MORE INFO FROM THE CLIENT:

"Automated collection of data would be preferred, demographics would include age, gender, location, etc"

Not asking for much :? :lol: :roll:
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
User avatar
miguelss
 
 
Posts: 135
Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:25 pm
Location: Madrid, Spain

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by miguelss »

So complicated Colin! I will follow your inputs on this matter. Good luck 🍀
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

miguelss wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:18 am So complicated Colin! I will follow your inputs on this matter. Good luck 🍀
Indeed migulss. I'm sure there's a wonderful solution out there and I'm equally sure that there will be some substantial $ attached to that solution. On that basis, and at this point, I will be pointing my Client to Google Analytics (demographics) and the various statistical tools inside their various social media portals.

Oh, and thank you! :D
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
User avatar
onlye
 
 
Posts: 366
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 12:36 am
Location: Gluckstadt, MS USA
Contact:

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by onlye »

I have several political action groups, PAG, I do work for that use some sort of "CRM" to communicate and manage their members:

* PAG 1 is using a Newsletter script to maintain their contacts with basic information. The contacts can be assigned to multiple groups for marketing and a contact can be in multiple groups. There is a web form that new contacts can use to sign-up and are added to the contact list. I initially imported their existing 12 lists of about 2,800 contacts. My customer uses the built-in wysiwyg editor to create and send out several newsletters/emails per month to their list. This customer likes the solution and has commented on how easy it is to use. Cost - $49 one time (developers license).

* PAG 2 is using suiteCRM to maintain their contacts with customized fields and advanced segmenting for groups and interests. (example: Send an email to all doctors that are Navy veterans that went to Aldridge Medical School and live in the capital city). A web form can also be used to capture contacts and add them to the CRM. This customer also sends out several newsletters/emails to targeted contacts each month. This solution is much more powerful than the Newsletter script. Cost - Open source, so no license fee but MUCH heavier load from an installation/setup and support standpoint. This solution would be comparable to something like SalesForce.com

As you learn more I'd be happy to help you. Have you asked them if they have seen a particular CRM doing what they are looking for?
onlye
Gluckstadt, MS USA
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

Hi Onlye
Thanks again for the continued input and offer of assistance - 8)
PAG1 and PAG2 - was it your intention to URL those so I could see them online?
PAG1 - That sounds like a PHP Jabbers script? Which one please?
Good question! 8)
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
MGD4me
 
 
Posts: 287
Joined: Tue May 02, 2017 11:56 pm
Location: British Columbia, Canada

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by MGD4me »

That sounds like a PHP Jabbers script? Which one please?
Hey Colin...

If I had to take a guess, I would say this one: https://www.phpjabbers.com/php-newsletter-script/

They are offering a free download at the moment, which would allow you to try it out, before spending more money for the developer license, if that would be the final intent.

I have used it, and it actually works quite well, once you get over the learning curve. But in my case, I already have a customer database, and I don't think it would be an easy task to merge the two. 'Newsletters' is a complete stand alone app, and it uses it's own database. But I must say, that the installation was a breeze, since they use an installation wizard. Answer a few questions, and it does all the work. Genius!
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

Hey MGD4me,

Thanks heaps for your input.
Yes, I've used a few of the PHP Jabbers Scripts and they do work well.
You mentioned you already have a database. How have you got that set up please?
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
MGD4me
 
 
Posts: 287
Joined: Tue May 02, 2017 11:56 pm
Location: British Columbia, Canada

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by MGD4me »

You mentioned you already have a database. How have you got that set up please?
If there is a more difficult way of doing things, I seem to always find it. Every application or script will usually get you to 85-90% of the way, and for some reason I still need to get 'under the hood' (bonnet?) and do a little tweaking of my own. I come from a hardware background, and got into software by necessity. Some refer to us as hackers, but with a more refined, kinder approach. LOL

I was already using a Membership program from Vibralogix, called 'Sitelok'. Out of the box, it will do 500% of what I need. I mean, a guy can really do some wonderful things with the program, but I only use it for it's basic needs. It also has the ability to send email to ALL members, or only to those in a particular GROUP. It can also email nicely formatted HTML letters, IF you have created them elsewhere. It might even do a better job than 'Newsletters' from PHPjabbers, in that regard. But you decide. At least 'Newsletters' is free to try.

See Sitelok Membership program at: https://www.vibralogix.com/sitelokpw/

It will depend on how strictly your client is looking at the 'R' function of CRM... the Relationship aspect. Some want to be able to open up a contact, and make notes of their last contact, or phone call. In a more advanced situation, when the telephone rings, they might wish for the telephone system to supply the Caller ID name and/or number, so that it automatically pops up the customer record on-the-fly. That would be the all-you-can-eat scenario, but not impossible.

Food for thought... good luck.

Norm
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

Hi Norm,

Wow, thanks heaps for that. That is a very expansive solution and even has WYSIWYG doco.

I''ve just sent my potential Client V0002 of my 28 page proposal document - now looks like I will have to send a V0003.

I've only skimmed over sitelokpw - but one thing I noticed, the forms don't seem to have any captcha codes?
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
MGD4me
 
 
Posts: 287
Joined: Tue May 02, 2017 11:56 pm
Location: British Columbia, Canada

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by MGD4me »

Hi Colin...

Yes, captcha is available for form 'protection', but it is of an older version where you type in the characters of a number of letters, etc. You can go back to the link I provided earlier, and just below the video is the complete manual available for download. Have a look around page 154. You will be blown away with the amount of detail the developer (Adrian) has included. The more you get into it, the less you will probably need, but the manual is very comprehensive, to say the least.

Note, that Adrian has also provided a demo access, so that you can review the complete functionality. Don't get too overwhelmed, it does come together fairly quickly!
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

Hi Norm,

Yes, upon some further reading, I noticed the Captcha and an option to add Google Captcha's V2 as well - for free.
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

Hi Norm,

Is the Admin page tailorable as far as branding goes?
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
MGD4me
 
 
Posts: 287
Joined: Tue May 02, 2017 11:56 pm
Location: British Columbia, Canada

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by MGD4me »

Hi Colin...

Re: branding...

Yes you can... I am the only administrator for our club, so I don't mind the copyright footer message, as it provides me a clickable link back to the Vibralogix site,if I need it. But, I did swap out the Dashboard logo with our own.

You can also white label Sitelok if you wish which is ideal if you are a web designer and use Sitelok on your clients sites. You are free to change all of the text including the visible copyright message in the control panel although you must leave any copyright messages within the code in place.
You can also change the logo images shown in the top left of the control panel.


Norm
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

Hi Norm,

That's excellent news - thank you! 8)
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
User avatar
onlye
 
 
Posts: 366
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 12:36 am
Location: Gluckstadt, MS USA
Contact:

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by onlye »

ColinM wrote: Sat Apr 03, 2021 8:47 pm Hi Onlye
Thanks again for the continued input and offer of assistance - 8)
PAG1 and PAG2 - was it your intention to URL those so I could see them online?
PAG1 - That sounds like a PHP Jabbers script? Which one please?
Good question! 8)
Sorry the PG1 and PG2 were abbreviations for my customers; Political Group 1 and 2. The Newsletter script is the one from PHPJabbers. Easy to import an existing database. The other user is a full blown CRM system, suitecrm.com
onlye
Gluckstadt, MS USA
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

onlye wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:32 pm
ColinM wrote: Sat Apr 03, 2021 8:47 pm Hi Onlye
Thanks again for the continued input and offer of assistance - 8)
PAG1 and PAG2 - was it your intention to URL those so I could see them online?
PAG1 - That sounds like a PHP Jabbers script? Which one please?
Good question! 8)
Sorry the PG1 and PG2 were abbreviations for my customers; Political Group 1 and 2. The Newsletter script is the one from PHPJabbers. Easy to import an existing database. The other user is a full blown CRM system, suitecrm.com
Hey Onlye - Ah, good, I'm not going mad LOL. Had a look at suitecrm.com's website - Couldn't see any prices?
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
MGD4me
 
 
Posts: 287
Joined: Tue May 02, 2017 11:56 pm
Location: British Columbia, Canada

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by MGD4me »

Colin...

I headed over to the suitecrm website, out of curiosity, since I have used (many years ago!) fairly comprehensive CRM packages. Yup.. just as I thought! It is an in-depth application, with many hours of learning involved, both for the installer/administrator and end user alike. But, that's okay too, if that's what it takes... so be it.

As far as pricing goes, they have both hosted packages, depending on number of users, plus the software is available to run on a client's own server. I went through the installation docs a bit, and came to the point where it appears to give you the option of 'registering' the software after installation, or not. I don't understand if the 'or not' option is forever, or if it times out after a 30-day trial, for instance. That would be worth investigating. Since I don't have a need for a full blown CRM system, I haven't taken the leap. You may be braver, though... :o)

In any case, you can peruse the installation docs here: https://docs.suitecrm.com/

Norm
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

Thanks again Norm - appreciate your continued input and heads up on those points.

There's a fine line between "brave" and "stupid" and "insane" :lol:
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
User avatar
onlye
 
 
Posts: 366
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 12:36 am
Location: Gluckstadt, MS USA
Contact:

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by onlye »

MGD4me wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 12:29 am Colin...

I headed over to the suitecrm website, out of curiosity, since I have used (many years ago!) fairly comprehensive CRM packages. Yup.. just as I thought! It is an in-depth application, with many hours of learning involved, both for the installer/administrator and end user alike. But, that's okay too, if that's what it takes... so be it.

As far as pricing goes, they have both hosted packages, depending on number of users, plus the software is available to run on a client's own server. I went through the installation docs a bit, and came to the point where it appears to give you the option of 'registering' the software after installation, or not. I don't understand if the 'or not' option is forever, or if it times out after a 30-day trial, for instance. That would be worth investigating. Since I don't have a need for a full blown CRM system, I haven't taken the leap. You may be braver, though... :o)

In any case, you can peruse the installation docs here: https://docs.suitecrm.com/

Norm
suiteCRM is a fully open-source application. SalesAgility, the owner/sponsor, offers a hosted option or you can install it on your own server. There is no time out, trial, or license fee for your installation.

Right you are about fairly comprehensive. However, it is broken into modules (Accounts, Contacts, Contracts, Opportunities, Email-Templates, Email, Projects...) In the Admin Developer Tools, you can easily turn on and off what modules are seen. So you can have a "simple" version that uses Contacts, Email, and Campaigns-Marketing. The other modules are still there and you can turn them on down the road if the client needs them.
onlye
Gluckstadt, MS USA
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

Thanks Onlye - You've both spent some time giving me valuable info - for that I thank you both very much. 8)
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
MGD4me
 
 
Posts: 287
Joined: Tue May 02, 2017 11:56 pm
Location: British Columbia, Canada

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by MGD4me »

You've both spent some time giving me valuable info - for that I thank you both very much. 8)
You're more than welcome... the Invoice is in the mail. :wink:
User avatar
ColinM
 
 
Posts: 962
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:40 am
Location: Western Australia

Re: Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)?

Post by ColinM »

MGD4me wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 6:29 pm
You've both spent some time giving me valuable info - for that I thank you both very much. 8)
You're more than welcome... the Invoice is in the mail. :wink:
:lol: :lol: - I'll keep an eye for it Norm. :P
Yours truly
Colin M
Western Australia
Post Reply