Contact management is a modern way of managing your contacts. However, it’s not just an electronic address book that lists out your contacts such as phone numbers and addresses and appointments for the day. All this personal information can be integrated with e-mails and saved at one place so that you don’t have to waste time searching. You can store history of the interactions with contacts and keep track of all activities related to them. All this information can be kept absolutely confidential by using a password.
Contact management system can be of two types – a separate software product installed in the personal computer or a web-based application that can be accessed anywhere, anytime. The traditional method of installing software can serve the purpose if the nature of your work is stationary and is done from one primary computer. If you are logged on to the Internet most of the time and work at and away from office a web-based solution will offer you the flexibility you need.
Installing software is a one-time expenditure whereas web-based services may charge monthly subscription fees in addition to the initial lump sum payment. You’ll find this investment negligible compared to its advantages and the results you reap through an effective contact management system. Creating a systematic database of your contacts and updating the information regularly are the prerequisites for the success of the system. It is useful for both domestic users and business enterprises. Birthday and anniversary reminders come automatically and save you lot of embarrassment. On the professional front sales, marketing and customer care personnel are the major users of the system.
Marketing persons can send bulk personalized but professional messages like e-mails and news letters to the customers in the contacts list about new products and services and special offers. The communication can be sent with a link to company’s website and order form that can enable an immediate sale. The results can be amazing to unbelievable. This is the best way of cutting down the costs involved in direct marketing and there’s absolutely no need to hire a new sales team to reach more customers.
Customer care departments can maintain the history of all communication with customers for a systematic follow up. Since it is used extensively by businesses to interact with customers some call it customer relationship management system. Managers also use it to keep track of the employee information and to reach them. In one word, with an effective contact management system you can bid good-bye to the traditional paper-based system which is highly fallible.
