Sales Force Software?

Grumpy

Does anyone know of any software which accompanies multiple sales reps and a sales manager?

I have been slowly building up my own database with mysql and PHP but I need more an have run out of time. Thus I am probably going to scratch the whole idea and just adopt some "off the shelf" program.

I'd like a system which allows an administrative assistant to enter in new leads as they come in. The sales manager can assign the leads to a specific sales rep. The sales rep can print the lead details and add notes to the lead, as well as updating the status of the lead. "Pending, dead or sold". Also very important is reporting the sale date.

The reason I started writing my own database is because I never found what I needed off the shelf... Any ideas?

Mike Finley

It sounds like a very simple database you would build yourself using Access.

noreast05

A buddy of mine has tried this for organizing his sales staff. Perhaps you've seen it already.

http://www.netsuite.com/portal/indus...tracking.shtml

Grumpy

Access is limited to something like 5 users which is why I didn't build it in access in the first place. Sure now I don't have 5 users, I will probably have 4... but I don't want to scrap the whole database in 2 years because I want to add another person.

I'm looking at www.salesforce.com right now but it is an online subscription based solution. I like that it's online but would prefer to outright buy something and not pay monthly... and I could host it on my site is need be. BTW salesforce is pretty much what I have been building, but they have a team of developers and I have only me; they are light years ahead.

Noreast at first glance that appears to be what I am looking for. I think I will download the free trial on my office computer and give it a shot. I have downloaded a few other free trials as well, but so far nothing has stood out and made me say "Wow!" Thanks for the link!

Teetorbilt

Ol'#2 says that GoldMine is the weapon of choice for sales.

__________________
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Mike Finley

That's a new one to me. If you mean 5 users licensing, then all you do is purchase more licenses. If you mean 5 users accessing the data base at once, then there are simple ways around that also, especially since the users will be accessing local versions on thier computers right?

Grumpy

Mike, I meant 5 users running the same database concurrent.

Teetor I looked into Gold Mine years ago but for some reason I didn't like it. Maybe it's time to look again.

LandscapePro

Grumpy,

Take a look at ACT! . With the syncronization (sp?) feature you can have everyone involved in the process up to speed with whatever action has occured with a particular account or project.

You just have to get your sales force used to inputting notes on a laptop.

In a former life, ( LOL ) I was a Regional Sales Manager responsible for the Southern U.S. I learned to depend on the product.

Mike
La. landscape Contractor #2576

Grumpy

A colleague introduced me to act the other day and they have a trial download at their website which I will experiment with. However I am thinking of trying the act for online do my sales reps can work from home. What I kinda liked about the act for online is that I host it, so I don't pay some company monthly hosting fees above and beyond what I already pay.

db-developer

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