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Some business people might describe a CRM system as high-risk, high-reward. And it's true that without careful attention, the investment into customer relationship management software might get lost. When you manage the tool and the data right though, even a small or mid-sized business can get unparalleled benefits.

In his excellent article on Entrepreneur.com, Jonathan Herrick gives a handful of warnings you can use to make sure you're doing things right. Focusing attention on the pain-points first, he explains that the one thing worse than misusing CRM info is not using it at all. That said, it's also clear that misusing the data is no picnic. Poor CRM usage can aggravate things for a business owner who feels like she's steering a ship in the dark; an executive who feels frustrated because everyone is busy, but nothing is getting done; or any decision-maker who feels debilitated by missing and incomplete data.

Leveraging your CRM starts with these four best practices, the reverse of Herrick's trouble-spots:

1. Concentrate on the Right Data

CRM systems today can be fully integrated with ERP and accounting tools, capturing a goldmine of details. But the computer isn't able yet to tell a dirt clod from a gold nugget. It's up to you to focus the system, processes, and personnel on the valuable information. Whether you've found the most benefit from direct mail, phone calls, social media, or mass email, your CRM efforts should prioritize that contact info. In other words, don't worry about the data you don't use. And definitely don't bother your customers with entering data that won't benefit anyone.

2. Measure the Right Performance

Related to the first tip, this one puts you on notice against high numbers that don't equate to high sales. With your company website or eCommerce store, you might find that tracking the increasing number of visitors is a feel-good – but that end of the pipeline doesn't provide much to help you with making decisions. Instead, work backward from the customers who cross the finish line, looking for patterns in their progress. Those recurring details are the metrics that matter most. Ensure that info gets to the right people in your organization and keep those numbers front and center, checking every campaign and initiative against this vital market feedback.

3. Bring Order to the Chaos

The CRM system you use will only be as helpful as your team's efforts make it. Automation is a great time-saver, but people are still needed for recording the crucial info. Yes, a lead called at this time on this day — what was the conversation about? Getting the team into the habit of carefully noting what happens with contacts, prospects, and clients may take planning and patience. When they understand how personalizing interactions can help with profitability, getting these processes in place can become easier. Analyze, educate, and encourage the work that will keep your CRM data valuable.

4. Put the Data to Work

Once you have organized, valuable information, you're half-way there. The next stage is to align the business processes to the picture of market reality your data shows. In a sense, each click and phone number is feedback for you, but your team has to act on it. This might start with internal changes, re-directing attention where it's most useful for the pipeline, but it will expand to boost your relationships, connections, and sales. It can even show you new opportunities where your team can thrive.

Having CRM software won't make all the difference. Having good data won't either. But having these pieces in place for your team to take advantage of might surprise you.

 

aACE 5 is designed to facilitate the business approach suggested in Herrick's article. It's a comprehensive yet cost-effective, cross-platform system that is customizable and provides apps for mobile users. Sculpted according to feedback from various professional services, wholesale distribution, and light manufacturing clients, this software is designed to accelerate your business growth. If you're looking to upgrade a CRM system, asking some questions about aACE 5 can help you get the best ROI. Learn more today.

"aACE has a comprehensive customer relationship management section that leads into prospective customers becoming real customers. From that point, you can take an order from start to finish by capturing deadlines, resources and material costs spent on a project, as well as extensive accounting functions." ~ Lili Hall, President, KNOCK Inc

Manufacturing businesses succeed as they arrange their operations around continuous improvement. This foundational principle, however, can be easy to lose sight of when it comes to deploying ERP solutions. When making such a crucial investment, that is exactly the time a business must resist the attitudes that can cripple an ERP project – or even the whole company.

IndustryWeek.com has published a pointed article that serves as good warning for companies preparing to deploy ERP solutions. This advice arises from the experience of Paul Henderson of QAD Acia Pacific, and it is framed as three memorable "sins" of omission. While the article is focused on manufacturing companies, the warnings ring true for any other business, from wholesale distribution to professional services.

1. Forgetting the Principle of Continuous Improvement

Minimizing defects and improving quality seems like it would be an obvious part of any manufacturing company's ERP project. Unfortunately not all ERP vendors align themselves to Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, or any other approach for continual improvement. Instead, they seem to operate on a theory of a software big bang (or perhaps ERP ex nihilo). That is, the ERP solution must spring forth into being, fully formed and complete, at the first implementation.

This method is usually over-complicated and less-than-agile, over-budget and exhausting. And the negative results ripple out into a larger pattern. One project like this can make an organization gun-shy, unwilling to take on other software implementations until a crisis emerges. Which often requires another massive, rushed deployment, followed by another rapid depreciation of value.

Could your company get caught in this pattern? How could any company that survives on slow, progressive excellence stumble into this pitfall? One possibility might be the good intention to get the most functionality for the company's dollar. This would be a misdirected effort to purchase as many features as possible, rather than purchasing the needed functionality plus the necessary ongoing support (aka continuous improvement).

2. Ignoring the Business that the ERP Should Support

This obstacle is related to the first. It involves letting the ERP software eclipse the processes, activities, and value that your company actually delivers. It might be understandable that an ERP vendor would be eager to make the sale, but it should also be a red flag for you.

A quality vendor will be focused on holistic success — your improved operations will be more important than a single sale. Conversations and planning must stay focused on that larger goal. And if an ERP vendor has a pattern of lapsing into tunnel vision around what the product needs, you should address it right away.

3. Assuming the Project is Complete at Go-Live

Extending from the second pitfall, this troublesome mindset can be easier for an ERP buyer to fall into. We like closure. Especially when that completion is a measuring point for our accomplishments or success. However, a solution used for something as broad and valuable as enterprise resource planning doesn't really "stop". So if a vendor gives you the impression that they're going to ride off into the sunset after go-live, you'll want to have a candid discussion about expectations.

ERP goals continue to evolve even after the ERP software is launched. This is why the closure of deploying the software may be a nice turning point, but can't be considered the end point. The business goes on and better measures of success will be drawn from the operational improvements you see after launch. And because this long-term focus is central to success, it's vital to begin with this end in mind. At the outset, identify some key indicators that will be benchmarks to demonstrate the value your company is getting from the new ERP solution.

 

Overall, a manufacturing company should be well-situated for a successful ERP project. Play to your strengths, following the continuous improvement principles that help your business succeed each day. These established practices will help you avoid the problems that can arise in a major software deployment. They can help you get the most from your ERP investment.

 

At aACE Software, our entire sales process is focused toward your organization's ongoing success:

When you reach out to us, our first step is a brief phone conversation to identify whether your company is at a point to fully benefit from aACE 5. If it looks like a good match, we schedule a free demo where we can show you how a fully integrated accounting, CRM, and ERP solution works. As needed, another demo may follow, focused on diving deeper into a select few of your top priorities. If it looks like aACE can help with your business goals, the Discovery Phase becomes a time to look into the details. We examine how the customization, deployment, switch-over, and ongoing support will need to work in order to ensure your continuing growth.

To learn more about how we strive to support client operations, check out our FAQs or contact us today.

"Our specific workflows called for a flexible central platform that we could bolt on customized work-area specific tools. Implementing aACE, in the FileMaker environment, has proven to be the right solution to get us just that." ~ Matthew Pelfrey, Director of Process and Compliance, Duggal Visual Solutions

For today's web-savvy entrepreneurs, establishing a business presence online takes only a few dollars and a few minutes. There are sites for hosting eCommerce, designing logos, writing copy — for handling all aspects of a globally accessible company. However this creates a business paradox: while it's easier than ever for organizations to get started in online sales, it's harder than ever to compete and succeed in online sales.

Dan Reich, writing for Forbes.com, offers five tips to help you excel in eCommerce. This advice is garnered from several top-tier e-merchants and it can make a difference in how you seek success.

1. Niche Differentiation

Fact: If you're selling something that Amazon can sell just as well, then it's likely that Amazon will win out. But the opposite is also true. There are things you can do that Amazon can't replicate and therefore can't compete with you. Reich describes these areas as industries with "high degrees of differentiation and low degrees of uniformity". His quotation from Olga Vidisheva of Shoptiques.com anchors that idea even further: “Your offering must stand out and have a point of view.”

This isn't a matter of having a unique color scheme on your eCommerce site (although more on that in moment). Instead it has to do with the products and services you offer. For example, Amazon can't sell custom-designed, hand-made jewelry or clothing. It can't sell the experience of working with you on a customer's unique order. And while the eCommerce giant can sell industrial air filters, it can't keep up with your installation services and scheduled replacement offerings.

Whether you're in wholesale distribution, professional services, or light manufacturing, it can be a good investment to spend some additional time developing your unique product offering.

2. Logistics Excellence

The pressure from Amazon isn't limited to the types of products you sell. Your customers have shopped on Amazon, so they know how user-friendly an online purchase process can be. This means you need to provide a similar level of service. It can be difficult to match Amazon's shipping options, but if you manage expectations effectively, customers will be pleased when they get exactly what you promised to deliver.

The package that arrives can be another way to set yourself apart from large, generic stores. A perfectly correct order is vital, but if you can also provide an un-boxing experience that is unique, you're one step closer to the niche differentiation mentioned above.

3. Omnichannel Outreach

While your eCommerce site might be where the orders come in, that doesn't mean it's the only place where you engage with potential customers. Whether you also run a brick-and-mortar store, a dynamic social media presence, or an engaging app, customers should recognize your company. The design aesthetic should be consistent, helping users feel like they know who you are and they can trust you with their business. Repeat purchases and customer loyalty are crucial in the digital global-market.

4. Consistent Connections

Taking advantage of the omnichannel in another way, you need to be sure that each business site, whether digital or otherwise, includes cross-promotion. Your email campaigns, apps, social media posts, and company offices should all make reference to each other. Each avenue is a way you can serve your customers better, learning what their needs and interests are, then helping satisfy them.

5. Continual Improvement

The digital marketplace is constantly developing. New tools are being created and existing services and products can become more affordable as your company grows. Keep your organization open to taking advantage of the best opportunities out there. The specific path you take will be as unique as your business niche, but the key is to be learning and re-investing in your small business growth.

As Olga Vidisheva says, "It can be difficult for a small business to really make an impact online, even when it has a beautiful site." At first your growing company may seem like it is dwarfed by eCommerce giants and lost in the crowd of other small organizations. But with persistence, long-term planning, and smart use of the best practices like those explained above, success in your niche is a very real possibility.

 

When you see increasing momentum in your organization, it becomes important to re-invest in tools that will sustain your progress and even accelerate it. Business operations software can quickly create dividends in your resources, streamlining and automating chores so you can focus on more valuable tasks. aACE 5 is a five-star ranked solution for your accounting, CRM, and ERP needs. When you're ready to enhance your business velocity, we're eager to talk with you about how we can help.

"I have been an aACE user for more than 8 years and I find myself constantly impressed with functionality and use of the system." ~ Diana Ross-Gotta, Account Director, KNOCK Inc.

The pain points that drive a company towards purchasing a software upgrade are all too visible. But if that drive moves too fast, the pain points left after the implementation might be just as bad.

CIO contributer Chris Doig examines this unfortunate trade-off, exposing the hidden costs that come from rushing through the software purchasing process. He likens impatient companies to under-prepared sports teams. Without thorough preparation, a team is going to take loss after loss against opponents who have done better 'due diligence.' Similarly, small or mid-sized businesses that hurry through software evaluation often end up taking heavy, recurring hits against their bottom line.

Doig provides a balanced view on the issue, also noting the attractive benefits that a company can expect from improved software. He explains that even though a software package has a certain price tag associated with it, that isn't the actual value of the solution. An accounting, CRM, ERP, or other software system's true value arises from the ROI it brings to your organization. The various types of ROI can be grouped into four categories: increased benefits, reduced liabilities, enhanced activities, and new value-adds. When a company starts to consider the possibilities for improving operations, it can easily be captivated by the greener grass on the other side of the purchase order. If those advantages are available, then why delay?

The reason why, Doig explains, is because gaps between what your company needs and what the software provides typically result in squandered time and funds. The mismatch might occur in three ways. You might need more functionality than the software offers, so the deployment leaves you still struggling to get things done. Vice versa, the software might offer more than you actually need, slowing your staff down because there's so much to learn and navigate each day. Or the mismatch could be because functionality offered by the software is different from what you actually need. All three of these scenarios would require you to rearrange your business around the new tool — and that's the last thing you want.

Going one step further, Doig analyzes where exactly the ROI evaporates in situations of poorly matched software. He categorizes the losses into three types of costs. First, unexpected implementation costs arise when you discover "new" requirements after the implementation has begun. These expensive insights can cause the schedule to slip and the project budget to expand. Second are delayed ROI costs: reduced value brought on by the schedule slips. The advantages that were so apparent and convincing before the start of the deployment might not be realized until after the dust settles, which means ongoing inefficiencies and missed opportunities. And third, there can be ongoing unmet expectations. Only rarely do the problems that cropped up during implementation end up being 100% resolved. Instead it's more common for those issues to exert a continuing drag on your business. Doig points out that these last two types of cost may be completely invisible on your income statements. But the pain-points will be just as apparent as those you were trying to correct.

The antidote to these problems is thorough requirements analysis, Doig says. Before looking to what various software solutions CAN do, you need to understand the details of what you NEED a software tool to do. When it comes to investing in your business in such important ways, you definitely don't want to just try and wing it.

"Working with aACE Software has been a pleasure, and the results of this project have been better than I ever imagined they could be when we first started down this path." ~ Jasmine Crandall, Midwest Custom Bottling LLC

Editor's note: Michael Lazar is the Executive Director of Marketing at ReadyCloud. We're delighted to share his expertise in eCommerce with our audience.

 

How can you add that personal touch to your products and packaging before you ship?

Online shoppers expect that “in-person” experience, in one way or another. By taking this extra step to show your customers that they are truly valued, they’ll be more inclined to return in the future.

If you’re a small to medium-sized business, you not only have a higher chance, but a greater opportunity of truly connecting with your shoppers.

Why?

Because there will always be a dedicated group of people who prefer shopping at and supporting smaller eCommerce sites. Therefore, if you take the time to add that personal touch, they will most definitely appreciate it and look forward to the next order.

Doing so has another benefit, too: Increasing retention and making your business more successful.

There are many ways you can show your customers that you care during their unboxing experience. Here are 7 of the most useful.

No. 1: Thoughtful Packaging

Just like a nice presentation of the meal you order at an upscale restaurant, the way you package a customer’s order matters!

Utilizing quality packing material to avoid damage is the most important. After all, what good is a product if it doesn't arrive in one piece?

Along with that is taking the time to deliberately and even methodically pack the order in a way that looks appealing upon opening. That image will always resonate with customers.

Don’t forget about branded boxes. It’s a fact that people are more likely to be repeat customers from a merchant that uses premium boxes. While they cost more than the boring brown box, it is a tactic that will surely pay off in the long run.

No. 2: A Handwritten Note

Showing your customers that there’s a real person behind your brand goes a long way. Taking the time to write even a brief and handwritten note saying “thank you” will let them know how much they’re appreciated.

No. 3: A Bonus Gift

Turn old inventory into a bonus gift!

Every retailer will eventually have excess product that they can’t sell for one reason or another. But don’t view that as a negative. View that as an opportunity to enhance the customer experience by including it as a ‘bonus gift’ within orders.

This will go over very well with both long-standing and new customers.

No. 4: A Sample Product

Introduce your customers to new and upcoming products by including a sample of one or more. By doing this, you’re not just limited to online marketing, you’re taking it a step further by physically putting your product in the customer’s hands. It’s a simple way to increase the possibility of future sales as well as improved loyalty and retention.

No. 5: Swag Items

This is a smart way to create a win-win situation. By throwing in stickers of your brand into the orders, for example, customers will appreciate that and most likely display them in visible areas which will give your brand even more exposure.

No. 6: Gain Critical Feedback

Engaging with your customers to learn more about what you can do to create the best experience possible will only yield positive results.

You can inquire about how their shopping experience was on your website, the customer support or even about sample products that you included. Any insight into your operations will only increase retention.

No. 7: The Receipt

This should be self-explanatory, but believe it or not, there are some e-tailers that forget to include the receipt when they ship out an order.

Not only should you always remember to include a receipt, you should also consider an elegant way of enclosing it, rather than just throwing it in the package as most do. Again, it’s the little things that count.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, creating a memorable shopping and unboxing experience by adding personal touches to your shipments will only serve to benefit both your brand and your customers, thus generating happiness all around!

 

About the Author

Michael Lazar is the Executive Director of Marketing at ReadyCloud, makers of an aACE-integrated CRM software solution that works across all your sales channels. As a nationally syndicated author Lazar enjoys covering topics that are related to eCommerce returns. Follow him on LinkedIn.

With $13,000,000,000+ up for grabs in potential revenue, many state legislatures are revisiting their sales tax laws. For example, the Dakotas aren't usually in the national limelight. But with taxation for online sales at out-of-state locations, these two states have played an active role.

In 1992, Quill Corp. v. North Dakota concluded with a Supreme Court ruling that essentially says a business must have a physical presence in the state before businesses could be required to collect and remit sales tax. Now in 2018, South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. is coming before that Court. This case is a challenge to South Dakota's 2016 law on tax nexus. The state legislature established a new tax collection responsibility on remote businesses that make 200 transactions or more than $100,000 in sales. Gail Cole breaks down these cases and their potential impact for aACE integration partner Avalara.

If the Supreme Court rules in favor of South Dakota, it would set a precedent enabling every state in the nation to force businesses to collect sales tax on every sale they make across the nation. But even if the Court doesn't make that decision, it's a real possibility that Congress could establish a nation-wide sales tax obligation. And even if a national solution doesn't come about, more and more states are individually pushing to boost their budgets with this kind of legislation.

How would this impact your organization?

The exact details and arrangements are all speculation at this point. But savvy business owners understand the value of preparing ahead of time. What changes would you have to make in order to handle sales tax collection in all states? How would you keep track of 50-states worth of taxation percentages and reporting timeframes?

Now is a good time to consider cost- and time-effective solutions for the increasing complexity of sales tax compliance. Preparations now can help you ensure that you can keep providing the best service for your customers and continue to minimize audit risks. AvaTax provides sales tax automation that is efficient, scalable, and seamless.

And it integrates smoothly with aACE 5.

"I am very impressed with the base product that the aACE team has created. From a production and an accounting standpoint, I could not ask for a more comprehensive solution. And, as it is FM based, the customization possibilities are limitless, which means we will never have to alter the way we do business to accommodate our systems — instead, our systems will be able to change to accommodate our needs as they develop." ~ Jasmine Crandall, Midwest Custom Bottling LLC.