When searching for superior CRM software, the qualities to look for include a distinguished history, a consistently powerful performance, and a continued record of adaptability to changing times and needs.
This April, Act! will be celebrating its 30th anniversary. In its evolving versions over the years, Act! has been instrumental to the growth and success of numerous SMBs across different industries. Currently, Act! is in use in 150 countries, for roughly 72,000 SMBs.
What kinds of changes have affected sales in the last 30 years?
Some of the fundamentals of connecting with customers and making sales have remained similar over the past few decades. However, businesses have also needed to adapt to major changes, including the following:
- Huge growth in Internet transactions, with businesses competing both online and offline, and the rise of businesses that have no brick-and-mortar location.
- The disappearance of the distinction between the Internet and “real life.”
- Greater personalization in services and products, with customers demanding experiences tailored to their own needs and preferences.
- Shifts from traditional advertising (e.g. flyers, radio & TV ads) to promoting one’s business through content marketing and an active, engaging social media presence.
- Customer word-of-mouth now includes widely available online reviews and comments.
- An explosion of data, including customer information pouring in from social media, Internet searches, online shopping, and website use; with this, the rise of sophisticated analytics that glean insights about customer behavior.
- The need for greater rapidity in identifying and acting on opportunities for sales, as everything moves more quickly.
- Far greater immediacy, as customers demand availability round-the-clock and make inquiries and purchases at any time.
- A proliferation of technologies that allow people to work and make transactions from a wide variety of locations, across different devices.
In just 30 years, the landscape for sales and customer relationships has altered dramatically. Fortunately, since 1987, Act! has evolved to meet the challenges of the Internet, mobile technology, and a fast-paced connected world!
How has Act! kept up with the times?
The following are some of the ways Act! has helped SMBs adapt and thrive:
Compatibility with new devices. To give one example – back in 1997, a version of Act! was released that had compatibility with the PalmPilot, an earlier mobile device referred to as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). Nowadays, Act! continues to adapt to changes in mobile devices and new operating systems such as Windows 10, with the data syncing between platforms. Regardless of where you’re working from and the device you’re using, you don’t have to miss out on opportunities to pursue leads, strengthen customer loyalty, close deals, and make sales; the information is available to you from anywhere.
Integrating with other software. Act! is part of a digital ecosystem, where various types of software link up and work together seamlessly using the same information; this offers greater efficiency and productivity while reducing errors and redundancies. Back in 2002, for example, Act! initially established a link with QuickBooks. By now it’s capable of integrating with a wide variety of software, such as Microsoft Outlook, with regular updates and refinements to improve performance.
Allowing for more targeted communications and campaigns. It’s not enough to gather information about your customers. What are you doing with the data? How do you organize, retrieve, analyze, and act on it? Act! has become increasingly sophisticated over the years. The software provides businesses with critical customer insights, gives them the means to create detailed buyer personas, and allows them to generate timely, targeted communications with customers at each point in the sales cycle.
Throughout its 30 years, Act! has proven to be a highly-regarded CRM software, specifically advantageous for SMBs. In a digital world, with intense competition between businesses of all sizes, it’s a critical tool for success. Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information on buying, setting up, and properly using this software. Perhaps you’ll celebrate the 30th anniversary of Act! by adopting it for your business and making full use of its numerous helpful features.
