What could you achieve with an extra six hours of free time?
BySuze Macrae | Posted on 6 October 2022 | Business Strategy,Business Tools,CRM,Productivity Apps,Time Management
We’ve all seen, and most likely read, those articles that proclaim “30 hacks to improve workplace productivity” with gems such as ‘delegate’ ‘outsource’ and ‘gamify’ as the holy grail of solutions. But let’s face it, delegating takes time and planning, and really, who the hell has enough staff right now to give the work to?…
Zoho Sign: Squirrel explores the pros and cons
ByElizabeth Tatham | Posted on 3 March 2020 | Automation,Business Tools,CRM,Technology
We Squirrels are always busy implementing new systems and software for our clients and discovering what works – and what could work better. In our ‘Squirrel explores …’ series of blog posts, we share with you the practical insights we have gained along the way, helping you to navigate the complex world of technology a…
CRM: Guide the customer journey and improve the customer experience
ByElizabeth Tatham | Posted on 23 September 2019 | Business Strategy,CRM
Alex has his own photography business. Specialising in people photography, he’s very busy capturing engagements, weddings, new babies, big birthdays and other special moments, to the delight of his clients. Sounds great, right? But the problem is, Alex never knows where his next booking is coming from. Each booking is a one-off that takes time…
Zoho CRM analytics dashboards – powerful tools for making better business decisions
ByFim Buathong | Posted on 30 April 2019 | Business Tools,CRM
Data and analytics are your most powerful tools for making effective business decisions and bringing accountability to your operations. Zoho CRM provides a range of clear, easy-to-read dashboards – from simple charts to anomaly detectors – that enable you to harness that power in order to make the right decisions and streamline your business. Let’s…
Are sales opportunities slipping through your fingers? Use your CRM to improve marketing
ByElizabeth Tatham | Posted on 28 August 2018 | CRM,Sales Strategy
Are your marketing campaigns falling flat or not resulting in sales, or the kind of enquiries you want? Or is your phone simply not ringing? Perhaps it’s time to take a closer look at your approach to marketing and ask yourself: Can you articulate exactly what it is that you’re selling – not just describe your…
Implement, integrate, automate – and stop copying and pasting once and for all
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 1 November 2016 | APIs,Business Tools,CRM
As Founder of Squirrel Business Solutions, I advise SMEs on cloud-based business systems. Over the past six years, I’ve been privileged to work with hundreds of companies, which has given me a useful insight into business practices. Time and again, I’ve witnessed people entering the same data into their database or CRM, then again into their accounting package,…
Digital transformation in small steps
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 7 October 2016 | CRM
If the words ‘digital transformation’ send you into a panic, there’s good news: the process lends itself to a step-by-step approach. Start your transformation by changing the way you do one everyday repetitive task – preferably a paper-based activity. If, for example, you’re using a duplicate book to record orders or a physical calendar for…
What is CRM?
ByElizabeth Tatham | Posted on 24 August 2016 | Business Tools,CRM
‘CRM’ stands for ‘customer relationship management’ and refers to the processes and procedures that organisations use to interact with their current and potential customers in order to better understand and meet their needs. The aim behind CRM is to enhance customer retention and ultimately drive sales growth. The term ‘CRM’ is also used to describe…
Are you getting what you need from Zoho CRM reports?
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 18 July 2016 | Business Tools,CRM
EOFY is a time when many small business owners turn their attention to reporting. It’s either a confirmation of what they already know and have been monitoring periodically, or it’s a time filled with uncertainty and worry about what’s in store when they visit their accountant. Which best describes your approach to reporting? Squirrel’s financial…
All I need for Christmas is a CRM
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 8 December 2015 | CRM,Online Marketing
If you’re anything like me, preparing for a holiday is stressful. Not just at home, but on the work front too. As the sole proprietor of a small business, I have to make sure that things will keep ticking along in my absence, which means completing a long list of chores that won’t wait. I’ve…
Nurturing your leads: you can’t afford not to
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 15 October 2015 | CRM,Sales Pipeline
Did you know that a massive 79 per cent of marketing leads never convert into sales (source: MarketingSherpa)? Lead conversion is a critical success factor for all businesses, but in particular for SMEs, which often have a limited marketing budget. If you spend money on attracting and acquiring new leads, then you must reap the…
10 powerful hacks to get the most out of your leads with ZOHO CRM
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 11 July 2015 | Business Tools,CRM
Don’t be down like Notorious B.I.G, we can ease your mind by helping your business successfully manage its leads. The Zoho CRM is designed to help you keep up with clients and successfully manage and nurture leads. It ensures you know what is working for your sales team so that you have the information to…
5 business problems we can fix with ZOHO
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 30 June 2015 | Business Strategy,Business Tools,CRM,Sales Strategy
If you’ve ever had trouble remembering a client’s name, it could be time to invest in something that will help you nurture your customer relationships – and generate sales. Now, more than ever, we are in the business of people. Making sales will never depend simply on who can provide a cheaper service or product;…
How will CRM help my business?
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 1 June 2015 | Business Strategy,Cloud Business,CRM
CRM systems are designed to help your small business solve challenges when it comes to managing your sales and marketing initiatives. In a recent survey conducted by Zoho Corp, CRM users ranked the ways in which a CRM had helped their business. 67 percent said using a CRM system helped them follow up on opportunities…
Do Your Customers Think Of You First?
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 25 May 2015 | CRM,Sales Pipeline
How worthwhile would it be if every time a customer had a need or a challenge they were seeking a solution for that they called your business first? It might not even be a product or service you deliver, but that they thought to come to you first because you’re somebody they associate with having…
10 Reasons Why Zoho CRM Is Perfect for the Property Industry
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 27 April 2015 | CRM,Software Reviews
Residential and commercial real estate professionals face unique challenges when it comes to choosing a customer relationship management (CRM) system. Here’s 10 reasons why Zoho CRM software stands out as an ideal choice. Centralised database management means each agent and business member can share/view customer information, review historic email and phone communications and record relevant…
Why mumpreneurs love cloud computing
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 2 March 2015 | Cloud Business,CRM
What is a Mumpreneur? A woman who combines running a business enterprise with looking after their children, and they are on the rise in Australia. Research undertaken by BankWest has found that women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men and Kimberly-Clark found that 70% of women have considered pursuing a business idea since having…
Why Australian Businesses Must Have a CRM System
ByKylie Harker | Posted on 16 February 2015 | Business Strategy,Cloud Business,CRM
Cloud based CRM software is really a buzzing topic of late. It used to be that I’d mention CRM in a sentence and people would ask ‘What’s CRM stand for?’ Now business owners are beginning to understand how to access and use digital technologies to facilitate their growth. Awareness has skyrocketed with people searching for…