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Maximizer CRM 2019

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[spoiler title=”30 April 2019 – CRM events in May with Camsoft and Maximizer” open=”0″ style=”1″]
Having an effective Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is becoming ever more critical for businesses today in order to tackle the growing complexity of the modern customer landscape. The cloud has now become the de facto platform for CRM solutions with a sea-change occurring in the last decade when nearly 90% of the solutions were on-premise back in 2008 and now over 90% are cloud-based. The growing mobile workforce is also benefiting a lot more from cloud technology with greater adoption rates of Mobile CRM as a result, enabling workers to meet their sales targets more efficiently and quicker than was previously the case. Business productivity has also improved substantially with the implementation of cloud-based CRM systems with numerous studies reporting on the successes of businesses that have embraced the latest CRM technology.
Camsoft Solutions invites you to join us as a Maximizer CRM VIP at this year’s workshops at the end of May in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

JOHANNESBURG
The Amazing Place
40 8th Ave, Woodmead, Sandton
Date: 28 May 2019
Session 1*: 10am – 12pm
Lunch & Networking: 12:00pm – 13:00pm (for both sessions)
Session 2*: 1pm – 3pm
*Identical sessions
REGISTER TODAY

CAPE TOWN
Island Club Hotel
North Bank Lane, Century City, Cape Town
Date: 29 May 2019
Session: 10am – 12pm
Lunch & Networking: 12pm – 1pm
REGISTER TODAY

With over 30 years of proven history in delivering successful all-inclusive CRM solutions to ambitious, growing organisations, come and learn from the best!

Find out how you can leverage CRM effectively in your organisation for long-term, more predictable growth. And learn how businesses like yours are securing CRM success and value, with ongoing product innovation and exceptional support from the Maximizer team.

Secure your seat today for the free workshop, networking lunch and CRM value session. Places are limited so don’t miss out!

Follow this link to register.
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Maximizer Press Archive

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[tab title=”2018″]
[spoiler title=”23 April 2018 – Hiring B2B Sales Superstars” open=”0″ style=”1″]
Camsoft Solutions is hosting a half-day workshop on the Hiring of B2B Sales Superstars in Woodmead, Johannesburg on 3 May 2018. The workshop will be facilitated by renowned sales expert Suzanne Burgess, owner of SalesBytes sales consultancy.
This highly-interactive workshop will assist attendees in hiring the right sales person/s for a particular business with constructive tips and techniques shared to aid a more effective method of conducting telephonic or face-to-face interviews. Knowing how to make good judgments of prospective employees is crucial to the overall operation of a business and these points will be covered in this workshop.

Attendees at the workshop will get hands-on and scenario-driven practice with workshop topics, including the rating of each candidate objectively according to specific criteria and being able to analyse CVs effectively. The workshop also includes what one needs to do as an employer to successfully onboard a sales newbie in the shortest possible time.

The workshop costs R950 excl. and bookings can be made online at Workshops with an early-bird reduced-price option.

The two popular e-books, Sales Onboarding 3.0 and The Sales Interview ToolKit, are also provided to all workshop attendees at no additional cost.

Other upcoming workshops are detailed below.

2018 Q2 Sales & Marketing Workshop Dates

May 2018

9 May 2018 Networking for Competitive Advantage
17 May 2018 Leading Sales Teams to Deliver Performance
23 May 2018 Maximizer CRM Masterclass

June 2018

Date: TBC Growing Your B2B Sales in a Tight Economy
Date: TBC Maximizer CRM Masterclass
Date: TBC Networking for Competitive Advantage
Date: TBC Maximizer CRM Dashboards

About Camsoft

Camsoft Solutions is a Certified Maximizer Software Solution Provider and has been actively involved in supplying, servicing and supporting CRM solutions since 1995.

With full service offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town (north and south), Durban and London, Camsoft provides the full range of technical services, including software sales, training, support, development and service level agreements, to a wide variety of customers, including ISPs, banks, insurers, manufacturers, retailers, recruitment agencies and call centres, among many others.

Camsoft’s CRM division has achieved Maximizer Software’s Africa Business Partner of the Year award every year from 2004 to 2011 and was Maximizer Software’s EMEA Partner of the Year for 2011, 2012 and 2015. Camsoft also received Maximizer Software’s Best Customer Success Story and Most Subscribers awards in 2017.

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[spoiler title=”27 March 2018 – Affordable sales and marketing workshops available locally” open=”0″ style=”1″]
Local CRM provider Camsoft Solutions has commenced a series of sales and marketing workshops at their functions venue in Woodmead, Johannesburg, as a result of a growing demand for such events. The workshops are facilitated by leading sales, marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) experts, including Suzanne Burgess, Mark Peters, Lutz Otto and Mark Annett.
At the workshops the facilitator imparts their vast knowledge and experience on the chosen subject to a limited number of attendees with whom they then also engage to understand the various challenges they have experienced in a particular field. The facilitator then recommends ways to overcome such challenges and presents tried-and-trusted ways that can be used to grow business in a more sustainable and profitable way.

Topics for the various workshops running currently include:
Growing your B2B Sales in a Tight Economy
Networking for Competitive Advantage
Hiring B2B Sales Superstars
Leading Sales Teams to Deliver Performance
Maximizer CRM Masterclass (aimed at those who make use of Maximizer CRM in their organisations)
More details on the specific topics covered in the workshops as well as the dates on which they will be held during the the next two months, together with the workshop agendas and profiles of the facilitators can be found on the Workshops section of Camsoft’s website. Bookings for the workshops can also be made on this website. The following are some details on one of the workshops being held:

Growing your B2B Sales in a Tight Economy
Facilitator: Suzanne Burgess
Duration: Half-day
Date: 18 April 2018
Time: 09h00 – 13h00
Venue: The Amazing Place, 40 8th Ave, Woodmead, Sandton, 2191
Are you battling to grow your sales in 2018? Apart from going back to sales basics, i.e. cold calling, which is not the best use of your outside sales team’s time, what else can you do to get the sales growth that your management team is looking for? …read more.

April 2018

11 │ Maximizer CRM Masterclass
18 │ Growing Your B2B Sales in a Tight Economy
23 │ Networking for Competitive Advantage

May 2018

03 │ Hiring B2B Sales Superstars
09 │ Networking for Competitive Advantage
17 │ Leading Sales Teams to Deliver Performance
23 │ Maximizer CRM Masterclass

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[tab title=”2017″]
[spoiler title=”October 2017 – Business Partner Awards” open=”0″ style=”1″]
Camsoft attended the annual Maximizer Business Partner Conference last week and won two of the top awards:
Best Customer Success Story and Most Subscribers.

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[tab title=”2015″]
[spoiler title=”20 August 2015 – Maximizer focuses on mid-sized business acceleration” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer focuses on mid-sized business acceleration.

Johannesburg, 20 August 2015 – CRM plays a big role in increasing productivity, data security and profitability for any organization, especially small to mid-sized businesses, which account for 85 percent of global businesses. Leading CRM vendor Maximizer has identified as their goal the need to provide affordable CRM solutions to these mid-sized businesses so that they can gain customer insight, deliver personalized experiences and drive retention and loyalty.

To this end Maximizer now has a new global website that highlights the main sales, marketing and service functionality built into Maximizer’s all-in-one CRM solution, as well as the value it offers to mid-sized businesses. Vivek Thomas, President of Maximizer Services, comments: “Our focus reflects the evolution of our growth as a SaaS (Software as a Service) vendor and our unique ability to provide a more customer-intimate experience. Flexible deployment options – Our Cloud/Your Cloud – coupled with our simple all-inclusive price make Maximizer a compelling choice for companies looking to address growth limitations.

Resources on Maximizer’s new website are designed to address pain points common to mid-sized organisations, while showing how Maximizer CRM can be used to fix these issues. Some of these issues consist of identifying higher quality leads, automating marketing campaigns, retaining customers and growing revenues. Visitors to the site get to have their business challenges tackled with help on how to engage with high value leads, gaining visibility into the sales pipeline and how to build deeper customer relationships. Each challenge is linked to a case study, helping to prove how similar organisations have overcome their issues using Maximizer CRM. “Maximizer is completely focused on understanding, educating and supporting their customers and optimizing their growth potential by helping them target, engage and succeed, comments Thomas.
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[spoiler title=”25 February 2015 – How to have a successful inbound marketing strategy” open=”0″ style=”1″]

How to have a successful inbound marketing strategy

Johannesburg, 25 February 2015 – Inbound marketing can be one of the most successful forms of marketing for an organisation and is a key component to helping the business grow organically. It can also be a lot more efficient and cost-effective than traditional outbound marketing which still has a role to play in brand building, communication and creating awareness. However the digital age we live in has changed some of the rules of the game and those who understand what is possible can begin to take full advantage of electronic media in its various forms. Gone are the days of not knowing what percentage of your marketing spend is being wasted as digital tracking techniques now allow companies to monitor their marketing campaigns almost immediately the minute they have been launched.

All businesses need to market themselves in such a way as to build good relationships with their customers as it is no secret that retaining customers for repeat business is a lot less costly than seeking new customers. For this reason no inbound marketing initiative is complete without a comprehensive Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution. Used in conjunction with inbound marketing, CRM can help with identifying, targeting, acquiring and retaining the most suitable mix of customers for the best profitability for the business. A good CRM system also helps in getting to understand the needs of the customer while enhancing customer service. Another advantage of CRM is that it can be used to manage the whole marketing and sales process so that the organisation’s employees are armed with the right information to allow them to interact with prospective customers in the most positive way possible.

Part of having a successful inbound marketing strategy requires offering prospective and existing customers as much relevant information as possible on your organisation’s products or services. The trick is to entice them to view this information via electronic media such as websites, Facebook, LinkedIn and the like so that an interaction with the customer can begin. This can be getting them to sign up to receive newsletters, entering a competition, filling in a survey or feedback form, or simply having them bookmark your pages so that they return again in the future if they aren’t ready to become a customer right away. Customers today want to make a more informed buying decision and it stands to reason that the organisation that makes it easier to get the information that they are looking for has a better chance of engaging with them as part of the process of turning them into customers.

The following are 7 different ways to contribute to having a successful inbound marketing strategy:
1. Write content that stands out from the rest: your business is not going to get recognised if you just produce the same content that everyone else has. It is important to provide readers with something new and fresh. Just like the television and social media channels that compete for your attention, content works in much the same way. Write content that educates, is inspirational and if appropriate, entertains the reader.

“It is also vitally important that the company’s website is aligned properly in terms of having compelling and enticing content for inbound marketing to work successfully,” comments Grant Chapman of Camsoft Solutions. “The one big advantage that inbound marketing has over more traditional forms of marketing is the ability to precisely measure the success rate so that techniques used in successful campaigns can be replicated and best practices improved on to get the most out of one’s marketing efforts. Many businesses also make the mistake of trying so hard to mention their brand enough times in their content that they lose the reader’s interest where they should instead be trying to push for discussions through their content”, he adds.

2. Use calls-to-action: one can spend so much time trying to get traffic to a website but once the visitors arrive, unless there is a compelling call-to-action, such as requesting more information, asking for a quote or joining a newsletter, you are likely to lose them just as quickly as you attracted them. Visitors wants to know where they must go and what they must do when they get to your website. If visitors aren’t given any guidance on what to do on your site you could have wasted your time and effort getting them to your site in the first place.

Make your website easy to navigate and if you have a blog, make sure they can subscribe to your articles. Although you might think that boosting your website search rankings through Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the most important aspect, calls-to-action ideally need to be optimised first.

3. Attention spans play a big role: when writing content keep in mind that the attention span of the average visitor is typically only about eight seconds. Writing content that is long and detailed won’t keep your reader engaged if you haven’t lured them into something compelling during these vital first few seconds.

Using visuals in your content can cut through the content and making things more colourful and interesting can grab the attention of your readers. Sure, you might not have designers to come up with those beautiful visuals but just taking a picture on your phone could well do the trick. Take pictures of your team, offices, customers and products because as they say ‘a picture is often worth a thousand words’.

4. Use inbound marketing to save you money: stop spending money on channels that don’t deliver sufficient returns on investment and rather invest in good blogging and social media. Measuring the success of your inbound marketing campaigns allows you to cull the ones that aren’t delivering. We are living in a digital age where customers are more inclined to want to interact with businesses to get personalised service. By using social media and creating content for your blogs you are allowing your customers to interact and build relationships with you.

5. Choose the right team: your team’s skills need to match your strategy and you will need people who are digital savvy, have the ability to analyse results and can increase the reach of your business in the market. You will also need to have individuals who know how to create outstanding content.

6. Increase your web presence: You need to drive traffic from a variety of different platforms as this will ensure that you increase the size of your audience. For example, you can market yourself by linking your social pages to your business website. Your “About” section of your social pages should also have a short description of your business as this will let viewers know who you are and why they should be interested in what you have to offer.

7. Make sure your success is widely known: people looking to buy products or services from organisations will choose those that they consider are doing a great job. After all, if a company is being successful then there’s usually a very good reason for it. It makes sense then that companies that make their success known will have a greater chance of being chosen by potential customers. Display awards that you have received over the years on your website. When people have seen that you have been awarded for your work it will only increase their desire to do business with you.

Testimonials are also one of the best ways to show people, including those in other businesses, that you are doing a great job. They give them the confidence to reach out to your organisation. Ask one of your business partners to write a recommendation of your company on LinkedIn or for use on your website. Another way to get noticed and show your clients you are listening to them is to retweet a flattering tweet sent by them. Depending on your type of business it could also be a good idea to integrate your social-media feeds into your blog or website, making sure that someone is getting the content of course to ensure that it doesn’t bring your organisation into disrepute. Positive media coverage can also be incorporated into your digital content to increase traffic and recognition.[/spoiler]

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[tab title=”2014″]
[spoiler title=”15 October 2014 – Inbound marketing with CRM changing how business is done” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Inbound marketing with CRM changing how business is done

15 October 2014, Johannesburg – It’s no secret that inbound marketing is taking the business world by storm as smart organisations capitalise on the benefits that this highly effective way of generating new business can bring. Inbound marketing is the method by which prospective customers are attracted to an organisation’s digital resources using a variety of specific methods including Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and leveraging social media. The company website and electronic communications also need to contain the content and interaction features necessary to engage with visitors and measuring the success of the marketing campaigns using digital tools is also vitally important. No inbound marketing initiative is complete, however, without a comprehensive Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution to help manage the whole process and allow sales and marketing staff to be armed with the right information in order to interact with prospective customers in such a way as to increase the likelihood of doing business with them.

By deploying the correct inbound sales methods it is possible for the marketing team to funnel more prospective customers to the sales team who can then take over handling these prospects with the knowledge of what a particular prospect has accessed in terms of company literature or product and services information. Traditionally sales people have been the primary sources of knowledge on whatever their organisation sells but in today’s connected world this has all changed as customers are able to gain access to virtually any information that is available and therefore need to be treated differently. At the time that a prospect engages with an organisation to start a discussion it is usually after a good deal of background research has already been done and it is possible with inbound marketing to determine the extent of this without having to bother the customer with questions. All employees will also need to know what message needs to be communicated to prospects and customers at different stages of the sales cycle and all of these interactions need to be tracked in an effective CRM system such as Maximizer CRM, whether this is on-premise or in the Cloud, to ensure that the customer is looked after at every stage of the sales cycle.

“It is also vitally important that the company’s website is aligned properly in terms of having compelling and enticing content, effective calls to action and efficient landing pages for inbound marketing to work successfully”, comments Grant Chapman of Camsoft Solutions. “The one big advantage that inbound marketing has over more traditional forms of marketing is the ability to precisely measure the success rate so that techniques used in successful campaigns can be replicated and best practices improved on to get the most out of one’s marketing efforts”, he adds.[/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”1 September 2014 – Camsoft releases Maximizer quoting module” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Camsoft releases Maximizer quoting module

1 September 2014, Johannesburg – An eagerly awaited quoting module that has been specifically developed for Maximizer CRM by Camsoft solutions has just been released. Simpliquotes, compatible with Maximizer CRM version 12, allows seamless quoting straight out of Maximizer. Quotations can be saved to either the relevant address book entry or the sales opportunity and a simple inventory import allows you to upload pricelists with the additional option of adding images for each product as well.

The Maximizer CRM Simpliquotes also allows for multi-currency support, enabling it to be used to provide quotations to customers outside of South Africa and different tax types can also be entered to cater for different tax regimes.

The Simpliquote quoting module is also customisable, allowing quotation templates to include company logos, relevant discounts and company-specific terms and conditions.

About Camsoft Solutions
Camsoft Solutions has successfully implemented and supported CRM projects at companies of all sizes across southern Africa, ranging from small SME installations to large corporates with up to several thousand users. Camsoft is capable of providing full turnkey CRM solutions, including software sales, training, support, development and service level agreements, where required.

With full service offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town (north and south) and Durban, Camsoft Solutions provides the full range of technical services to a variety of different customers, including ISPs, banks, insurers, manufacturers, retailers, recruitment agencies and call centres, among others. Camsoft’s CRM division has achieved Maximizer Software’s Africa Business Partner of the Year award every year from 2004 to 2010 and was Maximizer Software’s EMEA Business Partner of the Year in 2011 and 2012. For more information please visit www.maximizercrm.co.za.[/spoiler]

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[tab title=”2013″][spoiler title=”5 September 2013 – Maximizer CRM partner reaps benefits of mobile site” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer CRM partner reaps benefits of mobile site

Johannesburg – Local Maximizer Software business partner Camsoft Solutions has been reaping unexpected benefits since having a mobile-friendly Web site, in that the number of enquiries to its business has multiplied with the new site.

“We were aware of the importance of a mobile-friendly Web site, given the smartphone era we now find ourselves in, but we had no idea how many visitors to our www.maximizercrm.co.za CRM site were coming in on these devices,” comments Mark Annett, national sales manager at Camsoft.

“We contracted Mobilesitegurus.co.za to make our site mobile-friendly so that it automatically detected the type of mobile device coming in to display the Web site accordingly, and it was a real eye-opener when we started seeing the weekly reports on the number and type of devices accessing our site. Over 50% of the visits to our Web site were coming from mobile devices and we’ve found that the number of page visits on the site has increased substantially,” adds Annett. “We attribute this increase to more people on mobile devices engaging with the site now that they can view it more easily, and we suspect that, in the past, these visitors would probably have left the site quickly when they didn’t get a good experience.

“Mobilesitegurus.co.za did a great job of converting our site to be mobile-friendly and added critical elements that were missing, such as clear calls to action, maps for our office locations and quick-contact buttons, all features that are considered essential, considering a lot of people also visit a Web site to get directions to a business address while on the road,” notes Annett. “Certainly, Google’s ‘Our Mobile Planet’ study at the end of last year found that 94% of mobile users use their devices to search for local information, products and services. Also, according to Nielsen Research, smartphone adoption reached over 55% in the US last year. I think it is likely that South Africa will see similar adoption rates, considering the affordability and convenience of a smartphone device on contract compared to the set-up costs of a desktop computer,” adds Annett.
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[spoiler title=”25 March 2013 – Maximizer assists CCI Technology Solutions” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer assists CCI Technology Solutions with CRM for boosting efficiency.

Johannesburg – Customer Relationship Management specialist Maximizer Software has unveiled a new case study outlining how CCI Technology Solutions, one of South Africa’s foremost IT infrastructure companies, has used its CRM platform to play a leading role in efforts to wire businesses in key sectors throughout the country for the global digital marketplace.

With assistance from Camsoft Solutions, Maximizer’s South African Elite Certified Solution Provider, CCI Technology has developed a powerful customer base across a broad spectrum of businesses – from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to international companies. Through its CRM system, CCI has been able to better reach and build ongoing relationships with businesses requiring the installation of cabling and other physical infrastructure for data delivery, including: telecoms, computer systems and wireless networks.

Using Maximizer CRM, CCI has been able to not only manage and keep its growing sales database up to date, but has been able to customise the CRM platform to integrate with the company’s accounting system, thus ensuring CCI can track job numbers, materials, labour requirements, servicing needs and other operational information across all systems. The result has been that duplication of work has been eliminated and all company data remains complete and updated, as information loaded onto the sales system is automatically updated across all systems. As a result, whoever is dealing with a given client can remain up to speed on all interactions and communications with that customer.

CCI Technology Solutions’ Managing Director, Stephen Pinkney, comments: “We can run reporting, job-costing and profitability reports straight out of the CRM system. Basically, we track our sales from inception to completion, so at any stage we can see exactly where we are in our sales cycle from the Maximizer suite.” He adds that Maximizer “has just made it so much easier and so much less time-consuming to track all our paperwork. It’s an integral part of our business.”

Feeding all customer data into Maximizer CRM 12 has in fact changed the way CCI does business, allowing the company to take a long view of each client through the customer lifecycle, which, in turn, has eliminated mistakes and inefficiencies. Maximizer has enabled CCI to organise its diverse customer base so that it can track and keep ahead of sales to new prospects, current customers and older clients in need of updated IT infrastructure.

Pinkney notes that, through Maximizer CRM 12, CCI employees are also able to tap into a massive amount of client data collected over the years: “It’s really a one-stop shop for us to have a look at where we are as far as our sales cycles are concerned.”

CCI Technology Solutions is far from finished when it comes to getting more out of Maximizer. The company is now examining how it can harness Maximizer’s mobile capability. Pinkney explains: “It’s something we’re going to look at – guys will probably start utilising iPads, getting sign-offs done online, all that kind of thing.”

To download the full case study, go to www.maximizercrm.co.za or call Camsoft Solutions on 0800 616765

About CCI Technology Solutions
Founded in Cape Town in 1986, CCI Technology Solutions has emerged as a leading IT infrastructure player in the South Africa and. The company carries out the installation of cabling and other physical infrastructure for data delivery, including telecommunications, electrical installations, computer systems, CCTV and networks supporting wireless technology. It has a broad range of customers. For more information, please visit www.cci.co.za.

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[spoiler title=”08 March, 2013 – Maximizer launches new, more intuitive version of its CRM platform” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer launches new, more intuitive version of its CRM platform in Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Johannesburg, – Maximizer Software, a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management and mobile CRM solutions, has launched the newest version of its software, Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition, throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition offers streamlined workflow, performance improvements aimed at increasing productivity, a simplified user experience, enhanced mobile CRM features and improved integration with Microsoft Office and Google Maps.

The enhancements and new features introduced in the Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition release continue to build on functionality improvements introduced over the last few versions, helping not just large businesses but small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to ensure they meet the key goals that will enable them to stay one step ahead of the competition and profitable in 2013. The latest edition of Maximizer CRM 12 can be implemented as either a cloud-based or on-premise solution, enhanced to offer an affordable fully featured option for SMEs.

Maximizer CRM is now faster, more intuitive and easier to use. The workflow and usability improvements give users an even greater ability to view, organize and retrieve key customer information quickly and intuitively, optimising the productivity of day-to-day users while enhancing the customer experience. Other key features and benefits of Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition include:

• single view of customer information – a new timeline allows users to see all business interactions in one chronological view, supporting customer service interactions and the ability to analyse buying patterns for more effective marketing and sales initiatives
• new Microsoft Office add-ins – improved integration with Word and Outlook enables a seamless user experience and greater administrative productivity, reducing costs
• hover and display functionality – the Web product features the ability to display detailed information via a heads-up display by hovering your mouse cursor over a record, reducing the number of clicks and open windows so enhancing the user experience
• contact visualisation – instantly view all contacts within the same company and access critical information on them at once to support data targeting and identify the best potential sales leads
• quick access bar – customise and simplify everyday tasks, such as saved searches and customer lists, so that they can be activated with a single click, improving efficiencies and response times, thus increasing customer service satisfaction.

CRM mobility is another key area of development for Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition, which includes enhanced features for smartphones and better optimisation for tablets, enabling users to take full advantage of their CRM system while on the move. Other enhancements aimed at making it faster and easier for busy, on-the-go users to keep up-to-date include: built-in dashboards, web lead capture, one-click mapping and quick contact pop-ups for appointments, tasks and alarms.

Mike Richardson, Maximizer Software’s Managing Director, EMEA, notes: “Our customers were telling us that the software does pretty much what they want it to do out of the box, but they were looking for ways of further boosting their productivity so that they could make even more calls, solve more issues, and take more notes. Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition aims to do that. This latest version of the software enables users to get the information they need with fewer clicks and to view what is going on overall with each customer more quickly and easily. It really provides the big picture, improving customer relations. It also makes it easier for new users to learn the system and start employing it day-to-day.”

He adds: “We also wanted to make Maximizer CRM even more attuned to the needs of an increasingly mobile workforce. With sales and service people looking for ways to improve productivity when they are on the road or working off-site, enhancing the mobility features is very important. With the Winter edition release, we have made it even simpler and more user-friendly for people tapping into Maximizer CRM with a tablet or smartphone to access essential customer information on the go – whether they are updating contact information, confirming appointments, checking availability of stock, or identifying that potential upsell opportunity while in a customer’s office. It’s all about having a single application that does what users need and having it work on many devices”.
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[spoiler title=”09 January 2013 – Exclusive webinar: Maximizer Software looks at why many SMEs are not jumping on the cloud CRM bandwagon” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Exclusive webinar: Maximizer Software looks at why many SMEs are not jumping on the cloud CRM bandwagon

Johannesburg – Many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) remain unconvinced that cloud-based CRM is right for them and need to be assured over a number of major concerns before seriously considering making the leap to this type of solution. Many firms are reluctant despite the fact that cloud-based CRM has proven itself to be an extremely cost-effective solution – a significant advantage for SMEs in today’s economic climate. In an exclusive webinar on January 30, Maximizer Software dispels some of the myths around the issue and discusses the range of concerns that are preventing SMEs from moving their CRM systems to the cloud, as highlighted in a new survey of senior executives in key European and African markets.

Maximizer, a leading provider of simple, accessible and affordable Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, will be offering critical and practical insight into the ways in which SMEs can benefit from cloud based CRM in the free webinar, entitled Cloud CRM: Dispelling the Myths, which includes a live online demonstration. The session will be hosted by Jon Wilkins, Managing Director of Avrion, a Maximizer Elite Certified Solutions provider. He will discuss the ways in which SMEs can overcome their concerns about cloud based CRM, in particular: unreliable service, slow performance and poor data security. The webinar will start at 10.30am (GMT) on January 30.

The key aspects of cloud based CRM discussed in the webinar will include how:

• regular product updates can ensure data security
• using robust data centres can provide reliability of service
• using a CRM solution specifically designed for web access can ensure speed and performance
• the potential cost savings can increase your return on investment
• easy it is to migrate from one system to the other
• and much more, demonstrated in a live online review…

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[tab title=”2012″] [spoiler title=”30 October 2012 – Maximizer CRM helps South African company The Recruiters Network launch its streamlined new business” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer CRM helps South African company The Recruiters Network launch its streamlined new business

Customer Relationship Management specialist Maximizer Software has unveiled a new case study outlining how South African recruitment company The Recruiters Network (TRN) used its CRM platform to launch its new high-end consultancy.

Working alongside Camsoft Solutions, Maximizer’s South African Certified Solutions Partner, The Recruiters Network implemented Maximizer CRM to meet its complex business needs. In addition to candidate registration functions, the system provides sales opportunity management, Outlook integration, scheduling and reporting features. Four months after the initial installation, TRN upgraded to Maximizer CRM 12 to benefit from its LinkedIn® integration, an obvious advantage in the recruitment industry.

TRN was launched in February 2012 by Amanda Dreyer and Megan Davids as a unique, high-level recruitment consultancy targeting the financial sector. With over 20 years’ experience in the industry between them, Dreyer and Davids were looking for a system which could handle the multiple choice requirements needed by TRN, including effective contact and document management and improved searchability. Maximizer more than fitted the bill, with the added benefit of its mobile capability, which enables users to access critical data both from the office and on the road.

Amanda Dreyer, Managing Director, says: “From a data capturing perspective and through the use of automation, we have seen a reduction in errors which has led to better data quality and faster, more accurate search results. This is important in the South African recruitment industry which is a saturated, cut-throat market. It’s a case of the fastest finger first in recruitment and Maximizer helps us find and put forward quality candidates to clients before the competition does.”

Looking to the future, TRN plans to launch a monthly email marketing campaign, consisting of its top candidates, and to send personalised emails to candidates informing them of the latest available opportunities. Maximizer’s automation and merge fields will allow TRN to integrate the necessary data and pull candidate details directly from the system.

Dreyer concludes: “We look forward to continuing a prosperous partnership with Maximizer Software and Camsoft Solutions to support the growth of TRN in a very competitive climate and evolve with our needs. It is true to say, our logo is ‘Working for you’ but ‘Maximizer works for us!”

Click here to download the full case study.

[/spoiler]
[spoiler title=”12 October 2012 – Nearly half of SMEs with CRM systems now have mobile capability” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Nearly half of SMEs with CRM systems now have mobile capability

Customer Relationship Management specialist Maximizer Software has announced it is offering a Masterclass in CRM Mobility on 24 October, as new research has highlighted that an increasing proportion of small and medium-sized businesses are adopting systems that allow on-the-go or off-site workers to access their CRM platforms via the web.

Mike Richardson, Managing Director EMEA at Maximizer, a leading provider of user-friendly and affordable CRM solutions, will be conducting the webinar on web-accessible platforms, which enable staff to log into their systems through smartphones, tablets, netbooks and other portable devices. Richardson, who was previously Head of Technical at Maximizer, will guide participants through the most important steps they need to take to implement mobile CRM – weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of different available options, and putting some of the technical jargon into plain English.

Richardson aims to answer the following key questions:

• Which app is best for you? Installed apps versus browser-based apps
• How can you access your CRM whilst on the move? Connectivity considerations
• What’s the difference between mobile devices? Device considerations
• What should I be aware of in terms of CRM deployment and billing? Deployment and billing methodologies
• What can I actually do with mobile CRM? iPad demonstration.

The Masterclass comes a month after Maximizer released its latest research, revealing that nearly half the SMEs in Europe and nearby markets that have CRM platforms have also implemented mobile solutions. The independent survey of 1,367 SMEs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) shows that a growing number of firms are enabling employees on the move or working remotely to tap into their CRM systems through the web, providing them with access to essential tools for managing sales, customer service, marketing and other interactions with consumers. The research reveals that, as of 2012, 46% of the SMEs with CRM platforms have upgraded their systems to include mobile access and functionality – up from an estimated 33% in 2009.

Richardson notes: “There’s no questioning the benefits of mobile CRM. It revolutionises standards of productivity and empowers your staff to take more control over what matters to your business most: your prospects and customers.

“The way people work is changing and businesses have to keep up. Practices such as hot-desking and home-working are becoming more widespread, and people are simply becoming more mobile in their work – using their iPads, or Android smartphones, or whatever device works for them on the go. It is becoming vital for companies to ensure that employees are able to tap into their platforms wherever they are, using whatever device they favour.

“So why are so many firms still afraid to make the jump to mobile CRM? People remain doubtful – many are concerned that mobile CRM can be a complex, costly and time-consuming technology to implement, and don’t fully understand the options available to them. My aim is to help them understand their choices and how they might overcome the major challenges.”
[/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”16 July 2012 – Exclusive online webinar from Maximizer Software will give valuable first-hand insight into growing business and maintaining profitability” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Exclusive online webinar from Maximizer Software will give valuable first-hand insight into growing business and maintaining profitability

Maximizer Software – a leading provider of simple, accessible and affordable Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems – will be giving valuable first-hand insight into growing businesses and maintaining profitability at a free webinar on 25 July. The session will centre on the new Maximizer CRM 12 Summer 2012 solution, starting at 10:30am (BST) and running for approximately 45 minutes.

“As the managing director of a successful SME, I am acutely aware of the pressures faced by those thousands of companies looking to remain profitable in these challenging economic times. During the webinar I will show participants how I use the new Maximizer CRM 12 Summer 2012 solution to manage my sales team, get a positive return on my marketing investment and deliver outstanding customer service,” says Mike Richardson, Managing Director, Maximizer Software – EMEA.

“I will run through the live application of Maximizer, focusing on how I get the essential information I need to drive business growth and profitability.”

The top five features Richardson will be demonstrating cover:

• How to set up your dashboards to give vital real-time Business Intelligence and Reporting on Sales, Marketing and Service to drive better business results
• How to access Maximizer via a tablet computer, which I now use extensively for greater business agility and flexible working
• How to use the campaign management tool to identify successful marketing campaigns, to spot and repeat effective lead generation activities
• How to use status alerts to measure sales performance, and remain up-to-date on changes to key deals and benefit from the Partner Access to drive sales through partner channels
• How to save time while improving relationships with Channel Partners and Key Clients by setting-up standard email templates for routine communication

[/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”30 May 2012 – Camsoft releases Maximizer CRM 12 Entrepreneur Edition” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Camsoft releases Maximizer CRM 12 Entrepreneur Edition

Camsoft releases Maximizer CRM 12 Entrepreneur Edition Camsoft Solutions recently released Maximizer Software’s new Entrepreneur CRM 12 contact management software that is designed for small business owners and sales professionals looking for an easy-to-use solution that’s going to make it easier to close sales. With Maximizer CRM 12 Entrepreneur edition users get even more contact management capabilities to manage a sales territory, keep track of individual customers, boost productivity and ultimately engage their clients to help make the sale happen. According to Maximizer Software Ltd Managing Director Mike Richardson: “The Entrepreneur edition is made for small businesses and individual entrepreneurs who need a powerful contact management solution that fits their business. It’s a complete contact management solution that combines business contact management, sales opportunity management, Outlook® integration, scheduling, reporting, and document management. With these core capabilities in place, a small business has the tools they need to succeed and grow.”

The new Maximizer CRM Entrepreneur edition helps improve customer satisfaction, maximise productivity and increases mobility with the ability to manage sales more easily by managing multiple sales territories with easier pipeline analysis and streamlined email communications while working active opportunities. Time management can also be improved with prioritising follow-up tasks, colour-coding of the activity calendar and enhanced search options. Maximizer Entrepreneur 12 also includes social media capabilities to generate more leads with LinkedIn® integration and the ability to attach social profiles to customer contacts. “With all of these new features, Maximizer Entrepreneur Edition continues to provide great value for our CRM users,” commented Richardson, emphasising the product’s low maintenance, adaptable contact manager for rapid impact at an affordable cost. “We’ve always been there to help the small business owner streamline their sales process to improve opportunity tracking, communication and ultimately, closing deals,” he added, noting that Maximizer has been a pioneer in the CRM industry for more than 20 years.

About Maximizer Software
Since 1987, Maximizer has delivered Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and professional services meeting the needs, budgets and access requirements of entrepreneurs, small and medium business and larger corporations. Simple, configurable and affordable, Maximizer CRM enables organisations in all industries and markets to increase sales, enhance marketing and improve customer service while boosting productivity and revenues. Headquartered in Canada, with worldwide offices and business partners, Maximizer Software has sold over one million licenses to more than 120,000 customers. For more information, please contact mark@maximizercrm.co.za
[/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”13 March 2012 – Release of Maximizer CRM 12 Entrepreneur Edition” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Release of Maximizer CRM 12 Entrepreneur Edition

Maximizer Software Releases Maximizer CRM 12 Entrepreneur Edition – Contact Management Solution for Small Business

New version helps businesses manage sales easier, save time and engage clients

Maximizer Software – Entrepreneurs, small business owners and sales professionals are always looking for the easy-to-use solution that’s going to make it easier to close sales. They look to Customer Relationship Management software to get the job done. With Maximizer Software CRM 12 Entrepreneur Edition, they’ve got even more contact management capabilities to manage a sales territory, keep track of individual customers, boost productivity and ultimately engage their clients to help make the sale happen.

“The Entrepreneur edition is made for small businesses and individual entrepreneurs who need a powerful contact management solution that fits their business,” says Maximizer Software Ltd Managing Director Mike Richardson.

“It’s a complete contact management solution that combines business contact management, sales opportunity management, Outlook® integration, scheduling, reporting, and document management. With these core capabilities in place, a small business has the tools they need to succeed and grow,” Mike says.

More Entrepreneur Edition Value. Improve Customer Satisfaction, Maximise Productivity and Be Mobile:
* Easier Sales Management – Manage multiple sales territories, easier pipeline analysis and streamlined email communication to active opportunities.
* Improved Time Management – Prioritise follow up tasks, colour code activity calendar, and enhanced search options.
* Social Media Capability – Generate more leads with LinkedIn® Integration and attach social profiles to customer contacts.

Check out these valuable features, built into Entrepreneur edition:
* Account & contact management
* Microsoft Office® and Outlook® Integration
* LinkedIn® integration
* Time management and iCalendar integration
* Task management and workflow automation
* Sales force automation and forecasting
* Sales opportunity management
* Reporting
* Email and document management
* Order Management
* Outlook® and Exchange synchronisation
* Access Options: Windows® desktop, mobile

“With all of these new features, Maximizer Entrepreneur Edition continues to provide great value for our CRM users,” Mike says, emphasising the product’s low maintenance, adaptable contact manager for rapid impact at an affordable cost.

“We’ve always been there to help the small business owner streamline their sales process to improve opportunity tracking, communication and ultimately, closing deals,” he adds, noting that Maximizer has been a pioneer in the CRM industry for more than 20 years.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”30 January 2012 – Maximizer Agile CRM Webinar” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Agile CRM to help deliver business success new online seminar from Maximizer Software

Maximizer Software – a leading provider of simple, accessible and affordable customer relationship management (CRM) systems will be presenting a free online seminar examining how agile CRM can help organisations respond quickly and effectively to the constantly changing business environment. Called Delivering Success Through Business Agility With Maximizer CRM, it will be held on 22nd February, starting at 10:30am and running for 45 minutes.

Commenting on the seminar, Mark Carter, Head of Marketing, EMEA for Maximizer Software said: “Nearly nine out of ten executives surveyed by the Economist Intelligence Unit* believe that organisational agility is critical for business success. Yet, in the same report most companies admit they are not flexible enough to compete successfully”.

“In the current market those businesses most likely to succeed will be noted for their agility – the ability to adapt quickly to changing demands and requirements in a cost-effective and productive way to increase revenue, shorten delivery cycles and lower costs, while becoming more attuned to customer expectations. Technology can play an important role in enabling organisations to achieve these objectives by helping them become more agile.”

The webinar will explore how agile organisations are looking to the latest generation of CRM software to deliver benefits right across their operation, harnessing the power of cross function, cross platform, cross device access to critical corporate and customer information.

Participants can register by clicking on: Delivering Success Through Business Agility With Maximizer CRM or by phone to Chiara on +44(0)845 555 9960 .

* Organisational agility: How business can survive and thrive in turbulent times, a report from the Economist Intelligence Unit
[/spoiler]
[/tab]

[tab title=”2011″]
[spoiler title=”8 November 2011 – Maximizer Software Leads with Mobile CRM for the Apple® iPad™ and Social Networking Capability in Maximizer® CRM 12″ open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer Software Leads with Mobile CRM for the Apple® iPad™ and Social Networking Capability in Maximizer® CRM 12

Maximizer Software, a leading provider of simple, accessible customer relationship management (CRM) and mobile CRM solutions, today announced the release to market of Maximizer CRM 12. The latest Maximizer CRM release helps companies address the crucial need for workforce mobility by providing access to a CRM solution across the Apple iPad and any tablet computer or mobile device.

“Successful customer engagement requires the ability to integrate your CRM solution into your completely mobile life,” said Mike Richardson, Managing Director at Maximizer Software EMEA. “You need to be constantly connected to your customer, be instantly alerted to new revenue opportunities and make informed decisions, anywhere and at anytime.”

Maximizer Software has already become the CRM of choice for Gemcom Software International Inc. Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Gemcom Software, the largest global supplier of mining software solutions, recently selected Maximizer CRM 12 as its CRM solution for hundreds of users across their global organisation.

“We have customers in over 130 countries and in all major mining centres,” explained Robert Selzler, Vice President of Marketing of Gemcom Software. “To operate effectively on this global scale we needed a CRM solution which provided access to the crucial information we need to ensure superior levels of support for our clients and internal staff. With Maximizer Software we gain the stability of a fully featured, centralised CRM solution with online or offline access through any mobile device.”

During the evaluation process Gemcom identified Maximizer CRM 12 as the best CRM solution to help standardise processes across sales, marketing, services and customer support.

“When considering an investment in a new CRM solution we decided Maximizer CRM provided the best ROI for what we want to achieve,” added Selzler. “Our team will be working with Maximizer Software to streamline our current CRM process to identify potential cost savings and areas to gain efficiencies.”

Another organisation that quickly realised the value of mobility available in Maximizer CRM 12 was Canwest Productions Inc. of Calgary, Alberta. “Being the largest independent show producer in Western Canada we need to rely on a CRM solution that can be accessed wherever we are, at anytime,” explained Managing Partner, Terra Connors. “As our company continues to grow, moving to Maximizer CRM 12 with the enhanced mobile and web access was just the next logical step.”

The latest Maximizer CRM release also helps integrate social networks into business processes by capturing dynamic social profiles at the customer contact level that can be easily adapted as social networking preferences change.

“The world of social networking is constantly evolving. The social platform of choice today may be less relevant to your business next year. You need a CRM system that enables you to adapt to this shifting landscape without becoming a distraction to your business,” said Richardson. “Our LinkedIn integration and the ability to connect any other social profiles to individual customer contacts, provides a new dimension to successful customer engagement.”

Calvin Woosnam, CTO, Director of Technology Mining Co. LLC and Resilient Integrated Systems is already utilising social networking to engage customers. “Being able to access a client’s social networks directly from our CRM system is a true plus,” explained Woosnam. “Our staff communicates more and more with clients directly through their social networks – having these dynamic links all in one place will be a key time saver and enable us to build a complete picture of our contacts.”

Maximizer CRM 12 also includes expanded capabilities in business intelligence, measuring marketing ROI, and iCalendar and SharePoint® integration, delivering the most complete CRM solution to date. To learn more about Maximizer CRM 12, please visit: http://www.max.co.uk/products/maximizer-crm-version-12 [/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”2 November 2011 – CRM live webcast looks at how to increase sales, improve productivity and boost the bottom line” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer CRM live webcast looks at how to increase sales, improve productivity and boost the bottom line

Maximizer Software, a leading provider of simple, accessible and affordable customer relationship management (CRM) software, will be running a live webcast on Wednesday 16th November, under the title of Do More, Save More and Sell More.

The webcast will give an insider’s guide to how the new Maximizer CRM Version 12 can help organisations increase sales, improve productivity and boost their bottom line, drawing on cross function, cross platform, and cross device access to the tools and business critical information businesses need to succeed in these challenging economic times.

Starting at 10:30 GMT on the 16th Nov 2011, this webcast is the latest in Maximizer’s Simple as ABC series of informative webinars. These online sessions provide a simple, quick and easy way for participants to recognise and realise the benefit Customer Relationship Management systems can bring to organisations of all sizes and in a wide variety of business sectors. [/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”5 October 2011 – CRM 12 Leads Industry with LinkedIn Integration” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer® CRM 12 Leads Industry with LinkedIn Integration and Built-in Mobile & Web Access

Maximizer Software, a leading provider of simple, accessible customer relationship management (CRM) and mobile CRM solutions, today announced the availability throughout EMEA of Maximizer® CRM 12. This newest version leads the industry with LinkedIn integration and built-in mobile and web access.

Maximizer CRM 12 enables businesses to provide richer customer engagement and capitalise on business opportunities anywhere, anytime and on any mobile platform – boosted by a new mobile user interface optimised for the latest mobile devices, combined with enhanced web access performance, expanded customisation options and integration with LinkedIn.

Mike Richardson, Managing Director at Maximizer Software EMEA, commented: “Our LinkedIn integration and built-in mobile and web products provide a whole new level of access and capability for businesses to attract and engage with customers. Users aren’t chained to their desks anymore. The expanded capabilities combined with the convenience and flexibility of all-access options, enable organisations to succeed wherever and however they do business.”

The latest version also includes expanded capabilities in business intelligence, measuring marketing ROI, while integration with SharePoint® iCalendar integration, delivers the most complete CRM solution to date.

Direct Access to LinkedIn Gives a New Level of Engagement:
More and more businesses want to integrate social media networks into their business processes as part of their customer engagement and brand-building strategy. Maximizer leads the industry by integrating functionality with the popular LinkedIn social network into their CRM system. Users can now access a contact’s LinkedIn profile directly from the contact record. In addition, they can view the contact’s company information and connections and allow invites to be sent through Maximizer CRM without having to separately login to LinkedIn each time.

“LinkedIn is an accepted, increasingly popular source of information about key executives and the organisations for which they work,” Richardson adds. “Maximizer CRM makes it so much easier for companies to adapt LinkedIn into their customer engagement process. Key information can now be used within our CRM system to track prospects and connect with opportunities while increasing customer loyalty through this increasingly popular channel of communication.”

CRM Software that Works With All Major Mobile Platforms
“Mobile access has become critical for all companies looking to maximise productivity. Effective decisions can be made anywhere and anytime.” Richardson continues. “With the new user interface in Maximizer CRM 12, people can benefit from the power of Maximizer CRM on the iPhone™, Blackberry®, Android™ or any other smartphone or tablet computer.” The latest version also provides improved calendar usability, multi-user views, email notification, and a task screen with all the options a mobile workforce needs to do their job from an airport, vehicle, hotel lobby or conference.

The new mobile user interface also reduces the cost of managing different mobile applications on the different mobile devices used throughout an organisation.

Enhanced Web Access for Improved User Interface and Increased Performance
The new two-pane window and increased performance make it much faster and easier to view, organise and retrieve key customer information. Even more time can be saved through the enhanced capability of retrieving contacts, customer cases and opportunities directly from a company record.

“Our customers need easy access to information to monitor the sales process, keep track of individuals, teams and territory and carry out other key functions,” Richardson says. “Changing from one panel to two makes the user interface so much more intuitive. Also, now that customers are no longer tied to any particular web browser, they have the added convenience of logging in from Firefox, Internet Explorer or other browsers without worrying about technical limitations.”

Additional Upgrades: Document & iCalendar, Marketing ROI and Enhanced Usability
The true value of CRM is in enabling businesses to improve sales and marketing management, customer service, business intelligence and other key activities. Maximizer Software has sold over one million licenses to more than 120,000 customers by constantly enhancing those fundamentals. Additional benefits of Maximizer CRM 12 include:

Ability to include hyperlinks to documents stored in external sources such as SharePoint®;

iCalendar integration to enable Maximizer users to set-up and manage appointments and automatically record RSVPs with both internal colleagues and external customers;

Ability to measure the effectiveness and ROI of each marketing campaign to make informed decisions regarding future marketing initiatives and resource allocation;

Expanded key field customisation and display options enable users to easily view and navigate through a customisable layout of all of the key information required based on specific business needs.

“Maximizer CRM’s longtime users will find the improved mobile and web access capabilities and LinkedIn integration gives them the options they’ve been asking for,” Richardson concludes. “While new CRM customers will benefit from the increased revenue-generating, process streamlining and cost-saving opportunities that have already convinced 120,000 SMEs and enterprise-class companies to choose Maximizer Software.” [/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”26 September 2011 – Maximizer Business Partner Awards 2011″ open=”0″ style=”1″]
Maximizer Software Announces Winners of 2010/11 Business Partner Awards
Highest Achievements Recognised for Outstanding CRM Sales, Service, Innovation and Implementations

Maximizer Software, a leading provider of simple, accessible and affordable customer relationship management (CRM) software, today announced the winners of its 2010/11 Business Partner of the Year Awards, which were presented at the Maximizer Software Business Partner Conference during a gala awards dinner reception in Barcelona.

“Our network of business partners provides superior customer service and CRM expertise for our growing customer base. They make a significant contribution to the continuing success of Maximizer and we are pleased to recognise the role of these outstanding partners,” said Mike Richardson, Managing Director at Maximizer Software EMEA.

The winners of the 2010/11 Maximizer Software Business Partner awards are:

Business Partner of the Year – Camsoft Solutions (Johannesburg, South Africa) – www.camsoft.co.za
Business Achievement – Collier Pickard (Sundridge, UK) – www.collierpickard.co.uk
Customer Care – Systony (Sliedrecht, Netherlands) – www.systony.nl
Market Development – asp Consulting (Vienna, Austria) – www.asp-consulting.com
Special Achievement – Advoco Solutions (Newbury, UK) – www.advoco-solutions.co.uk
Best Newcomer – Byteline (Johannesburg, South Africa) – www.byteline.co.za

Maximizer Software delivers powerful productivity to sales, service and marketing teams throughout an organisation, through mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, online, on-premise Windows desktop, or most recently, through the Maximizer CRM Live cloud service.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”8 April 2011 – Camsoft a Lead Partner for Africa” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer Software – a leading provider of simple, accessible and affordable customer relationship management (CRM) systems – has appointed Camsoft Solutions as a Maximizer Lead Partner for Africa.

Long term and established Maximizer business partner Camsoft has offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, and achieved Maximizer Elite Partner status last year. This latest appointment will allow the company to develop a dedicated network of sub-partners throughout the African continent, focused on provision of stand-alone and integrated CRM systems.

“Camsoft has built a reputation as one of the most experienced and effective providers of business consultancy and CRM systems in the region,” said Mike Richardson, managing director of Maximizer Software, EMEA.

“Camsoft Solutions was one of our first international Elite Partners and I am delighted that the company is now taking on a Lead Partner role. Camsoft combines strong business consultancy skills with in-depth technical expertise, delivering Maximizer CRM systems that provide a solid return on investment. We will be working together to increase Maximizer’s share of the African CRM market,” Richardson added.

Grant Chapman, managing director of Camsoft Solutions, added “We have over 1200 clients using Maximizer, ranging in size from SOHO users to large corporates with several hundred licenced users across South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Nigeria. Our new agreement with Maximizer will enable us to build a wider network of resellers and systems integrators, and expand into other African countries, bringing the business benefits of Maximizer CRM to a bigger audience.” [/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”17 February 2011 – CRM as an information gateway – new online seminar from Maximizer Software” open=”0″ style=”1″]

CRM as an information gateway – new online seminar from Maximizer Software

Maximizer Software – a leading provider of simple, accessible and affordable customer relationship management (CRM) systems – will be presenting a free online seminar on using CRM as an information gateway, integrated with other corporate systems such as ERP, finance and e-commerce. Called Integrate and Streamline Your Way to Success, it will be held on 22 February, starting at 10:30am and running for 45 minutes.

Participants will hear how unifying separate silos of customer data can help organisations ensure using CRM as a gateway to all this vital, but often disparate information, can reduce costs, improve service, enhance forecasting and boost their bottom line.

It also ensures that communication and dissemination of business task information is improved between people and across enterprises. This means the right information is delivered to the right people at the right time, making for better-informed and effective business decisions.

The webinar will cover automatic data exchange and processing – such as between CRM and ERP or website and CRM – to avoid manual input and lessen errors, as well as free up staff from repetitive administration tasks. It will also look at the benefits of tighter business process integration.

Participants can register by clicking on: Integrate and Streamline Your Way to Success or by phone to Amelia Morgan-Giles on +44(0)845 555 9960.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”14 February 2011 – Maximizer CRM 11 Delivers on Its Promises” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer CRM 11 Delivers on Its Promises

To call Maximizer CRM software a contact manager is to seriously undervalue it. Maximizer uses contact management as the starting point for building relationships with clients and/or customers and maximizing sales and it does what it does very well. I reviewed the Entrepreneur Edition of Maximizer CRM 11, designed for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and sales professionals working by themselves or with a team of up to five people. Team, Group and Enterprise versions of CRM 11 are also available.

Much More Than Just an Address Book
What I like about Maximizer CRM 11 is all the things it lets you do with your contacts after you enter them that basic contact managers don’t. This CRM software fulfills its promise of letting users track and manage every aspect of their customer relationships. With Maximizer CRM 11, you can record and view a complete history of all customer interactions, including faxes, emails, and calls. And you can easily communicate with customers, creating letters, faxes, memos, and email messages that are stored under each contact for easy reference. No more searching your separate email program for the important message you think you sent your customer last month!

My favorite “beyond the address book” feature, though, of this CRM software is the sales pipeline/opportunities features. The Opportunities function lets you manage your sales processes and is a great tool for scheduling and keeping everyone on the sales team up-to-date about the status of a particular sale; activities assigned to individual members of the Sales Team show up in their personal Hot Lists. It also lets you forecast the probability of a successful outcome so you can prioritize and schedule sales activities more effectively. You can use the Opportunity Pipeline Report to see all the Opportunities that are in development.

Integration a Real Strength
Integration with Microsoft Outlook and Word is a definite plus if you’re a Microsoft Office user like me and Maximizer CRM software does a nice job of this. An add-in bar in Outlook lets you save Outlook contacts and email messages to your Maximizer CRM Address book, open Maximizer address book entries from Outlook and send email to Maximizer Address Book entries. In Microsoft Word, Maximizer adds a set of buttons to the toolbar for inserting merge fields, performing mail merges and linking Word files to Maximizer CRM documents.

Maximizer CRM 11 also offers integration with Blackberry, letting you easily create contacts, track sales opportunities and even draw maps to client locations on the run. And through an add-on application called Accounting Link, you can access and update your QuickBooks invoices, estimates and purchase orders from within the CRM software. Web site integration includes a Web Inquiry Form Wizard so you can gather customer information with your own web forms.

CRM Software Designed to Share & Customize
This Entrepreneur Edition of Maximizer CRM has a lot of features that facilitate sharing, making it ideal for the small office. The Calendar, for instance, has a Peg Board feature so when you record an appointment, others can see when you are busy or out of the office. The My Work Day view is an area where everyone in your company using Maximizer CRM can view Hotlist tasks and appointments. And there’s a Company Library for storing sales and marketing information for everyone to access.

Maximizer CRM 11 is also very customizable, a feature I always appreciate. You can personalize the User Interface of this CRM software for maximum work efficiency by customizing everything from the particular windows that are visible through the icons you want displayed. You can also set up Custom Actions, such as browsing a website or retrieving a search catalog, which you can then access from a Customs Action Tab. And you can enable or disable certain features, such as the OrderDesk, as you wish.

The Bottom Line
Maximizer CRM 11 is a powerful customer relationship management solution that delivers on its promise to “help individuals, home offices, and small businesses succeed by helping them maximize their time, create satisfied customers, and increase sales”.

My personal closing comment: I would not want to work without it! [/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”11 February 2011 – 2011 Top 15 CRM Software Awards” open=”0″ style=”1″]

ISM Announces Winners of 2011 Top 15 CRM Software Awards for Enterprise and Small & Medium Business Solutions

ISM President Barton Goldenberg Forecasts CRM Trends: Growth in SaaS Offerings, Social CRM, Mobile Functionality, and Business Intelligence Analytical Tools

BETHESDA, MD, February 8, 2011 – The CRM marketplace is enjoying renewed momentum thanks to the rise in Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings, Social CRM offerings, mobile functionality and the increased use of business intelligence analytical tools, says premier CRM consulting firm ISM (www.ismguide.com) as part of its annual Top 15 CRM Software Awards. Since 1990, ISM has been awarding recognition to leading CRM providers in Enterprise and Small & Medium Business (SMB) categories.

“The winners of the 2011 Top 15 continue to raise the bar for the CRM community with significant advancements in both functionality and convertibility. Mobile access and Social CRM have become must-haves for sales and marketing professionals and their always-on, always-connected Digital Clients,” said Barton Goldenberg, president, ISM.

The Top 15 Award winners, in alphabetical order, are:

ISM Top 15 CRM Enterprise Winners
*Amdocs CRM CES – Amdocs Limited
*C2 CRM v. 8.6 – Clear C2, Inc.
*CDC Pivotal CRM v. 6.6 – CDC Software
*Consona CRM v. 7.0 – Consona Corporation
*ExSellence 5.92 & IAS 360 3.75 – Optima Technologies, Inc.
*Firstwave CRM v. 4.1 – Firstwave Technologies, Inc.
*Infor CRM – Infor
*OnContact CRM V v. 7.0 – OnContact Software Corp.
*PeopleSoft CRM – Oracle Corporation
*Powertrak v. 9.0 – Axonom, Inc.
*RightNow CRM May 2011 – RightNow Technologies, Inc.
*Salesforce.com – Salesforce.com
*SAP CRM 7.0 – SAP AG
*Sword Ciboodle v. 3.2 – Sword Ciboodle
*update.seven – update software AG

ISM Top 15 CRM SMB Winners (**)
*Ardexus MODE v. 6.2 – Ardexus, Inc.
*C2 CRM v. 8.6 – Clear C2, Inc.
*Goldmine Enterprise Edition 6.3.1 – FrontRange Solutions, Inc.
*Maximizer CRM 11 – Maximizer Software Inc.
*Microsoft CRM 4.0 – Microsoft Corporation
*NetSuite CRM 2011.1 & NetSuite 2011.1 – NetSuite, Inc.
*OnContact CRM v. 7.0 – OnContact Software Corporation
*Oracle CRM OnDemand – Oracle Corporation
*Relavis CRM 7.5.1 – Relavis Corporation
*Sage CRM 7.0 – Sage Software
*Sage SalesLogix v. 7.5.3 – Sage Software
*Salesforce.com – Salesforce.com
*Salespage Enterprise – Salespage Technologies, LLC
*Salesplace 2011.12 – Interchange Solutions
*StayinFront CRM v. 12 – StayinFront, Inc.
*Sugar CRM v. 6.0 – Sugar CRM

(**): Sixteen packages qualified for the Top 15 CRM SMB Awards for 2011

The annual Top 15 CRM Software Awards are based on rigorous testing of CRM software programs from around the world that are sold in the North American marketplace. New trends for 2011 are identified from vendor surveys and intensive testing at the ISM Software Lab in Bethesda, Md. Each software program is rated according to 209 selection criteria, including 98 business functions, 48 technical features, 36 implementation capabilities, 10 real time criteria and 17 user-support features. With no ownership in or by a vendor, ISM’s software analysis is 100 percent unbiased.

Based on the software testing process, Goldenberg points out several new business application and technology trends in CRM software:

Integration with Social Media Applications: CRM vendors are now beginning to offer integration with third-party, comprehensive social media applications, creating a new social element in traditional CRM processes: Social CRM. Social CRM enables a business to connect customer conversations and relationships from social networking websites during the CRM process. ISM sees Social CRM becoming integrated in CRM platforms and systems for a more complete view of customers through the use of feeds from social media channels.

Increased Availability of Social Media Type Functionality: CRM vendors are now providing direct access to social media type functionality. Social media can also refer to web-based services that emphasize online collaboration and sharing among users. Computers and other technologies have shifted from one-way static communication to platforms for interaction and community building.

Increased Social Media Customer Assistance Options: Many CRM vendors see Social Media as a cost-effective method to improve their customer assistance options. Customers are no longer calling the help line when they have a problem — they are Tweeting about their problems, posting and finding the appropriate solutions within online forums or discussing problems on Facebook with their contacts. ISM sees more and more organizations building online communities (requiring components such as dialogues, forums, ideation, media sharing and blogs) for customer assistance, which come with tight integration into other CRM processes.

Increased Use of Business Intelligence Analytical Tools in CRM Solutions: Business Intelligence Analytical tools, or predictive modeling, can now predict the monetary value and profitability of a particular customer: from profiling customers based on their behavior to segmenting markets and predicting customer purchases based on past purchase information and psychographic/demographic data, as well as determining cross-selling opportunities. The expansion of social networking will lead to a tremendous increase in unstructured data, leading to an increased demand for business analytics software that combines text analytics, sentiment extraction and related technologies to find patterns and trends among social network users.

Increased Number of Mobile CRM Offerings and a Move Toward Real-Time CRM: CRM vendors continue to develop and release CRM application modules, especially those that are bundled with or work on a large variety of handheld and/or wireless devices. These include PDAs (with various operating systems) and smart phones that support wireless infrastructure technologies, such as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), GSM (Global System for Multiple communications), TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data), SMS (Short Messaging Services), and packet radio networks. Wireless components will increasingly allow users to make business decisions in real-time while simultaneously creating analytics in real-time—supporting a growing movement toward Real-Time CRM.

Increased CRM Offerings via the SaaS Model: CRM software vendors are increasingly offering CRM software solutions via the SaaS model, which is also referred to as an on-demand solution or cloud computing. The SaaS model is attractive because it can circumvent traditional problems with the CRM client-server model, including high prices, cumbersome deployments and software upgrades. The two major drivers of accelerated adoption of SaaS in enterprise companies are cost advantages and increased proof of data security.

The Top 15 winners for each category are featured in ISM’s 18th edition of User and Vendor electronic versions of The Guide to Mobile and Social CRM and are available in CD and downloadable format available at http://bit.ly/e1CokI. For more information, call 1-877-ISMGUIDE or 301-656-8448.[/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”10 January 2011 – Camsoft achieves Elite Level” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Camsoft achieves Elite Level

Maximizer Software – a leading provider of simple, accessible and affordable customer relationship management (CRM) systems – has announced the first partners to achieve Elite Partner status thanks to its new points programme.

Seven firms in the EMEA region have achieved the Elite level, which offers a number of extra benefits to provide maximum value to resellers and their customers. Four of the first Elite partners are UK-based: Avrion, Advoco Solutions Ltd, QIC Systems Ltd and Collier Pickard Ltd. The three international partners to achieve Elite status so far are Camsoft Solutions (South Africa), Promesa (Turkey) and GNet Computer Systems LLC (Dubai).

The rewards system offers a range of tangible benefits to participating partners, such as the ability to offer improved service and innovation to both new and existing customers. Successful partners receive an award demonstrating their commitment to excellence in the Maximizer CRM market.

Mark Carter, Maximizer’s head of marketing, EMEA, comments: “We are delighted to announce the first recipients of our new Elite partner status. Maximizer EMEA values its business partners greatly, and this points programme has been created with them firmly in mind.

“We believe that customers and partners should receive the best possible returns as a reward for supporting and investing in Maximizer, and this is the principle behind the initiative. We are committed to working with our Elite partners to help them make the most of their business opportunities through Maximizer.”[/spoiler]
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[spoiler title=”17 December 2010 – 5 star review for Maximizer CRM 11 Entrepreneur Edition” open=”0″ style=”1″]

5 star review for Maximizer CRM 11 Entrepreneur Edition

To call Maximizer CRM software a contact manager is to seriously undervalue it. Maximizer uses contact management as the starting point for building relationships with clients and/or customers and maximizing sales and it does what it does very well. I reviewed the Entrepreneur Edition of Maximizer CRM 11, designed for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and sales professionals working by themselves or with a team of up to five people. Team, Group and Enterprise versions of CRM 11 are also available.

Read more here…
[/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”19 October 2010 – Maximizer 11 First Choice For Financial Services” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer CRM 11 First Choice for Leading Financial Services Firms and Professionals

Helping financial services organizations build and nurture satisfied, loyal client relationships, Maximizer Software, a provider of simple, accessible CRM and mobile CRM solutions, today announced that its latest Maximizer CRM 11 Editions offer features tailored for the financial services industry.

‘With more than one million licenses sold-many to some of the world’s leading financial services firms-Maximizer CRM continues to be financial professionals’ first choice for increasing their long-term book value, particularly in these tough economic times,’ said Vivek Thomas, president, Maximizer Software. ‘With financial-specific tools and templates, robust client management functionality and all-access CRM from the desktop, web or mobile device, our latest offering enables financial services professionals to focus on delivering exceptional service that will attract new clients and build customer loyalty.’

Helping financial professionals effectively manage client relationships, processes and time, Maximizer CRM 11 offers tailored financial services features including built-in financial tools and templates, advanced client management capabilities such as pre-set fields for ‘Net Worth’ and ‘Investment Style’, task management, an action planner, and mobile access to real-time client information.

Scotia McLeod Wealth Advisor Dave Lee said, ‘Managing the financial affairs of clients effectively requires that we tailor a service plan for each client and have ready access to the right information to facilitate a variety of transactions in a timely manner. We also need to be able to track our activities and coordinate with professionals such as our clients’ lawyers and accountants. Maximizer allows us to streamline administrative tasks, systematize routine business functions, and customize our service offering which frees us up to focus our efforts on providing our clients with quality financial advice and exceptional customer service.’

For further information please contact Camsoft at 0800 616765 or info@camsoft.co.za.

[/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”16 September 2010 – Maximizer Launch New CRM 11 Entrepreneur Edition” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer Launch New CRM 11 Entrepreneur Edition

Hard on the heels of the release of its Maximizer CRM 11 Team Edition, Maximizer Software – a leading provider of simple, accessible and affordable customer relationship management (CRM) systems – has launched a new version of its Maximizer CRM 11 Entrepreneur Edition across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

As the name suggests, the new edition is designed specifically for entrepreneurial, start-up, small office and home office (SOHO) and small businesses – helping them to develop and proactively manage contacts and sales activities, ensuring improved close rates, raising productivity and building long-term, profitable relationships.

It also helps users make the most of their time, increase sales and create satisfied customers.

Entrepreneur Edition is tailored for businesses with between one and five users, and boasts extensive contact management facilities. With an online download price of £130.00, start-ups and small businesses can now enjoy all of the benefits of Maximizer’s powerful CRM software – for the price of an iPod or a business lunch with a client.

Maximizer CRM 11 Entrepreneur Edition gives businesses a complete view of their customers and prospects through an easy-to-use and robust system – playing a valuable role in helping to win new business, while growing revenue from existing customers.

Mike Richardson, MD of Maximizer Software, says: “Entrepreneur Edition is an excellent value for money CRM system that belies its price point and packs a serious punch. It is a cost-effective tool to help grow a sales pipeline from scratch – or to improve the sales performance of more established companies. “Maximizer is scalable, so it can grow with the organisation. They can step up from the Entrepreneur Edition to the Team Edition, followed by the Group and then Enterprise Edition as business expands. So they can have a complete solution that incorporates contact and sales opportunity management, scheduling, reporting and document management,” he explains.

“The system integrates with Microsoft Outlook, and users can save and track every interaction with clients and prospects – phone calls, emails, faxes – as well as set-up automatic reminders for the next series of meetings or calls, to help ensure first-class client attention and care. And importantly, from Team Edition upwards, this can be done whether access is from the desktop or out in the field.”

Maximizer CRM 11 Entrepreneur Edition comes with a new, intuitive ribbon style interface, packed with intelligent features and enhancements to make working productively easier than ever. Key features include:
* Improved account, time and task management.
* Advanced sales opportunity management and forecasting.
* Seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook.
* Enhanced email integration for targeted, personalised and tailored messages.
* Strengthened information and organisation prioritisation with Conditional Colour Highlighting.
* On-the-fly reporting, with easy data export to Microsoft Excel.
* Integration with accounting software. [/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”16 June 2010 – End of support for Maximizer CRM 9.5 and earlier versions” open=”0″ style=”1″] text [/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”29 March 2010 – Maximizer 11 for Mobile/Web/Desktop released” open=”0″ style=”1″] text [/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”8 March 2010 – Test Drive Maximizer CRM on the new Maximizer Software website” open=”0″ style=”1″] text [/spoiler]

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