Without a system in place, your data is like a random set of dots strewn across a landscape. A catalogue of customers. A set of services and products. A series of sales orders. A tally of tickets. A lot of lists and nothing to bring it into any kind of order or structure. CRM software comes in and connects these dots. A sales order becomes associated with a product, a customer and a supplier. Instead of a mass of random dots on the page, a network is created and the complete picture is revealed.

Relationships are emotional. Relationships are ongoing. Keeping customer data into your CRM software enables the marrying of transactions to relationships, permitting you to successfully manage and nurture your relationships and judge when the time is just right for those initial or repeat transactions to fall into place.

Year in year out, this is the period in the calendar when people throw themselves head first into those New Year’s resolutions. They come in many shapes and forms but often fall into common categories – healthy diet, active living, a more positive approach to family and working life. More often than not it will be these same resolutions that were made the year before, and they are the resolutions that tend to fall by the wayside come this time next month.

If you need that kick in the rear every now and then to remind you to take advantage of your expensive gym membership, or your

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I have just read an article by Mike Gerholdt who authors a blog called ‘Button Click Admin’ which is in itself a good balanced read.

I particularly like Mike’s strap line “for those of us stuck between the Uber Coders & User who cant log in”. I guess that gives the essence of what Mike does and his blog is a valuable insight (ButtonClickAdmin.com).

The article he posted which caught my eye was about Project Management skills and how you could learn a lot from very popular US Chef Robert Irvine (Restaurant Impossible).

His assertion, which I fully agree with, was that there are

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I just love this quote and I was reminded of it this morning with some news about a project we did not win that is now back on our radar - honest I am not gloating but its a good reminder for any business.

"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur" Red Adair.