We're in business, so we all make contacts. But, some of us are better at keeping in contact with those we meet. The bottom line: effective contact management means more closed sales.

You're reading this column, so you probably have a PC. But do you have the most powerful contact management software? If you have ACT! from Contact Software International, you've got the best on the market.

ACT! is a database/word processor/expense manager that frees you to concentrate on keeping your customers happy. The software uses pre-designed prompts to help you track names, addresses, and phone numbers as well as specific to-dos, such as meetings and return phone calls.

Each contact's record also includes a history file that keeps a permanent record of each call, meeting, and promise that you made with this customer. A separate notes section lets you document the details of each "touch" that you've made. Remember the Theory of Seven Touches? (See Carolyn West Price's article in last month's edition.)

It's great to be able to drop a birthday card to your favorite customers. But your customers will really remember you if you drop birthday cards to each of their children! ACT! let's you keep these dates at your fingertips.

ACT! helps us track over a thousand customers with whom we have contact at least once a month. If nothing else, a short phone call or a clipping from a newspaper on a subject that's of interest to them helps us stay in the front of their minds.

If you send periodic mailings, ACT! quickly prints on all major label formats. Push a button, print, peel, and stick...you've got a handful of neatly addressed flyers.

With ACT!, you create your own form letters and merge customer addresses onto the "template" letter. Don't even bother spell checking each letter, because you've already checked the "template" master for errors...and a computer doesn't make mistakes on its own!

ACT! is available in DOS and Windows versions. The DOS version is also available for local area networks (LANs). If you use the network version, each user on the network has immediate access to the new information as it's added.

Document each meeting and conversation that you have with your customers, you'll never forget what you promised to do (and your customers will never have to remind you to do it).

Graphic calendars make it easy to set appointment dates, and alarms remind you to make phone calls, attend meetings, and complete to-dos. You set the number of minutes in advance that you want to be notified, and ACT! can interrupt what you're doing on the computer with a message reminding you of your appointment.

You can track your expenses in the program, including per diem and mileage costs. If you incur specific expenses on behalf of a customer, keep track of it here.

A number of reports are available including phone lists, address lists, and full-detail contact sheets. If you document your expenses in ACT!, a simple-to-read expense report option is right on the menu.

ACT! can import data records from most popular database programs and can export data to other programs, including WordPerfect.

Most fields have common fill-ins that pop up at the touch of a key, and the on-line help function is great. ACT! is one of the most straight-forward software programs on the market. It's really amazing that so much power is in an easy-to-use package.

You've got to see ACT! for yourself. If you would like a quick demonstration, call me at the office, (410) 290-7000, to set up an appointment. If you'd like a copy of the software, I'll order it for you.

David Stephen Murphy is President and CEO of Damar Group, Ltd. which presents computer training classes, publishes computer learning guides, and helps organizations do business on the Internet. The website is http://dgl.com, and Mr. Murphy may be reached at dave@dgl.com or 410.567.5366.

updated November 2, 1996
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