How do you manage client data? at DVinfo.net

Peter Rush · September 4th, 2013, 06:57 AM

I currently use Google calendar and a Google spreadsheet - plus referring back to emails when necessary - Does anyone use a 'one-stop-shop' for keeping all this together - some sort of CRM that's not going to break the bank (like salesforce) and is cloud based maybe?

Danny O'Neill · September 4th, 2013, 11:17 AM

In the UK we only really have one option as ShootQ has been 'Coming' to the uk since 2009 :S

Tave. We use it and can honestly say it has changed our business and increased conversion rates.

If you give it a go we would really appreciate it if you could use our refferal link MintySlippers invites you to try Táve for free

Why is it good to use a one stop shop?

Emails, it handles the storage of all emails and can also send them. EVERY email interaction with a client is kept in their record for easy retrieval.

Calendar can be linked to Google or your iPhone type device so as a glance I can see if a date is free

Website integration. Every enquiry via our site is automatically put into Tave. It then sends automated replies, I can use email templates to quickly respond.

Because EVERY enquiry is logged we get excellent reports out of it. I can tell you for any time period how many bookings we took, how much we made, how many we turned away from being booked, how many went elsewhere because of cost. What can you do with these stats? Plenty.

Automation. Workflows in Tave are amazing. I can see what stage each edit is at, at each stage it can email clients. It creates to-do's, tasks.

Invoices, does them for you.

Online. Clients can logon to a custom portal, pay balances, book you. All sorts.

Enough of that. Give it a go, you get 30 days to try it. My advice though is set aside a day to get to grips and really use it in ernest. Put in all your data for the month and see how it benefits you.

Oh, and why has it changed our business. Because I can easily see which enquirys are still in the sales stage and chase them. So many people come back with 'Ah yes, that reminds me, here take my money'. Well, words to that effect ;)

Daniel Latimer · September 5th, 2013, 05:48 AM

If you advertise on the wedding wire they have a CSM tool that comes with their service. I've used it for this wedding season and it's been fantastic. Brides can sign a contract on the website, answer a questionnaire and pay.

Paul Mailath · September 5th, 2013, 08:21 AM

I use Shootq in Aust and apart from some minor quirks - it's fantastic! couldn't do without it

Robert Benda · September 5th, 2013, 08:47 AM

Our client base is around 50 a year, so we stick with Google services:

Google calendar x2 (one basic one on our website shows our availability, the private calendar has contact info, notes, and payment info);

I email all finalized notes for each wedding to my gmail, as insurance, just in case.

Google spreadsheets for bookkeeping and year to year tracking (I know how many weddings I have booked by a certain point in the year, so I know if we're on track to stay busy).

Dropbox has all my important files, including sent & signed contracts (I use DocuSign for online signatures) and email backup, so I can access it across all computers or remotely, and they're automatically backed up.

When someone asks about availability, I check my 'sent contracts' folder to make absolutely certain there isn't a potential client I forgot about.

Nicholas de Kock · September 5th, 2013, 10:46 AM

I use...Táve Studio Manager

September 4th, 2013, 06:57 AM	#1
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	How do you manage client data? I currently use Google calendar and a Google spreadsheet - plus referring back to emails when necessary - Does anyone use a 'one-stop-shop' for keeping all this together - some sort of CRM that's not going to break the bank (like salesforce) and is cloud based maybe?

September 4th, 2013, 11:17 AM	#2
Danny O'Neill Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Northampton, UK Posts: 915	Re: How do you manage client data? In the UK we only really have one option as ShootQ has been 'Coming' to the uk since 2009 :S Tave. We use it and can honestly say it has changed our business and increased conversion rates. If you give it a go we would really appreciate it if you could use our refferal link MintySlippers invites you to try Táve for free Why is it good to use a one stop shop? Emails, it handles the storage of all emails and can also send them. EVERY email interaction with a client is kept in their record for easy retrieval. Calendar can be linked to Google or your iPhone type device so as a glance I can see if a date is free Website integration. Every enquiry via our site is automatically put into Tave. It then sends automated replies, I can use email templates to quickly respond. Because EVERY enquiry is logged we get excellent reports out of it. I can tell you for any time period how many bookings we took, how much we made, how many we turned away from being booked, how many went elsewhere because of cost. What can you do with these stats? Plenty. Automation. Workflows in Tave are amazing. I can see what stage each edit is at, at each stage it can email clients. It creates to-do's, tasks. Invoices, does them for you. Online. Clients can logon to a custom portal, pay balances, book you. All sorts. Enough of that. Give it a go, you get 30 days to try it. My advice though is set aside a day to get to grips and really use it in ernest. Put in all your data for the month and see how it benefits you. Oh, and why has it changed our business. Because I can easily see which enquirys are still in the sales stage and chase them. So many people come back with 'Ah yes, that reminds me, here take my money'. Well, words to that effect ;) __________________ mintyslippers.com

September 5th, 2013, 05:48 AM	#3
Daniel Latimer Major Player Join Date: May 2012 Location: Nashua, NH Posts: 209	Re: How do you manage client data? If you advertise on the wedding wire they have a CSM tool that comes with their service. I've used it for this wedding season and it's been fantastic. Brides can sign a contract on the website, answer a questionnaire and pay.

September 5th, 2013, 08:21 AM	#4
Paul Mailath Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Coast - NSW, Australia Posts: 1,606	Re: How do you manage client data? I use Shootq in Aust and apart from some minor quirks - it's fantastic! couldn't do without it __________________ Cheers - Paul M. www.perbenyik.com

September 5th, 2013, 08:47 AM	#5
Robert Benda Trustee Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Crookston, MN Posts: 1,353	Re: How do you manage client data? Our client base is around 50 a year, so we stick with Google services: Google calendar x2 (one basic one on our website shows our availability, the private calendar has contact info, notes, and payment info); I email all finalized notes for each wedding to my gmail, as insurance, just in case. Google spreadsheets for bookkeeping and year to year tracking (I know how many weddings I have booked by a certain point in the year, so I know if we're on track to stay busy). Dropbox has all my important files, including sent & signed contracts (I use DocuSign for online signatures) and email backup, so I can access it across all computers or remotely, and they're automatically backed up. When someone asks about availability, I check my 'sent contracts' folder to make absolutely certain there isn't a potential client I forgot about.

September 5th, 2013, 10:46 AM	#6
Nicholas de Kock Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: KLD, South Africa Posts: 983	Re: How do you manage client data? I use...Táve Studio Manager