Customer Database

trevor_john

Hi Guys.
I am looking for a customer database software.I do not mind FREE or PAID for suggestions.I basically run my comany with just a paper database and would much prefer one on my pc ,which will be easier to search.

All i need is to input their name address and invoice number.I would like to search it by surname.

Any ideas anyone ? lol Thanks in anticipation.

Trev.:j

GreyPilgrim

Do you have any software installed on your pc like Excel / Access at the moment? Drop me a PM and I'll see if I can knock you up something quick and simple to use.

trevor_john

Cheers :beer: :beer: :beer:

P.M. Is on its way.

many thanks Trev:j :j :j

GreyPilgrim

Hi matey, PM back at you with my email address.

greyteam1959

Dont forget to register with the Data Protection Commissioner will you

Drag-Den

GreyPilgrim wrote: »

Do you have any software installed on your pc like Excel / Access at the moment? Drop me a PM and I'll see if I can knock you up something quick and simple to use.

Hi,

Sorry to gatecrash the thread but I have been looking for exactly the same thing for a while now.

We currently use Excel to track customer enquiries, payments, appointment dates and our sub contractor details however what we've created is becoming more difficult to use the more information we add so we need something better. Ideally we'd also like a search facility on our sub-contractors so we can find the individual we need for a specific job easily based on their skills/location etc..

Is there anything "off the shelf" we could buy or would we need something designing specifically?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Deleted User]

You could always hack something together in MS Access

Drag-Den

ringo_24601 wrote: »

You could always hack something together in MS Access

Thought about that but have no expeerience of using Access let alone creating a bespoke database!

Mike_by_the_Sea

Drag-Den wrote: »

Hi,

Sorry to gatecrash the thread but I have been looking for exactly the same thing for a while now.

We currently use Excel to track customer enquiries, payments, appointment dates and our sub contractor details however what we've created is becoming more difficult to use the more information we add so we need something better. Ideally we'd also like a search facility on our sub-contractors so we can find the individual we need for a specific job easily based on their skills/location etc..

Is there anything "off the shelf" we could buy or would we need something designing specifically?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Drag-den

Are you using all the facilities available to you in Excel? It can be very powerful on its own with a bit of tweaking. If you would like me to have a look and play, just let me know.

Good luck

Mike

oldtoolie

CRM -- Customer Relations Management and CMS - Contact Management Software are what you are looking for. Google those phrases and you will get lots of advice and choices.

If you needed a car for your business, would you go down to the breaker and buy a load of parts? Didn't think so and that is why you don't want to start messing around with building your own database with MS Access or Excel (which isn't a relational database anyway -- and if you don't know what that means you really don't want to find out.)

There are millions of businesses with your needs and thousands of solutions are already worked out. Pick one out for anything from £0 - to thousands. Learn to use it and get back to your business. In a few months, you will wonder how you ever got on without it.

Off-the-shelf solutions include:
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook with the Business Contact Manager addon
Microsoft Access with free templates from MS website
ACT!
Goldmine
Sage Accounting packages offer some CRM
and many more

Larry Boyd
Tools for Self Reliance
www.tfsr.org
Thanks to MoneySavingExpert for supporting Tools for Self Reliance

fat_jedi

I have had several people in different industres recommend ACT! to me.

I too am a soletrader with a paper database and have just spent the last week transferring order forms into MS ACCESS.

Very tedious and finiky(?spelling)!

Might give it a try as it looks very user friendly and you can attach e-mails, letters and other documents right into the contacts listing.

I think it's going to be about £120 for my size business - so not a great deal.

Just Google ACT

FJ