When it comes to IT support, many business owners don’t realize that their managed IT provider isn’t just there to fix problems – they’re there to help promote business growth.
At Quicktech, we’re always on the lookout for new tools to help our managed IT clients grow. One of these tools is Outlook Customer Manager, a tool officially announced by Microsoft just last week.
So, what is Outlook Customer Manager and why is it so powerful?
Outlook Customer Manager is a tool within Microsoft Office 365 that helps businesses gain repeat customers and improve customer management.
Here’s a quick summary of what Outlook Customer Manager offers:
This tool allows you to address two business goals: gain more clients, and optimize existing business processes.
Gain More Clients
Your sales team could probably tell you that existing clients are easier to reach, and are more likely to purchase additional services or products.
Repeat clients are the some of the best sales prospects because not only do they already trust your business, but you already have a huge sales lead by having an existing relationship with them.
Outlook Customer Manager harnesses what you already have, and turns that knowledge into sales.
Optimize Existing Business Processes
Do you ever find yourself bogged down by having too many touch points?
Excel sheets, call logs, meeting invites, emails, even handwritten notes are all items that you need to stay on top of. Managing all that information can be frustrating.
There must be a simpler way – and now, there is!
Outlook Customer Manager will automatically pull all relevant customer information – such as emails, meetings calls, notes, files, tasks, deals and deadlines – to a timeline next to your email inbox.
By streamlining your business process, you address three points for business growth: focus, efficiency and consistency.
Focus
Outlook Customer Manager will automatically create a focused list of your most important customers and deals.
Instead of spending time figuring out which important clients are due for a follow-up, Outlook Customer Manager will simply remind you when the time comes. You can manage these settings yourself, by associating tasks with a contact, company or deal.
Knowing just what your day needs to focus on, at all times, is a sigh of relief. Phew!
Efficiency
Have you ever read a time management book?
Many resources offer productivity tips or business recommendations. But our approach is – why not simply reduce the amount of work you have to do in the first place?
Outlook Customer Manager reduces the need to aggregate your tasks, since the tool automatically pulls all your tasks together into one place, with a recommendation on priority. This saves you a LOT of time organizing your tasks.
Everything is all in one place, listed to be completed, like a checklist.
Checklists are simple to address. Piles of notes are not. Efficiency – check!
Consistency
Let’s say you’re unable to make it to work for (oh, flu season!) and your colleague has to take a call with a client in your place. Do they know what to say, or follow up on?
With Outlook Customer Manager, you can choose to share customer information with your team so everyone is on the same page – no need to brief them on any follow-up notes, because everything is there in Office 365.
You’re even able to use Customer Manager on your mobile phone – so you can access all of a customer’s data right before a meeting, jot down a quick note on the go, or scan a business card to create a new contact.
Consistency Is Key
The best part about Customer Manager is that it’s built in with Office 365 off the bat. There are no additional resources you have to get used to. Everything is built-in, so you’re tapping into a resource you didn’t even know you had.
Outlook Customer Manager comes free with your Office 365 Business Premium plan. If you haven’t yet set up Office 365, give us a call and we’ll be able to help you out. There are plenty of features in Office 365 that will help you streamline your business – such as Microsoft Bookings< – all of which we’re familiar with and ready to help.
At Quicktech, we’re not just focused on providing quality IT support. We’re here to help you reach your business goals, streamline practices, and gain more clients.
We’ve had over a decade of success providing IT support in Vancouver – and we’re constantly looking for new ways to help our managed IT clients grow.
If you’re interested in growing your business through streamlined IT practices, take a look at our managed IT services! We’ve got you covered. Let us handle IT.