CRM AKA Contact Management

<p class="c1"> Someone recently asked: </p> <p class="c1"> I&#39;m getting a 1st gen iPhone as a gift from my brother and am very excited to get going with it. Before I jump in I&#39;m looking for suggestions, tips &amp; ideas from the iPhone users out there: </p> <p class="c1"> 1) What CRM solution are you using &amp; how does it work with your iPhone? </p> <p> This person may have no choice. She&#39;s getting the iPhone as a gift. What I&#39;ve been running into a LOT lately, is people going out and getting an iPhone, and THEN asking me what CRM to get, that works with an iPhone. That&#39;s backwards. OK - I get it that the iPhone is the great new toy, but when it comes to which phone/PDA you should get, THAT choice SHOULD come AFTER you get your CRM solution. Your CRM solution is a far more important, complex, and long term choice than your PDA. </p>

<p> Is anyone using a product that uses Funambol to synch your PDA to your CRM or Contact Manager? It is - their quote - &quot;the leading provider of open source push email and mobile sync for the mass market,&quot; Several CRM&#39;s with which I am affiliated, are usng it, and I would love to get some feedback regarding it&#39;s functionality, stability, ease of use, etc. </p>

<p> For the record, I just wanted to make sure everyone here knows that I am a reseller for 19 of the 26 Real Estate specific CRM&#39;s that are on the market, as of this date. The rest are coming soon. Within 30 - 60 days the other 7, meaning EVERY RE CRM on the market will be available for purchase, and for more information, directly from my site. </p> <p> It is a common concern that by purchasing through me, as opposed to purchasing directly from the provider, that you will somehow get less. On the contrary: </p> <div style="margin-left: 2em"> <ul> <li> <p class="just"> <i><b>ALL our prices are equal to, or lower than anyone anywhere.</b></i> <b><i>We will not be beat on price, or <a href="#service">service!</a></i></b> </p> </li> </ul> <ul> <li> <p class="just"> <a href="valurpropcrm.htm"><u><i><b>FREE</b></i></u> unbiased counseling on your decision</a> </p> </li> <li> <p class="just"> My <i><b>influence</b></i> with providers if needed. I have had to bring out my &quot;big bat&quot; in the past. I&#39;m not afraid to use it. :-) </p> </li> </ul><br /> </div>

<p> I frequently come across agents that do not want to spend the money for a full fledged CRM product. They continue to use Outlook and they also continue to struggle with staying in touch with their sphere of influence because they don&#39;t have time to set up the program to be as effective as a full CRM product. Any recommendations on how to advise them to proceed? </p> <p> Should they just bite the bullet and get a Real Estate CRM program? Or just continue to struggle? Or just get out of the business? </p> <p> Are there any shareware type CRM&#39;s? </p>

<p> Has anyone had any experience with AgentAchieve through MarketLinx? </p>

<p> FYI - Judy B asked for a user group for Xi, so I just started one on Yahoo. Don&#39;t shoot me Amigos! I&#39;m just very used to the format from participating in the Agent Office anf Top Producer user groups there. It&#39;s at <a href="http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Mark-It-AdvantageXi/">http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Mark-It-AdvantageXi/</a> </p> <p> The reason I did it is because it&#39;s easier to respond to a post. Amigos - when you do the following here - I will move that group to here. When I get notification of a post from Yahoo groups, I hit reply, it takes me to a login, I log in, and then it takes me right to the post I want to reply to. Here - I have to log in, then find the post, then reply. Too cumbersome by comparison. I&#39;m sure you&#39;ll do something comparable soon. When I see it, I&#39;ll move the group. </p>