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For the longest time I have been on a hunt for the ideal C.R.M. Blending features with price, and naturally performance, I have been seeking the right balance between all of those components in one program. With high expectations, I went in pursuit of an application that could help keep track of contacts, groups, and assorted detailed information using one program. I was also seeking a program that small to medium sized business would be able to expand that was also user friendly.
Not unlike the hunt for the holy grail, my sojourn was long. While I did not find the "perfect" solution, I did find one that met not only my expectations, it managed to meet a few more.
While no C.R.M. (Contact Relationship Management, sometimes also called contact management software) is perfect, I have seen a few that come close, but in some ways are lacking.
One of the most popular, Act, now version 2005, is a decent application, but the recent incarnation has been problematic and buggy. When I applied an upgrade to ACT 2005, it stopped running. When I uninstalled the program, I could not re-install it again. From reports coming to me from long time Act users, there has been a considerable amount of frustration and anger over the new version. When I was able to use it the program was slower than others and refreshing screens was a nightmare. It also lost the ability to integrate with WinFax Pro from Symantec, which incidentally is the best faxing software on the planet for Windows users to date.
Goldmine, another long time player in the business contact software industry, is a good program. It is fast, full featured and does more or less what you want it to do. The only downside to it is that it is sometimes difficult to operate. Seemingly intuitive operations are not that simple. Plus, the program periodically issues reminders on how to use it, but does not offer true solutions. While Goldmine, now version 6.5, is a solid and easy to install program, it is not for the faint of heart. After you get into it, the program is a bit more accessible, but interface wise and implantation wise, this is a program that needs a facelift.
Maximizer reminds me a bit of Goldmine. The key difference being that Maximizer is just a tad more intuitive. More importantly, it looks more like an integrated program rather than one that looks as if parts were added on after the fact. While it does not have the attractive interface of Act, or the extreme speed of Goldmine, it offers more than enough features to keep the demanding happy.
The most obvious advantage that Maximizer 8 has over others is that it integrates effortlessly with Outlook 2003. Although any number of programs make this claim, Maximizer is the first I have seen that really is well integrated. Contacts can be brought up within Mazimizer and emails sent with the greatest of ease. A big plus for Outlook 2003 users and a big feather in Maximizer's proverbial cap is that interoperability with Microsoft Office.
Interestingly enough, for WordPerfect users the program has instant access to that word processor as well. With the push of a button within Maximizer you can bring up Word or Wordperfect if they are installed on your system. Granted, this is a small feature, but if you are deep inside a program and need to add notes to a contact and want a smooth workflow, features like this are welcome. The program has its own word processor built in, but if you want to take complex notes in Word or Wordperfect and you don't want to scroll menus to look for it, having it on hand is truly handy.
The interface for Maximizer is self explanatory. Icons are located on the far left that open individual Windows that lead to separate sections of the program. My work day, address book, opportunities, hotlist, email, company library, personal and order desk are all here. For access to frequently and recently used items, there is a recent entries section for fast access to recently viewed contacts, and access to scheduling meetings and to do activities. The interface has the feel of the older version of Outlook.
The Address book, which is at the heart of contact management in Maximizer, offers a plethora of views. Lists, details, the program offers an almost endless way to view your contacts, and does not restrict you in how to view them. Linking contacts to each other is just a drag and drop operation. Organizing groups and lists is pretty clear cut as well.
What many other programs offer as separate applications, Maximizer builds in the application, or at least offers that access without having to purchase a separate program. The ability to function with the Palm OS is offered as an application in the three disk set that make up the Maximizer package. There is also integration with QuickBooks and the ability to create basic Web sites with sales features that can directly access Maximizer.
Creating reports is accomplished via Crystal Reports, and the seamlessness of the programs built-in tools are solid.
If you are just looking for a basic way to keep in touch with people, and you are not looking to keep up detailed information, Outlook 2003 could be enough. However, for most people, dedicated programs are the solution.
With Act 2005 being the easiest to use, Maximizer offers a richer detailed feature set that is far more comprehensive. This pretty much leaves Goldmine and Maximizer as the two main candidates in this arena of software.
When you factor the ease of use, feature set and greater simplicity, Maximizer is looking like a real contender for the heavyweight crown in this division.
Talk to Kurt in Graphics Unleashed Forums
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