20th century customer service consisted of packed call centers, phones
ringing off the hook, and large, convoluted databases of information to
manage a never-ending stream of support requests. Cloud computing, and the
introduction of powerful, business-specific software solutions, has changed
that.
There are hundreds of systems out there for handling contact management
(CRM), project management, and sales workflows: likewise, there are more than
a couple systems built for customer service. The best of the bunch is
Zendesk, and we are psyched to award it an A+ and our seal of approval. Read
on for our full review…
The Quick and Dirty Verdict
In our opinion, the best part about Zendesk is its applicability for small,
medium, and large customer service teams. It can be configured and customized
to streamline both basic and complex support workflows. Whether your support... (more)
*Update: Jason Fried, founder of 37Signals, has informed us that their API
will be rolled out soon. Stay tuned folks!
Basecamp, the gorilla of web-based project management software, has had a
makeover. Originally launched in 2004, the project management giant has
rolled out massive updates to their bestselling software, including a sexy
new user interface, innovative new features, and (naturally) a spanking new
product for us to review. Geeks we are, we couldn’t be happier.
We were lucky enough to attend a launch webinar that guided us through the
new Basecamp and all of its fr... (more)
I got a call a few weeks ago from a NYC-based foreign language school that
was looking for a software makeover. They were using Google Spreadsheets to
manage their student, class, and payment information, and for the previous
year were happy as can be. After all, Google Spreadsheets offers some awesome
collaborative capabilities: simultaneous spreadsheet viewing and editing,
universal accessibility, and powerful Excel-like analytics and reporting.
Still, as the business grew, the sheer size of the spreadsheet made it more
of a headache than anything. As is so often the case, they ... (more)
Yes, this is a repost, but it’s just so good we couldn’t help
ourselves…
The Support, It Is a-Changin’
In the good ‘ole days when software still need installing and executives
regularly printed their emails, software “support” was a strange thing.
Sure, Microsoft had helplines you could call, and Quicken came with a manual,
but it wasn’t “support” per se: more like a robotic attempt to appease
the odd granny or two. Software personified the impersonal.
These days that’s all changing. As cloud computing and SaaS go mainstream,
software vendors are increasingly connected with consu... (more)
Everyone knows that marketing matters. What they don’t know is that given
the right tools, marketing isn’t expensive, time consuming, or difficult.
That’s great news for small business owners strapped on cash and time.
Here’s our list of 5 easy to use, well tested, and free online tools that
help manage small business marketing. Give ‘em a whirl – we promise
it’s worth it
1. Google Analytics
Knowledge is money, especially in the nebulous world of marketing. Google
Analytics, a free service from Google (duh), helps you track and analyze
website traffic. Using Analytics, you’ll se... (more)
Adrian Sanders is the founder of 
Reuven Cohen
Chris Koenig
Mark Clifton
Steve Cumings
John Igoe
Scott Lee
Mike Benkovich
Scott Sellers
Anthony Franco
Daniel Morris
Wayne Walls
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