Contact management packages reviewed


Contents
Introduction
 ACCPAC
 Act!
 Coordimax
 GoldMine
 Legrand
 Maximizer
 Specifications
 How we tested
 Editor's choice
 About RMIT
Legrand CRM

Legrand is a full CRM product, with customer service and item tracking modules having full integration with accounting products. The item tracking components allow for the storage of detailed products listings and records of distributions to customers. Installation was quick and easy and the disks came complete with several short demonstration videos.

The graphical interface is clear and allows the user to have easy access to a range of information without being overwhelmed. There is a good use of colour to accentuate particular features, drawing the eye to where it needs to be.

Data can be readily imported from delimited text formats using customisable mapping routines which can be saved for future use. An MS Outlook synchronisation module also allows new contacts to be directly imported from your address book. Export is limited to MS Excel which is achieved quickly without any messing about (right clicking on a list provides options for many operations including export).

Record creation was no trouble. Letters and reports can be generated via a mail merge of currently selected contacts. Such documents appear in MS Word for editing automatically addresses and formatted according to user defined templates. A similar process can be used to direct e-mails (standard or HTML) to contacts. Customisation allows for a number of extra customer details to be recorded according to individual needs.

Pocket PC support exists for Legrand as well as fax support. Both Foxpro .dbf and MS SQL database back ends can be used. Besides Outlook integration, Legrand also supports MAPI, SMTP, and CDO for outgoing mail. Excellent integration procedures are available for a variety of accounting software packages, however, the accounting interface does come at an extra cost.

Time spent on individual customers can be recorded in the customer service module. Naturally this could be a very valuable asset if you charge for such services on an hourly rate. Alternatively, managers may wish to know how much time is spent dealing with customers as compared with the monetary value of their custom -- or whether certain sales people spend an inordinate amount of time on such issues.

Product Legrand CRM PRO edition with CS optional module, Legrand CRM PRO CS
Price

AU$275 (STD edition)
AU$495 (PRO edition)
AU$660 (CORP edition)
Vendor Legrand Software
Phone 1300 132 890
Web www.legrandsoftware.com.au
 
Interoperability ½
Supports many accounting packages as well as SQL and dBase, but generally leans towards Microsoft products..
Futureproofing ½
A full CRM "out of the box", with a surprising range of features.
ROI
Not the most advanced CRM, but feature packed for its small price.
Service ½
1 month free with ongoing e-mail support free. AU$200 for full support per annum. 12 months upgrades at 20 percent RRP.
Rating ½
Legrand CRM
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Talkback 18 comments

    What about SugarCRM? SugarCRM ...Anonymous -- 18/07/05

    What about SugarCRM?

    SugarCRM is one of the fastest growing CRM/Contact Management systems in the world, and competes directly with many of those systems listed.

    SugarCRM's commercial open-source model clearly differentiates it from the competitors by providing full access to all source-code allowing the system to be easily tailored to suit each customers needs, making it a powerful alternative to an otherwise proprietary and inflexible systems included in the review.

    SugarCRM is commercially supported in Australia by Insightful Solutions, and backed internationally by SugarCRM in the US.

    SugarCRM Australia Aris Margaritis -- 31/05/06 (in reply to #120119285)

    CRM Online Australia is a division of Lumis Multimedia and also partner of SugarCRM, a hosted CRM solution with complete website integration makes SugarCRM the most flexible Customer Relations Management tool that we develop with.

    CD rom Anonymous -- 08/08/05

    hello,
    I have recently purchased an Epson Stylus C65. Since then my computer has crashed, resulting in the loss of all programs and information stored.
    I have not been able to find the original set up CD-Rom which came with the printer. Without this, the printer is worthless. Is there anyway of downloading the necessary software from the net.
    I would appreciate your help.
    thank you

    what about epson australia's website? ZDNet Editor -- 08/08/05 (in reply to #120119956)

    hi there, have you tried epson australia's website?

    http://tech.epson.com.au/downloads/product.asp?id=C65

    ACT 7 Anonymous -- 30/09/05

    Do you work for Sage. This version of a long established product is an abomination. This software completely kills your PC. I run a P4 2.6GB machine and it grinds to a halt when ACT 7 is running. The software is slow, cumbersome and the support service is backing it up is useless. All in all a poor product with poor service. My advice is to shop around for something else.

    I agree bootskef -- 13/10/05 (in reply to #120121551)

    ACT 7 is not much chop so to speak. Act 8 is better

    ACT 2006 is BAD. Anonymous -- 04/11/05

    1. When I upgraded to the new ACT, all 3,500 of my salutations were converted from what I had to the first name--e.g., Susan Smith, salutation, Sue, was changed to Susan--I have spent hours on the phone with them--and they haven't been able to fix it yet. To do mail merges, I will have to go through every record.
    2. the box says it requires 512 mgs ram--but ACT support said it needs 1.5 gigs..I bought more memory.
    3. On top of that, they refuse to escalate in order to solve my problem..
    there are other problems but these are the most important.

    Eats the machine Joel Goldstein -- 14/01/06

    large ringing alarm list will make the entire machine un-usable.
    Puts my 3Ghz 1Gb ram server at constant 52-55% busy, and 50% of this ACT

    AMEN !!! Anonymous -- 14/01/06

    Spent 3 hrs on the phone withj Tech support today... no help. Product working as designed. Admits it has problems.

    BrowserCRM too Matthew Ross -- 06/07/06

    BrowserCRM is an option with much more sophisitced integrated email than Sugar. BrowserCRM is a commercial product priced for small business and supported from Wellington, New Zealand.

    CRM Comparision Anonymous -- 05/02/07

    It would be great to see a more detailed comparison of contact management software solutions. I found a good site which explores the features of the LegrandCRM (GOTO: www.legrandcrm.net.au ) pacakge however a comparision and anlysis of other would be really good.

    Support for SMS and email Michael Joseph -- 15/02/08

    Most of these packages do not provide native messaging support, or are not geared for sending out large message broadcasts. ArcSend (www.arcsend.com) is great for messaging. Also, it has extremely powerful capabilities for selecting contacts based on category and field values.

    Not True Atal Hakikat -- 16/10/08 (in reply to #320095593)

    Infact Sugar CRM has the SKYPE and other similar plugins that allow you to use sms and email messaging.

    Tracker Anonymous -- 03/02/09

    Well... most won't remember Tracker software, but the internet wasn't even born at that point!
    It was a great piece of software.
    I've tried out ACT7... What a piece of BLOATWARE! Brought my computer to a screaming halt!

    Tracker Memorial Hall Anonymous -- 06/02/09 (in reply to #320122212)

    Well, I remember irt ant it was awesome. It has done a great service to me, never matched again. I may still resurect an old PC that has been buried in my garage and find an old 5 1/4 floppy to install it for the sole purpose of contact management. But the problem is the broadband. It worked with my modem and phone fine 20 years ago, now there are ???

    Tracker John Withall -- 15/04/09 (in reply to #320122479)

    Tracker is available & right to the minute with technology. It is written by the same programmers. Check out www.vitalsoftware.net/ for more information.

    Coordimax History? Anonymous -- 25/03/09

    Heard a rumour that the company has gone bust, can anyone confirm?

    Re Coordimax (MaestroSuite Pty Ltd) Anonymous -- 27/03/09 (in reply to #320126702)

    Check out the ASIC website using the about company name. www.asic.gov.au and you will find you're answer

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