After being involved in CRM since 1997, here is my opinion on why Act! reporting fails and how to fix it. It may not always involve upgrading Act! or converting to another system.
In my opinion, here is why Act! reports don’t work:
- Data entry is too tedious
- The reps have no incentive to update the system
- Act! Report Writer isn’t flexible
I recommend three things before completely switching systems. It’s a little different from an article from Forbes but we have similar opinions.
- Change your current screens so it’s even easier to enter data (Hint: Use Tools -> Design Layout to move fields)
- Change your default history (v 17.1+)
- Make it mobile with Act! Premium Mobile (v 2013+) or Handheld Contact for Android, Blackberry
or iOS. - Show them something self-serving once the data is entered such as the rep no longer needs to create an extra report since the Act! History list or other reporting apps do the work for you
Once data entry is easier; then, we can use Act! features like the history list view (v16+), opportunity list view (v 2005+) or power tools like TopLine Dash and Alerts, Excel via OLEDB and Microsoft Power BI to make informed decisions.
