Using BCM as a CRM lite?

[Mike]

Hi,

I'm looking for a inexpensive business contact manager, but I need it to be
used by multiple employees who share the data and can update records, add
notes, create reports, etc. Can I use BCM for that purpose? I run Exchange
2003 (SBS 2003) and was somehow thinking if I could create a public folder
for BCM, perhaps I could do that, but I'm not sure. I have a few of my users
who are remote to our local office, and use Outlook 2003 over the internet,
and that works great, but wasn't sure if we could use BCM for centralized
client tracking. I work for a non-profit, and the cost of CRM Dynamics, ACT,
Goldmine, etc... are prohibitive.
Any advice?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Luther]

Hi,

I'm looking for a inexpensive business contact manager, but I need it to be
used by multiple employees who share the data and can update records, add
notes, create reports, etc.  Can I use BCM for that purpose?  I run Exchange
2003 (SBS 2003) and was somehow thinking if I could create a public folder
for BCM, perhaps I could do that, but I'm not sure.  I have a few of myusers
who are remote to our local office, and use Outlook 2003 over the internet,
and that works great, but wasn't sure if we could use BCM for centralized
client tracking.  I work for a non-profit, and the cost of CRM Dynamics, ACT,
Goldmine, etc... are prohibitive.  
 Any advice?

Thanks,

Mike

One BCM user an share their database with other BCMs on the local
network; at least with BCM version 2 onwards. The user who created the
db needs run the sharing wizard in BCM to add users and enable network
connections. Then the other users select the shared db as their BCM
database. It's trickier over the internet, as you'll need to set up a
Virtual Private Network.

 

[CareyV]

I just switched over to BCM from a simple CRM that I had been using for the
past 3 years and frankly, along with being unstable (BCM has to shut down and
restart a few times a day), I'm running into all sorts of other issues
(unable to share data base and can't seem to get any answers), a SIMPLE WAY
to print out an envelope for one contact (you need to buy a 3rd party add on
for all the things that BCM doesn't do, etc etc. You'd be better off going
with something like Maximizer which is quite reasonable. A lot of people I
know use it but I thought it best to have a MS product. It seems I took the
wrong road....don't make the same mistake I did.