Method Customers Archives — Method % https://www.method.me/blog/category/method-customers/ CRM Software for QuickBooks Wed, 21 Feb 2024 21:18:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://www.method.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/methodM_on_blue360x360-150x150.png Method Customers Archives — Method % https://www.method.me/blog/category/method-customers/ 32 32 4 ways reporting just got easier in Method CRM https://www.method.me/blog/crm-reporting/ Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:26:14 +0000 https://www.method.me/?p=13731 One of the best parts about using Method CRM just got better — its reporting capabilities. Check out this blog post to learn how recent updates can help you grow your business faster.

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One of the best parts about using Method CRM just got better — its CRM reporting capabilities. Throughout this blog post, you’ll learn how recent updates have made it easier for you to:

  • Build custom reports
  • Create reusable templates
  • Uncover data-driven insights 

Let’s dive in!

4 new improvements to Method CRM’s reporting

1. Simple report duplication

Using the report system page, you can now duplicate any template in just a few clicks. This is handy because you no longer have to manually adjust the layout and design of each template you create. 

Instead, your preferred format can be easily carried over from one template to another. You can click the ellipses and select “duplicate” on the report system page to make this happen.

The benefit of this update is that you:

  • Can create more reports and templates in less time
  • Keep your layout and branding consistent across templates
  • Have more time to focus on what matters — growing your business

2. Plug and play CRM reporting

Building off the consistency that template duplication allows for, you can now change the base table a template uses without having to restyle it. This means that you can incorporate data from different sources in your CRM without having to start from scratch each time. 

For example, you can now reuse your estimate print template for invoices without having to manually reconfigure the layout of your template.

This new Method CRM reporting feature makes it easier to build new reports and ensures you don’t waste time on reformatting. 

3. Deeper CRM reporting

In 2021, the more data you have — the better. In fact, research by McKinsey has found that businesses who leverage customer data are:

  • 23 times more likely to acquire new customers
  • 6 times more likely to retain these customers
  • 19 times more likely to be profitable 

To ensure Method customers like you are set up for success, you can now pull data from up to 5 different tables in a single report.

This means that each report you create, from sales pipeline to forecast reports, includes more data for your team to pull insights from. 

4. CRM reporting across your Method accounts 

This powerful feature is most useful for Method customizers and those with multiple Method accounts, as it allows you to copy templates from one Method account to another.  As a result, this Method CRM reporting update:

  • Saves you time
  • Eliminates manual admin work 
  • Reduces the risk of error during report recreation 

With this update, you can rest easy knowing that you don’t need to recreate templates over and over again in each of your Method accounts. 

How you can make the most of Method CRM’s reporting

Method CRM holds a goldmine of customer information that you can use to run your business better. To get the most out of this data, however, you need to leverage CRM reporting. 

Here’s a recap of how recent product updates improve Method CRM’s reporting capabilities. Method CRM now provides you with: 

  1. The ability to duplicate reports and templates
  2. Flexible templates that let you easily change the underlying data source 
  3. Data-rich reports that include information from up to 5 different tables
  4. Templates you can easily share across your Method accounts

Not a Method CRM user? 

Start your free trial to realize the benefits of strong CRM reporting.


Image credit: Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash

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10 Method zaps that will make your life easier https://www.method.me/blog/advantages-of-integrated-software-applications/ Tue, 11 Aug 2020 12:00:00 +0000 https://www.method.me/?p=13000 Learn how Zapier can increase your productivity and help you get even more out of Method.

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For those of you new to the world of zaps and Zapier, you’re in for a treat. 

Before we dive into the benefits of Zapier and integrated software applications, however, let’s first review what Zapier is. 

Zapier is a tool that makes it easy to connect the software programs you use with one another. It allows data to flow throughout your business and overcomes the challenges of organizational silos.

In short, Zapier helps you build a connected tech stack of integrated software applications. The advantages of this are that:

  • Your data is accurate and updates in real-time 
  • The information you need is readily available 
  • Your productivity increases as your time isn’t spent on data entry 
  • You can focus on high-value tasks that help grow your business

How to use Zapier

To make connecting Method and Zapier as easy as possible, we created some zap templates to get you started.

1. RingCentral

Use the RingCentral zap template to instantly add the calls you have with prospects and customers as sales activities in Method. For best practices on how to implement this zap, check out this article in our help center. 

2. Facebook Ads

Use this zap template to automatically add Facebook leads into Method and convert your Facebook followers into paying customers.

3. Gravity Forms

Say goodbye to manual lead entry for good with this Gravity Forms zap template. This zap instantly adds leads from Gravity Forms as Method contacts and creates follow-up activities for your sales reps

4. Outlook Calendar

In addition to our native Outlook CRM integration, Method users can use this zap template to automatically log Outlook Calendar events such as demos and sales meetings as activities in Method.

5. Unbounce

Streamline your lead management process by instantly turning Unbounce leads into Method contacts and scheduling a follow-up activity for every new Unbounce lead with this zap template. 

6. Google Forms

Connect Method CRM with your Google Forms account to make sure no leads slip through the cracks. Use this zap template to automatically add your Google Forms leads as Method contacts and instantly create a follow-up activity for each of them. 

7. Mailchimp

On top of our native Mailchimp CRM integration, these zap templates will save you time by instantly:

1. Turning Mailchimp subscribers into Method leads

2. Adding Method leads as Mailchimp subscribers

8. Slack

Alert your team about new Method sales opportunities in the Slack channel of your choice with this zap template. 

9. Trello

Make it easier to check items off your to-do-list with this zap template. Use it to automatically add the to-do activities you create in Method to your Trello board as new cards. 

10. Typeform

Use this zap template to let leads flow from Typeform to Method in real-time and instantly create a follow-up activity for each new Method contact. 

The value of Zapier and integrated software applications

These Method zaps will make it easier than ever for you to realize the benefits of integrated software applications.

With Method and Zapier, your:

  • Data is always up to date
  • Productivity skyrockets
  • Focus is on high-value tasks instead of data entry

Check out our Zapier profile to connect the tools you love!

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More information at a glance with Method’s updated experience https://www.method.me/blog/product-update-may-2020/ Tue, 26 May 2020 12:00:00 +0000 https://www.method.me/?p=13011 The main job of a CRM is to provide small businesses with a complete picture of their contacts. In this updated experience, you'll enjoy an improved at-a-glance view of Contacts and their related information.

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At Method, we’re always looking to simplify the way small businesses get their work done. 

As part of this effort, we’ve gathered your feedback and used it to improve your experience with Method. 

Here’s what you need to know about this product update. 

More information at a glance

Designed to increase your productivity, this update will give you more information related to a contact such as their activities, invoices, and opportunities in a single screen. 

You will also notice new buttons and grids as part of our larger effort to improve product accessibility and your experience as a Method user. These changes will take place in the coming weeks and are just the start of a series of on-going improvements. 

Below is an example of these updates in-product. 

Method CRM updated experience

Your new View Contact screen

Since the View Contact screen is usually a starting point for most of our customers, we’ve focused on giving you as much information as possible in this screen. 

Non-customized accounts

Below is what the View Contact screen will look like in your updated experience if you haven’t customized it. By clicking on a contact-related record, such as one of the activities shown below, you will be able to see details about the activity directly from your View Contact screen.

Customized accounts

For customized accounts, your experience will be slightly different than the above as clicking the contact-related records displayed will take you to a new screen. To see if the above experience works well with your account’s customization, you can add it to your account by following these instructions.

Updates to your Method apps

On other screens in Method, you will now see a series of icons along the right side of the screen. Clicking one of these icons will open a side panel that shows information related to the record you are currently viewing. Below is an example of how you can view the activities linked to an opportunity in the updated Method experience.

New Opportunities screen in Method.

Wrap Up 

The main goal of a CRM is to provide you with a full view of your contacts. Thanks to Method users like you, who shared their feedback through surveys, online chat sessions, and user research interviews, Method now does this better.

In your updated experience, you can expect an improved at a glance view of a contact and their:

  • Activities
  • Opportunities
  • Invoices 
  • And more!


Questions, comments, or concerns about our updated experience? 

Drop us a line at success@method.me – we’d love to hear from you!

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New Method:Field Services features are live https://www.method.me/blog/field-services-update-april-2020/ Mon, 20 Apr 2020 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.method.me/?p=12905 Over the past few months, our product team has been working hard to launch Method:Field Services beta and we're excited to share some of the awesome features they've created.

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Over the past few months, our product team has been working hard to launch Method:Field Services beta. And after receiving great feedback from users like you about how to improve Method:Field Services, we wanted to make it easier for you to share your thoughts on the product. 

As a result, we’ve created a private Facebook group where you can communicate directly with our product team. We encourage all of our beta testers to join the group to provide feedback and get the latest Field Services updates.

Today, however, we’re excited to share some changes we’ve made to the Work Orders and Field Crew apps based on your feedback.

1. Create and map optimized routes

Simplify the scheduling process by letting Method map the most efficient route between jobs. Learn more

2. An improved mobile experience

When viewing a work order on a mobile device, it’s now easier to see what needs to be done. Learn more.

3. Save payment details for reuse

Get paid sooner for recurring services by securely storing and reusing credit card information. Learn more.

4. An improved work order list

We’ve simplified the filtering options and added an address column so you can find information faster. Learn more.

5. New calendar preferences

Easily configure start and end times and show or hide inactive users. Plus, the calendar now remembers your previous selections each time you view it. Learn more.

A huge thank you to our beta testers who brought these improvements to light, we couldn’t have done it without you! If you have any questions or feedback about Method:Field Services beta, please join our private Facebook group to share them with us.

Contact support@method.me to try the Method:Field Services beta for yourself.

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Everything you need to know about Method’s Updated Experience https://www.method.me/blog/product-update-march-2020/ Tue, 10 Mar 2020 13:16:14 +0000 https://www.method.me/?p=12693 The main job of a CRM is to provide small businesses with a complete picture of their contacts. In this updated experience, you'll enjoy an improved at-a-glance view of Contacts and their related information.

The post Everything you need to know about Method’s Updated Experience appeared first on Method.

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At Method, we’re always looking to simplify the way small businesses get their work done. As part of this effort, we’ve gathered your feedback and used it to improve your experience with Method. 

Here’s everything you need to know about this update. 

More Information At-A-Glance

Instead of you having to jump from let’s say Contacts to Activities in Method, we’ve updated your experience to give you more insights in one screen.

Designed to increase your productivity, this update will give you more information related to a contact such as their activities, invoices, and opportunities in a single screen. 

Rolling out throughout March 2020, what you’ll see in your updated experience will depend on if you have a customized View Contact screen or a default View Contact screen. 

In this article, we go over what those with no customization will see and then dive into how this change will affect customized accounts. Let’s get started!

Your New View Contact Screen

The main job of a CRM is to provide small businesses with a complete picture of their contacts. And since the View Contact screen is usually a starting point for most of our customers, we’ve focused on giving you as much information as possible in this screen. 

Here’s what the View Contact screen will look like in your updated experience if you haven’t customized it.

The new View Contact screen.

Throughout the rest of Method, you’ll see changes that reflect our goal of increasing the ease and speed that you can get important information. Below is an example of what your new Opportunities experience will look like.

Your updated experience on the Opportunities screen with the related information panel expanded.

Updates to Customized View Contact Screens

While the new View Contact screen represents our vision for an ideal experience, we are being careful with the rollout to make sure it doesn’t disrupt your customized version of the screen. As we work towards giving all users a new View Contact screen, here’s the experience you can expect in the meantime. 

Your updated experience on the View Contact screen with the related information panel expanded.

If you would like to see how the updated experience works with your existing customization, you can follow these instructions to do so. 

Wrap Up

The main goal of a CRM is to provide small businesses with a full view of their contacts. Thanks to Method users like you, who shared their feedback through surveys, chat, and user research interviews, Method now does this better.

In your updated experience, you can expect an improved at-a-glance view of a contact and their:

  • Activities
  • Opportunities
  • Invoices 
  • And more!

Questions, comments, or concerns about our updated experience? 

Drop us a line at success@method.me – we’d love to hear from you!

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Method CRM features to get excited about in 2020 https://www.method.me/blog/method-crm-features-to-get-excited-about/ Thu, 20 Feb 2020 15:20:00 +0000 https://www.method.me/?p=12640 We share the latest improvements to Method CRM and explore the benefits of our features for growing businesses.

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2019 was quite the year at Method. From hosting brand storytelling workshops to attending small business conferences across the continent, there wasn’t a dull moment. 

This is especially true for our development team, who’ve been busy building the top CRM features our customers have asked for. Today we share the latest improvements to Method CRM and explore the benefits of our CRM features for growing businesses. 

Let’s get started! 

CRM Features Roundup

1. Portals

Method CRM’s portals feature empowers your customers to self-serve as they can autonomously:

  • Pay QuickBooks invoices 
  • Check account balances 
  • Edit contact details
  • View support requests
  • Review purchase history

Beneficial to customers and employees alike, portals increase customer convenience and satisfaction without requiring 24/7 support teams. With portals, your team can focus on tasks that add the most value to the business without risking a poor customer experience.

For us, that’s a win-win. Below is a video that highlights how portals can help small businesses elevate their customer experience.  

As you can see, portals make it possible to provide excellent customer service while still having time to focus on what matters – growing your business. 

2. Web to Lead Forms

A crucial component of any CRM solution, our web to lead form makes it easier than ever to convert your website visitors into paying customers. With this feature, you can now capture lead contact details seamlessly. 

Here’s an example of what a web to lead form looks like on our website.

Fully customizable, you can edit these forms to include fields such as industry and company size, allowing you to gain market insight while capturing new leads.  

How it works

Once a lead comes in through a website form, Method CRM automatically:

  • Makes the lead a contact
  • Creates a sales opportunity
  • Generates a follow-up activity
  • Sends a “new lead” notification to your Sales Rep

With Method’s web to lead app, you can be sure that no information goes awry and that all leads get the attention they deserve. 

3. User Permissions

With data security a top concern for 80% of small businesses, we’re keen to share how our user permissions feature keeps your confidential information safe.

Rather than assigning users permission to view, edit, delete or approve items on an individual basis, you can replicate the permissions of other Method CRM users in similar roles.

So instead of having to manually adjust permissions for every new Sales Rep you on-board, you can copy their permissions to be the same as your other Sales Reps.

With Method CRM, your Sales Reps are equipped with the information they need from the get-go and your Office Manager isn’t bogged down with access requests whenever a new team member starts. 

CRM Features Recap

Here’s a rapid-fire summary of the CRM features we’re most excited about in 2020. 

  1. Portals. A one-stop-shop for all your customers’ needs, portals increase customer convenience and satisfaction without requiring extra resources from your team.
  2. Web to lead. Simplify your sales cycle with automated lead collection, creation, and assignment. 
  3. User permissions. Assign permissions based on role, not user, and maintain data security in a way that’s efficient and scalable.

Ready to see these CRM features in action? Schedule a 1:1 demo with one of our Customer Success Managers today! 


Learn how these CRM features enable small business success!

Image Credit: John Schnobrich via Unsplash

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How a QuickBooks CRM Helped FUJI Mats Streamline Customer Management https://www.method.me/blog/how-a-quickbooks-crm-helped-fuji-mats-streamline-customer-management/ Wed, 05 Dec 2018 13:15:09 +0000 https://www.method.me/blog/?p=4235 Like many businesses, FUJI Mats needed a QuickBooks CRM that could be customized for their needs. Learn why Method CRM was the perfect solution.

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Like so many companies before them, FUJI Mats was struggling to find the right solution for order and customer management.

There are a lot of moving parts in their business: they offer facility design services for martial arts studios and provide the materials to outfit the facilities. This means it’s essential to stay on top of every detail throughout the lifespan of a project.

Wanted: A User-Friendly QuickBooks CRM

Nick Robinson

At first, they tried using QuickBooks as a CRM — but this was “less than acceptable,” said Nick Robinson, who is responsible for FUJI Mats’ operations and sales. The QuickBooks interface was difficult to navigate and it wasn’t a scalable solution for keeping detailed notes.

Next, the team looked into some CRM options, but none of them was quite the right fit. Ideally, they wanted something affordable that could be tailored to their workflows. They also wanted a CRM with a real-time QuickBooks sync, but most systems out there couldn’t meet this requirement. 

“We were locked into Salesforce and hating it. It was large and cumbersome and did NOT work for our business. We also use QuickBooks Enterprise and had a terrible time finding a sync that would be instantaneous.”

The Solution: Method CRM

Eventually, their search led them to Method CRM — and they haven’t looked back since. Method’s real-time, two-way sync with all versions of QuickBooks offered the perfect solution for streamlining their order management.

Robinson explained that sometimes they need to look up a customer, enter an order and take payment in one fell swoop while on the phone. Luckily, this is no problem in Method; it’s easy to navigate from customer data to order entry in just a few clicks.

In other cases, they create an estimate in Method and convert it to an invoice later, then send the customer a link to pay through a self-serve portal. But no matter when or how an order is paid, all of the data syncs instantly from Method to QuickBooks.

The increased efficiency in their front-end operations has been such a game-changer that the team is planning to bring more of their business processes into Method.

“Method has streamlined just about every process that we have in our business, from writing orders, processing orders, sending POs and many other functions. The next step is fully integrating all of our operations and purchase orders so we’re a well-oiled machine from start to finish!”

The Power of a Custom CRM: A One-Page Experience for Customer Management

Beyond the deep QuickBooks integration, Robinson and his team saw another huge selling point in Method: it’s an infinitely customizable CRM. This means it can be tailored to suit the unique needs of any business.

For FUJI Mats, keeping detailed notes and knowing when to follow up on estimates are of the utmost importance. But with so many leads coming in, they need to be able to find this information quickly. Their ideal solution was a one-page experience for customer data — so they worked with Method’s customization experts to make this happen.

Before Customizing Method

Out of the box, a customer profile in Method displays basic contact and company information. Clicking the “New” links takes you to other screens where you can enter data that is linked to that customer. For instance, if you wanted to record notes about a phone call, you would create a new activity.

After Customizing Method

In FUJI Mats’ custom CRM, several convenient features have been added to the customer profile screen:

  • Recent notes about the customer are displayed [1] and team members can easily add a new note right on this screen [2].
  • Clicking the “Notify” button sends an email about the new note to an assigned team member [3].
  • A list of the customer’s recent estimates is displayed [4].
  • Team members can assign a follow-up date [5] to the customer, which ensures that potential sales never slip through the cracks.

By customizing their Method account, the FUJI Mats team created a CRM that’s perfect for their current process. And as their business evolves, Method can evolve along with them.

“Honestly, we never thought we’d find a CRM that could meet all of our needs and expectations (without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars) until Method. While other CRMs make you tailor your business to their system’s limitations, Method folded around our business and provided a platform that worked for all aspects of it. Impressive people, impressive CRM!”

About Method’s Customization Services

For small businesses, off-the-shelf technology rarely works perfectly off the shelf. That’s where Method’s dedicated team of customization experts comes in. They’ll work closely with you to truly understand your workflows and the barriers you’re facing. Then, they’ll build a custom solution that’s just right for you — while you focus on running your business. Learn more about Method’s customization services.

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How an Education CRM Helps ‘Breaking the Barrier’ Bring Language Learning Across the Globe https://www.method.me/blog/education-crm-helps-breaking-barrier-bring-language-learning-across-globe/ Fri, 26 Jan 2018 18:03:29 +0000 https://www.method.me/blog/?p=2507 Breaking the Barrier was looking for a QuickBooks-integrated sales tool. Learn how Method has helped them manage their sales and provide top-notch service.

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When you specialize in language learning textbooks for students across the world, customer service and a healthy sales funnel are key to maintaining a thriving business. James from Breaking the Barrier, Inc. experienced first hand the need for an Education CRM while trying to manage a business with software that didn’t play nice. Keep reading for this week’s small business success story. 

Education CRM user Breaking the Barrier

You see, initially Breaking the Barrier adopted sales and marketing software InfusionSoft, but it fell short for them as a business using QuickBooks. Like many small businesses, James felt the pain of trying to manage business applications that didn’t communicate, which inevitably meant inefficient manual work.

Sloppy Customer Service

“It didn’t integrate well with Quickbooks. It was time consuming to manually export data and upload it to InfusionSoft.”

To provide world-class service and continually grow their sales, James’ front-line team needed a way to identify the type of contact they were speaking to when answering the phone. They also needed a better process than looking up an email address in QuickBooks to see if the caller had an existing account.

Difficulty Managing a Long Sales Cycle

Adopting a new textbook for a school is a long sales cycle, often taking months or even years. With such long sales cycles James’ team needed a CRM that would help keep leads in the funnel with timely follow-ups.  

“It is critical we’re able to accurately track all our customer interactions and easily create activities and opportunities to follow-up. A teacher may ask for a sample in September in hopes their school eventually chooses to buy Breaking the Barrier for their students the following year!”

A long sales cycle also makes it critical for Breaking the Barrier to stay in contact with leads and customers throughout the year — they needed a tool that would help segment contacts and create email campaigns.

“InfusionSoft’s email campaign interface wasn’t giving us the capabilities of Mailchimp.”

The Solution: Method CRM

Discovering that Method has the #1 rated QuickBooks integration and an integration with Mailchimp, Breaking the Barriers adopted the CRM for their education company and never looked back.

James’ team now operates in a CRM that syncs with QuickBooks in real-time, which means that after an initial import of their company’s history, any new customer or transaction created in Method gets mirrored in QuickBooks and vice-versa.

“Enter Method CRM — a life-saver. With some great help from Method’s support team, we seamlessly uploaded literally decades of data.”

World-Class Customer Service

Now, with Method CRM in their arsenal, everyone on the Breaking the Barrier team has up-to-date customer data allowing them to serve customers quickly without going into QuickBooks. What’s more, the Breaking the Barrier team doesn’t even need to log into the CRM to access customer and transaction data with Method’s Gmail Gadget — a free tool that brings all Method CRM data right into your inbox.   

“Method’s Gmail Gadget has allowed our admins to rapidly see the order history of a customer and quickly assist with their needs without ever leaving Gmail. Before, we’d copy and paste an email address into QuickBooks to see if there was a customer history. Significant time burn!”

Long Sales Cycles Made Easy

Managing a long sales cycle is no longer a point of stress for the Breaking the Barrier team. Method CRM allows the team to maintain a healthy sales funnel through Opportunities and Activities. And, through the seamless integration with Mailchimp, the Breaking the Barrier team keeps in touch with current and potential customers through the year.  

“Method has allowed us to put reminders on our schedules months down the road to check-in with key decision makers. Further, the integration with Mailchimp has allowed us to segment our customer list and export certain groups over to Mailchimp for timely email campaigns.”

Business Benefits

“Method is a great CRM tool out of the box but that is just the beginning of what you can do with your Method. With the no-code platform that allows users to customize the system to meet their business needs, there is no limitation to what you can do. The Method team are the best vendors I have worked with in my career. If you need a CRM system with limitless possibility that fully integrates with QuickBooks, Method is the perfect software.”

The post How an Education CRM Helps ‘Breaking the Barrier’ Bring Language Learning Across the Globe appeared first on Method.

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How a Creative Service Business Streamlined Their Purchase Order Process https://www.method.me/blog/purchase-order-process/ Wed, 20 Dec 2017 21:55:50 +0000 https://www.method.me/blog/?p=2456 In this interview you’ll hear firsthand how Laura Gray saved herself from double data entry by streamlining her purchase order process with Method CRM.

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Streamlining Purchase Order Process with Laura Gray
Laura Gray, Digital Signage Resolutions CEO

I had the pleasure of chatting with CEO, Laura Gray to learn how her business and stress levels transformed with the adoption of Method CRM for her company, Digital Signage Resolutions. In this blog post you’ll hear firsthand how Laura saved herself from double (sometimes triple) data entry by streamlining the purchase order process. You’ll also learn how Laura’s project management has been streamlined, so much so that she’s spending more time on her business, instead of drowning in it.   

I had the pleasure of chatting with CEO, Laura Gray to learn how her business and stress levels transformed with the adoption of Method CRM for her company, Digital Signage Resolutions. In this blog post you’ll hear firsthand how Laura saved herself from double (sometimes triple) data entry by streamlining the purchase order process. You’ll also learn how Laura’s project management has been streamlined, so much so that she’s spending more time on her business, instead of drowning in it.   

Tell me about your business, Digital Signage Resolutions.

Sure! Digital Signage Resolutions is based in Las Vegas, and provides affordable and reliable digital signage products and services that make implementing and sustaining eye-catching digital signage easy.

What frustrations did you face that led you to Method CRM?

Inefficient processes and so much double data entry, especially related to managing projects with my designers, creating purchase orders, and accepting customer payments.

What wasn’t working for you around purchase orders?

At the time there wasn’t an option in QuickBooks to convert an Estimate into a purchase order, so I’d create an Estimate and then individual purchase orders for designers who were assigned work. The process was inefficient and I found I was making errors with all the repeat entries.

So, how has the purchase order process improved with Method CRM?

My Business Solution Specialist at Method, Phil Cote, helped me streamline purchase orders. We set up my account so each of my items is associated to a designer/vendor — that alone saves so much time for me. Now, when the Estimate is accepted, I click a “Create POs” button on the Estimate screen and purchase orders are automatically created from the items. All these purchase orders can then be found in my purchase order screen in my Method. And, anytime new items are added to a purchase Order, I simply click the ‘Update Purchase Order” button that automatically notifies the vendor of the changes via email.  

That sounds great! How did Method CRM help with project management?

There is a great deal of project management involved in our daily processes. For example, designers are supplied with a purchase order, but all items within those purchase orders require separate review, approval, changes, and finalization. When you have over 40 ads being created at one time, it becomes difficult to track the status of any given ad as it moves through the production process.

How has Method helped with this?

Simply put, Phil listened to what functions I would want in a project management tool and created it in Method using Method’s Guest Pages. Now , when POS are created, they appear in a project dashboard that I use to track the progress of each ad in production. With Method acting as a project management tool, it means that I now have project management, CRM, and accounting all connected and talking to one another. No more double data entry.  It’s just great. I’m so happy and amazed at how it came together.

How did the customizable platform change your mind about adopting Method CRM?

I signed up for the free hour of customization that came with my trial and everything changed. Phil understood exactly what I needed when we chatted about my process. Over the course of 1-2 months, he solved everything we needed and made me realize anything was possible with Method’s powerful tools. It was like a gift from the heavens! The customization costs paid for itself in the time it saved me on double data entry.

What is your favourite thing about Method?

The customization options — it allows you to centralize so many different business functions in one spot to create very efficient workflows.

How has the experience been working with a Business Solution Specialist at Method?

It’s been great. Beginning with the free hour, Phil understood what I wanted to accomplish. The results were practically immediate. It’s been an amazing experience — the tools, the software, the team. It’s just been a really great experience all around.

Would you recommend Method to other business owners?

Yes! I’ve worked with other companies who over promise and under deliver. When I use Method I feel relieved, excited, efficient, happy, informed! I can see everything that’s happening. I now have time to focus on the development of my products, services and sales strategies. I have more time to work with partners to develop channel sales strategies. I’m focused on building the business instead of chasing my tail all day getting purchase orders in place. I’m building my business instead of just keeping it running.

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A Simplified Estimate Process for Allegro Design Co https://www.method.me/blog/contract-estimate-process/ Tue, 05 Dec 2017 14:57:05 +0000 https://www.method.me/blog/?p=2415 Learn how an architecture firm sped up their contract and estimate process by streamlining their firm's operations with Method CRM.

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Like many small business owners juggling multiple apps, Bryan Dutton of Allegro Design Co became frustrated with the redundancies created from disconnected apps: QuickBooks for estimates and invoices, PayPal for customer payments, FreedCamp for customer activities, Adobe for drafting job contracts, and email for endless back-and-forth communications.  

But the apps didn’t communicate, which meant redundant, time-consuming work for Bryan and the potential for inaccurate customer records. He knew he needed one system to act as a single source of truth. And, with a quick google search for a QuickBooks-integrated Construction CRM, Bryan found Method CRM.

During his free trial of Method, Bryan saw the value his team would experience centralizing customer Activities, creating Estimates from QuickBooks items, and converting Estimates into Invoices that get mirrored in QuickBooks in real-time.

But, it wasn’t until Bryan’s free customization session that he realized the possibilities for truly streamlining his day-to-day processes.

“The light really went on and Method’s value really sunk in during my free consulting session — Method could accommodate my ideas on how to simplify the process for my both me and my customer”. 

An Inefficient Contract & Estimate Process

Before his team can start work for a client, Bryan needs approval on their job estimate and signatures on a contract. But, the company’s estimate process had too many customer touch-points, involved double data entry, and created dependencies on the customer, which sometimes resulted in estimates getting lost along the way. The contract and estimate process took too long and slowed down the team.

Process Before:

  1. Bryan created the contract/proposal in Microsoft Word.
  2. Converted the word doc into a PDF.
  3. Used Adobe to add signature fields to the PDF contract/proposal.
  4. Sent the .pdf contract/proposal to the customer or lead via email.
  5. Received the e-signatures from the client.
  6. When the contract was accepted, Bryan created an invoice in Paypal and email it to the client.
  7. The client would pay the invoice through PayPal.
  8. Bryan would duplicate the invoice and payment to QuickBooks. 

A Streamlined Contract & Estimate Process

During his free customization session with a Business Solution Specialist, Bryan saw how he could have his ideal workflow by configuring his Method CRM account.

“The process of putting together a contract went from 45 minutes to less than 15 minutes. With everything together in one screen I just have to select what I need and email it out to the customer. It’s automated everything for me. It’s dummy proofed it for me”.

Process After Customizing Method:

  1. Bryan builds an Estimate where pre-defined contract verbiage is added depending on the selected job type.
  2. A unique link from Bryan’s email takes the customer to an online Method guest page where they review the Estimate and contract.
  3. The customer approves the contract and Estimate by clicking the “Accept Estimate” button, which notifies Bryan by email and updates the “Accepted By” and “Accepted On” fields on the Estimate screen.

By customizing his Method account, Bryan has simplified the company’s contract and Estimate process into one CRM screen. 

“I can’t speak highly enough about Method and their team. The program is fantastic. It works out of the box and there is basically an unlimited number of customizations to do. And, my Business Solution Specialist, Farazeh, was amazing with the customization we did on the Estimate screen.”

About Method’s Customization Services

For small businesses, off the shelf technology rarely, if ever, actually works off the shelf. That’s where Method’s Business Solution Specialists stand apart. We’ll work closely with you to truly understand your business, and the barriers you’re facing, then develop a totally customized solution to solve your problems.

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