First off, there are two different methods depending on whether you are looking at a List View or an individual record. We'll deal with the List View first.

What you want to do first is Create a New List View. Call it something like Quick Contact Info or just Contact Info. You will need to do this for each module where you want this functionality, such as Leads, Contacts, and maybe Accounts. Just include in the List View all the fields you want. Be sure to give it a name, specify who can use it and save it. Now, with this List View activated, you can simply select a record by clicking the check-box next to it, then an Action Button will appear at the top of the screen. Click the Action Button and select Print Mailing Labels and you will get a nice pop-up which you can now copy. The address won't have perfect formating, but you can easily fix that when you paste it where you plan to use it.

Easy Contact Info Copy/Paste In Action

Now when you are looking at an individual record, there is another technique that you'll need to use. You can simply click the More Actions Button (the one with 3 dots on the top right side)  and select Print Preview. 

But before that will work for you there is just one more thing to set up for each module where you want this functionality. You will need to make a Contact Info Template. I prefer to use an email template but you could do it in a Mail Merge template if you prefer. On the template, just layou out the merge fields the way you'd like to see them. This will format better than the previous method, though it will leave spaces for empty fields. 

You can find your templates in Settings (The Gear Icon in the top right). From the Settings Screen, find the Customization Section and select Templates. Choose the category of Email or Mail Merge and then hit the Create New Template button. To add a field, just hit the Pound character (#) and a pop-up will appear that will let you select various modules and fields in the chosen module.  If you are creating this for Leads records, just choose the Leads Module and the field you want to add. You can format them as you like. The end result will look something like this:

I love to hear this. 

It tells me we are doing things right by listening to the employees to understand what they want out of the CRM system they will use every day. When end-users are not included in the discussion they become fearful that some arbitrary system will be imposed on them that only makes their jobs harder. They might simply choose to not use the new system properly or worse, sabotage the whole project in order to protect their own sanity at work. This results in a failed CRM project and a waste of the business owners' development money.

I can't provide the name of the client company because I'm actually a sub-contractor on this project for another Zoho Partner. The client is not my direct customer, even though I'm working alone with the owner to build this great new system for their medical services company.

What they had:

It's not uncommon for me to encounter Zoho CRM installs that were done with the best of intentions without the help of a Zoho expert that result in a poorly designed system. It's understandable that many smaller businesses simply don't have the development funds at the beginning to hire an expert, and the business owner is too busy keeping their business afloat to learn the necessary skills to at least get the basics right. This leads to many problems such as this client experience:

• Too many fields that make it time consuming for users to find the right fields to enter their data. This results in a poorer experience for their customers and frustration for employees.
• Wrong field types being used. Dates are put in text fields. Picklists are not used, or when they are, they are a mess. This creates a mess that needs to be cleaned up if the business owner ever wants to generate useful reports or create any automation triggers down the line.
• Bad data relationships from the lack of using the right modules or creating custom modules. This impacts reporting, automation, and even makes it difficult for users to find the information they need in a timely manner.
• Inconsistent data because data normalization techniques are ignored, such as using well thought out picklists that map to the desired sales process.
• Inconsistent business practices because from a data entry point of view, it's the wild west with each user doing their own thing with no understanding of how it impacts others in the organization.
• Inability to get business insights. As mentioned above, good business intelligence is based upon reports that can focus on data filtered precisely. Such filters can't be trusted when the data is inconsistent or not even in the proper fields.
• Inability to use time-saving automation features. These depend on triggering conditions that in turn depend on consistent data in the right fields.
• Leads fall through the cracks because there is no way to escalate issues beyond what each sales rep is able to remember. These lost opportunities are lost revenue.
• Delays in the sales process. without proper data checks and reminders in place, overwhelmed or forgetful employees may miss that certain prerequisites have been overlooked, and the client they thought they were ready to close isn't. These delays result in lost deals and more lost revenue.
• A real headache to clean up. If the company is able to finally prioritize development with skilled help, it will cost them more in the long run than if they would have done a few basic things right at the beginning.

The overall result is a CRM system that users hate to use and that does not provide any useful insight into company operations or measurements - exactly the opposite of what CRM systems promise.

What I've built for them:

First, I've guided them through a continuous process of discovery to understand their desired business processes, their reporting goals, and what their users need to be able do do their jobs in a more efficient and less frustrating way.

A key part of this was to map out their sales process and them represent that with a well thought out picklist type status field for Leads and Deals.

Next, we are cleaning up their data using proper fields, field types, and modules. They were not even using the deals module until I showed them how it would allow them some key benefits, such as tracking multiple deals per lead and projecting future revenue based upon probability mapping.

I'm also helping them design a simpler, user-friendly interface with Zoho CRM's wizards, Canvas, layout rules and workflow automations. With these tools, users can more easily find the fields they want, and redundant or duplicate data entry is eliminated. 

With those parts in place, this is where the really awesome stuff becomes possible! I've designed a Zoho CRM Command Center Journey and blueprints for the Leads and Deals modules that:

1. Make data entry easy.
2. Ensure that leads and deals always follow the established sales process, never falling through the cracks.
3. Automatic service level alerts and messages are generated to keep other users or departments informed of important events.
4. Ensuring that only appropriate staff are able to advance leads and deals to the next step.
5. Even more automation is leveraged getting rid of the boring busy-work that users no longer need to worry about.

We are not quite done, but the users already see the potential and are excited. In fact, the more they see that I and the owner are building this system to make them more successful, the more they are contributing great ideas. 

Are your CRM users happy with what they have? 

Are owners and managers happy with the business intelligence their CRM generates? 

If not, drop me a line. Perhaps Raging Sanity Consultants, with an awesome tool like Zoho CRM can build your dream business solution!

Voice over IP phone systems allow you to keep that professional image even with a remote workforce. Each person still enjoys their own extension connected to their cell phone, desk phone or computer without the need for extra phone lines. Unlike traditional PBX phone systems where the phones with their extensions are hard-wired and managed through an on premise PBX box, VOIP phone systems are internet connected devices. So, just as you can access your email from any system anywhere, your phone extension on a VOIP phone network can be anywhere you have an internet connection. 

This means that when customers call your head office, the receptionist or auto-attendant can transfer calls to extensions anywhere, just as if your staff were still in the building. In fact, the receptionist does not even need to be in the building - they can be working from home as well! From the customer's perspective, they don't experience any difference when they call and request certain extensions.

One of the great things about these systems is that they are very easy to manage. If you want to change or provision extension, or change call handling (such as specify that at certain times, or after a certain number of rings,  calls go to a different number - even a cell phone) that can be done via a simple, intuitive, secure interface.

One of the great things about RingCentral is that it is more than a VOIP phone system; it is a full Unified Communications as a Service platform. It comes with RingCentral Meetings powered by Zoom, and integrates with the RingCentral Glip team collaboration tool. Say a teammate is posting questions in Glip. You can flip that right into a virtual meeting easily and quickly. 

Other features include a digital fax system, and Visual Voicemail (because busy people prefer to visually peruse their messages rather than listen to them) and integration with CRM systems that allow contact call logging and Click To Dial(Sales people love this feature).

Combine all that with the best security and analytic reports in the industry, and RingCentral is an outstanding platform for business communications. It's what chose for Raging Sanity Consultants. 

You can also learn more about RingCentral here.

Now because I believe in offering options to my clients, I made sure that Raging Sanity Consultants can offer other excellent VOIP systems as well, such as Vonage for Business and Start to Star. Not sure which system is right for your business? Give me a call, or email me. In fact, all of the business solutions I offer, from Salesforce to Zoho to RingCentral are great tools virtualizing any business.

In the wake of this crisis, I Just wanted to get the word out about some remote working tools that might be of use to your organization or others you care about.

1. If you are a small business using Zoho, and in need, you may qualify for a temporary waiver of software fees: https://www.zoho.com/esap/

2. If you need tools to start working remotely, Zoho has stepped up with some helpful remote application offerings for free till July 1st: https://lnkd.in/gBtyezj

3. If you are, or know of educators, healthcare providers, or non-profits, RingCentral is offering their Office Plan free of charge: https://lnkd.in/g5jNcRD

4. Salesforce is offering free access to their Health Cloud applications for qualified emergency response teams, call centers and care management teams for health systems affected by coronavirus: https://lnkd.in/gcU7SAC

Please check the links. If you have further questions, feel free to contact me at 888-509-0367 or rich@ragingsanity.com

A few months ago a board member of the Southwest Veterans Chamber of Commerce asked me to consider becoming the subject matter expert on Google Ad Grants for the non-profit members of the Chamber. While it would mean having to learn yet another system from yet another technology company, I thought it might dove-tail nicely with the company's other offerings. Besides, as a veteran myself, and since a great veteran services non-profit (Operation Enduring Gratitude) is one of my clients, I decided it would be great if I could offer more to the veteran non-profit community. But first, I needed to really get familiar with Google's advertising offerings and methodology. So, I put other projects on hold while getting 2 Google Certifications in Search and Video Ads.

This world can make us jaded. This is particularly the case for veterans like myself who in their service have dealt with scary times, had to endure disability,  seen the darker side of humanity, and deal with a soul crushing bureaucracy thinly veiled by motivational platitudes. This is why many of us veterans seem to posses slightly cynical attitudes towards large organizations and motivational buzz-words. This is why my encounter with a sale rep at Salesforce on Veterans day was so surprising... and refreshing

.

I've been helping the non-profit Operation Enduring Gratitude with their Salesforce implementation and needed pricing on one of the Salesforce products. The sales rep, working on veterans day while others were enjoying a day off, called to give me the information I needed. During our conversation, he explained that he just got off a difficult call with an abusive customer. I don't know about you, but I find it challenging to keep a good attitude after such situations. But not this rep. He was wonderfully cordial and helpful. Then as we chatted further about Veterans Day and the friends and family members of his that were veterans, he asked me something incredibly thoughtful and heart-warming.

"What does Veterans Day mean to you?" he asked. I was taken aback. I've never been asked that question. While rambling out a less than coherent and lengthy response, the question was making me think about Veterans Day, and veterans and their needs perhaps more than I had ever thought before. It made me think of those that sacrificed much more than myself, only mildly disabled from my service.

It brought to mind a friend that I had served with in the First Gulf War who made it back like myself. But the day I got back to my base, I picked up the base paper and saw his name as one of those killed in a recent helicopter crash. For many of us, this day is a day to enjoy ourselves, to rest ourselves, thinking mostly of ourselves. It was a reminder of how important it is to think about others, their difficulties, their sacrifices, and that of their families. My friend had two small children who were since fatherless. We should remember that on Veterans Day we should also be remembering the families of veterans, because they sacrifice too.

But my main point in writing this is to call out and offer a salute to Miles Robertson of Salesforce for taking the time to hear the story of this old veteran when he was probably feeling deflated from his previous call. And to salute Salesforce for hiring such a rep and creating a culture that fosters such attitudes.

If you are ever exposed to the Salesforce community, you will hear this term Ohana used quite often. My experience with Miles Robertson that day demonstrates that it's not just the typical marketing buzz-word employed by so many large organizations. but an example of an aspect of corporate culture done right. And it made this former Marine, perhaps a bit less cynical..