Communications

Use the Communications tab to keep track of all inbound and outbound contact with the Customer, providing a total history of contact. Communications include any form of contact, such as Calls, Emails or Faxes.

In addition to recording communications, this item highlights incomplete or open Communications for systematic follow-up and management. You can cross-reference your Communications to Sales Leads, Quotes, Organisations, Contacts, Support Calls and Service Requests giving full visibility of interactions at any level.

The Communications item is available to these CRM modules: Relationships, Sales & Marketing, Bookings Management, Service & Support, Debt Collection and Fund Raising. The context defaults depending on which Communications form was opened. The context is captured by the use of the Type field.

The type defaults to:

General in the Relationships module
Sales in the Sales & Marketing module
Event in the Bookings Management module
Support in the Service & Support module
Collection in the Debt Collection module
Fund Raising in the Fund Raising module

You can select another Type.

The Communication Maintenance form consists of a number of entry and display fields. A number of buttons are on the Communication Maintenance form. These buttons perform certain functions or gives access to other forms.

Buttons on this Form

Attachments

Opens a form that enables you to add and view any type of document, file, picture or graphic to the selected item. The header of this button reflects the number of Attachments linked to the selected item.

Create Appointment

Opens the Appointment Maintenance form with default entries in these fields:

Organisation and Contact fields default to the Organisation and Contact currently selected on the Communication form.
Reference Type defaults to Communication and communication is pre-filled to referenced item.

This means that you can add a new Appointment from the Communication form.

Create Follow-ups

Opens the Follow-up form with default entries in these fields:

Organisation and Contact fields default to the Organisation and Contact currently selected on the Communication form.
Reference type defaults to Communication.

This means that you can add a new Follow-up from the Communication form.

Create Call or Service Request or Call and Service Request

The caption and function of this button is set in Module Control, Service tab. Click this button to open the Support Call and/or Service Request form with the Organisation detail pre-filled. If the Communication is of Type Service, then the:

Communication is created with Status = Create Service Call from Communication setting in Customer Relationship Management Module Control, Services tab.
Communication is linked to the Support Call /Service Request. The Communication will be listed when you perform a query using the Enquiry tab on the Support Call/Service Request.
Create Lead. Opens the Lead Maintenance form with default entries in these fields:
- Lead Summary defaults to Communication Summary
- Organisation
- Contact
- Primary Product
- Send Email

You can generate an email to the Organisation or Contact with whom you communicated. An email message is created. The address is assigned as:

If you selected a Contact on the Communication form, the email address of the Contact entered on the Contact Maintenance form, is used. If no email address was entered for the Contact, then the Contacts Name displays in the Address To field.
If you did not select a Contact on the Communication form, the Organisation details are used. If you entered an email address for the Organisation on the Organisation Maintenance form, this email address is used. If no email address was entered for the Organisation, then the Organisations name displays in the Address To field.
You can select an Email template. If a Template is selected then the Templates Body and Subject is used to generate the email for the client. If a template is not used, then the Communication detail defaults to the created email for the client. These fields defaults:
- Communication Summary to Email Subject
- Communication Conversation to Email Body

You can change the email detail as required before sending it to the Addressee.

The Communications attachments appear in the Attachments table on the email form. You can select a attachments that you want to include in your email. You can also add additional attachments on the fly. If the Email is sent from a Quote Communication, then the Quotes attachments are also listed in the table and available for selection.

Dial

If you have telephony software loaded and interfaced, click this button to place a call to the contact or organisation selected.

Write Letter

You can select a template of your choice and create a letter in Microsoft Word 2000 (or later). You can print the letter to print and/or save the letter as an attachment to the Communication. The letter opens in Word, enabling you to update the letter and to save it to the required destination. On completion, you are returned to the Communication form.

Change Type

If you must maintain the Type of Communication, then you must use this button. Click this button to open the Change Communication Type dialog which displays the existing type and enables you to choose the required type. Click the OK button to process the update.

Hotprint is available. Hotprint uses the report selected in Module Control, Sales tab. You can choose from any report writer report of module membership CRMCR.
A Copy button is available which enables you to create a similar Communication. The Communication Number is cleared, the rest of the Communication remains intact, including Attachments.
Your Office 2000 interface may not function properly if your computer is on standby. You must reboot your computer.