Maximizer Software Inc. today announced the release of Maximizer CRM 10, the latest version of its popular CRM software. This new version represents a departure from the previous product line, in that Maximizer has eliminated the former stand-alone Enterprise edition found in version 9 and combined it into a more full-spectrum version with different editions to suit the needs of different-sized companies. The new Maximizer CRM 10 comes in three editions, Group, Professional and Enterprise.

New to version 10 is CRM for BlackBerry (News - Alert) smartphones. This is a smart move (pun intended) on the part of Maximizer, as SMBs are increasingly investigating Mobile CRM and its potential to increase worker productivity, streamline operations and improve customer satisfaction.

Simply put, this means your mobile workers can now have access to Maximizer CRM via their BlackBerry devices. Although only a small percentage of companies are using mobile CRM (and many of those only on a limited basis), those which are using it are reporting great success with it. With access to Maximizer CRM, your mobile workers will be able to do much more than just email and text message each other. This is about access to real data -- and the ability manipulate it in real time -- as well as the ability to conduct transactions remotely. With the MaxMobile client for BlackBerry, mobile users will have access to their customers, leads, schedules, sales deals and forecasts, and service cases directly on their handset, through wired or wireless synchronization. As such, changes and updates made in the field can take effect in real time (or near real time) on the servers at the central office. Plus, with Maximizer 10, managers and c-level executives can get centralized, Web-based “dashboard” views of business activity and do real time analysis of the information which is coming from every end point, including the mobile devices. In most cases, mobile workers won’t have to perform additional operations or follow up work upon returning to the office: It’s just as if they had their office PC (or laptop) with them the whole time.

In addition to improving internal processes, giving your mobile workers access to Maximizer 10 from the field will go a long way to improve the customer experience. When a mobile worker is doing business with a customer, say, at their home or office, it helps tremendously if he has all of the customer’s information, past and present, right at his fingertips. The ability to, for example, get the status of an order, see past buying trends, get the model number of the last item purchased, or find out if a particular part is available at the warehouse, while in the field, with the customer watching, leads to a much more satisfying experience and, as a result, higher customer loyalty.

In today’s press release, Faron Thompson, managing director of Atlanta-based commercial and residential mortgage lender Primary Capital said "the availability of Maximizer CRM 10 on our BlackBerry smartphones will provide a significant boost in productivity for our sales team when working away from the office. Instant access to account information and scheduling through Maximizer's MaxMobile application will make my sales team's job much easier and ultimately help win more deals."

Also new with version 10 is improved visibility into valuable business data. With more than 175 out-of-the-box reports, improved dashboards, and Vista Gadget desktop dashboards, Maximizer CRM 10 offers greatly improved business intelligence. Plus, through its partnership with 90 Degree Software, Maximizer has integrated the Radius90 collaborative reporting platform, as well as Microsoft (News - Alert) SQL Reporting Services, to give users the ability to search, share, collaborate and create reporting assets with an easy Office-like interface.

And that’s not all. Version 10 also offers on-demand sales and professional coaching through a new partnership with coaching and mentoring content provider CanDoGo. Now, Maximizer CRM users can get advice via the Web from leading experts on business or professional topics such as sales coaching, power proposals, leadership skills and motivation. Because this service is now deliverable through Maximizer’s software interface, it means fewer clicks to get to this insightful content. Users will have advice and coaching from more than 150 authors, speakers and professional trainers including Zig Ziglar, Tom Hopkins and Tony Parinello.

Other important improvements include more robust Web access, such as improved email integration with Microsoft Exchange and remote Web-based administration; out-of-the-box accounting integration with Microsoft Dynamics; overall productivity enhancements for sales territories, time and task management; and new Web services architecture for faster integration.

"Never a company to rely on past success, Maximizer is once again taking the SMB marketplace to the next level of CRM efficiency with Maximizer CRM 10," said William Anderson (News - Alert), executive vice president of technology, Maximizer Software, in the press release. "SMBs - a relatively untapped segment of the CRM market - now can get enterprise-level applications such as increased business intelligence, mobile CRM access via BlackBerry platform support and on-demand sales and professional coaching, all from a simplified SMB-designed solution."

For more information, visit www.maximizer.com.

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Patrick Barnard is Associate Editor for Customer Interaction Solutions magazine and Assignment Editor for TMCnet. To see more of his articles, please visit Patrick Barnard’s columnist page.