The Value of an ACT! Consultant&#

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The Value of an ACT! Consultant or Trainer

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Whether you are considering the purchase of a new ACT! software system or are upgrading an existing one, designing ACT! to work the way you do and learning how to use it’s features is essential to getting the most from your investment. The best way to do this is with the help of an ACT! Certified Consultant or an ACT! Premier Trainer.

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There are over 600 independent ACT! Certified Consultants and ACT! Premier Trainers worldwide. They are qualified professionals with expertise in delivering customized ACT! software and training as well 3rd party ACT! software solutions. Consultants can provide an invaluable resource to your business whether you choose to outsource all of your ACT! services or simply augment your existing staff. They can help you save time and money by giving you the information you need to make informed technology choices, optimally design and install your ACT! software solution using best practices, and minimizing risk so you can have confidence in your system.

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ACT! Certified Consultants must pass a pre-requisite test, attend one week of classroom training and then pass an in-depth test to earn their credentials. ACT! Premier Trainers are ACT! Certified Consultants who attend a specialized 2-day training class designed and taught solely by The CRM Connection’s Elaine Wirth on behalf of ACT!. ACT! Certified Consultants are also required to “recertify” with the release of each new version. Most consultants and trainers understand that knowledge and experience are their most valuable assets and staying current on the latest products and technology is paramount to their success and yours. In addition to receiving training from ACT!, ACT! Certified Consultants have access to private technical resources and many are part of informal alliances with other consultants or are members of formal consulting alliances such as The CRM Alliance or CRM Complete Solution. Alliances help consultants and trainers by giving them access to additional technical resources which in turn will benefit you, the client.

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With expert advice and innovative ideas, consultants can help you meet your business objectives and improve productivity with proven, reliable solutions. ACT! Certified Consultants offer a wide variety of services, such as design and customization to 3rd party product selection and integration. While many specialize in particular solutions and industries, a general list of services includes:

• Needs Assessment
• System Design
• ACT! Hosting Service
• Database Customization
• Data Integration
• 3rd Party Software for ACT!
• Custom Reporting
• Training
• Software Acquisition

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For example, database customization includes the creation of custom contact data fields and tables, company and groups fields, screen layouts, sales process and opportunity fields, custom activities, menus and basic work flow. Below is an example of ACT! upon initial installation (figure 1) and an example of a customized database (figure 2).

As independent consultants, ACT! Certified Consultants and ACT! Premier Trainers set their own rates which vary considerably from market to market. Different pricing options may be available such as hourly services or fixed fee engagements. Be sure to ask for references of clients who’ve hired them for projects similar to yours. The important thing to focus on when making a decision to hire a consultant or trainer is not the cost, but the return on investment (ROI).

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Once you’ve selected a consultant, a typical engagement begins with a needs assessment where your consultant will conduct management interviews to learn about how information flows within the organization. During this process, consultants will review data management and security, determine reporting requirements and a training curriculum and identify the existing computer infrastructure. The consultant will identify the various versions of ACT! and network configurations available. These versions range from ACT! installed on networked workstations connected to a central database to ACT! installed on remote computers for offline access and internet synchronization to ACT! for Web. ACT! for Web can be accessed via either Internet Explorer® or Safari (® requires ACT! Premium - Corporate Edition) browser to ACT! on Terminal or Citrix® Server or any combination of the above. NOTE: Not all versions of ACT! are supported by Internet browsers, Terminal Server and Citrix. The consultant will work with you to determine which configuration and version works best for your needs and make sure infrastructure is in place to support it