BatchBlue Software, a small startup, has been online since 2006. BatchBook RoyalBlue Edition, focusing on social networking and small businesses, is their flagship CRM service. BatchBook aims to supply a CRM solution for SMBs that are already focused on building networks, including good working relationships with vendors, clients, partners, and the press. From the point of view of an entrepeneur, BatchBook might not be as scalable or powerful as Salesforce.com, but it is the easiest to understand and adapt.
BatchBlue products are priced differently than its competitors. They offer 5 main packages, which each support a certain number of users for a fixed monthly price. NavyBlue, which provides 2 GB of storage a month for one user; DeepBlue, offering storage of 5 GB for three users; RoyalBlue, offering storage of 10 GB for ten users, which makes it a good starting point for SMBs; KingFisher, with 25 GB of storage for up to twenty users; and Indigo, which gives you unlimited storage for up to fifty users. Salesforce.com Professional, on the other hand, will set you back a staggering $65 a month for each user.
All of the aforementioned packages offer unlimited contacts, Webinar access, SSl security, customizable web forms, SuperTags, and free 30-day trials. The first four options also offer one-on-one consultation for up to two hours with a BatchBlue rep, to assist you in tailoring the service to your particular needs. The Indigo package takes this up to four hours for consultation. According to BatchBlue, consultations are helpful in identifying the best features for the size of your business and workforce, setting up workflows, and making you familiar with the interface, as well as your options in tracking what relates to your services or products.
BatchBook, like other CRM services, groups together items such as customer service tickets, invoices, and e-mail. Some more traditional steps, like moving contacts to opportunities, are removed. It places more emphasis on monitoring social networks like Twitter and Facebook, which many of the bigger names neglect.
The service is unique in helping to monitor social networks right from the start. As soon as a new account is set up, BatchBook takes the name of your business and automates searches for del.ic.ious, Flickr, LinkedIn, and Twitter, as well as Google Blog Search and Google News. BatchBook puts a lot more emphasis than similar products on managing the online reputation of your business.
Anyone who’s used Mint will be familiar with BatchBook’s overview page, showing recent sales and account activity, as well as a to-do list. it also displays search boxes for common sites such as Google News, as well as any recent coverage in the media of your company. The Calendar page has a monthly schedule of follow-up calls, events, and to-do items, and a typical Contact page will show basic information along with SuperTags, attachments, preferences for means of contact, and how the contact was introduced. BatchBook can build your network by pulling in Gmail contacts, V-cards, CSV files, or ACT information that uses templates defined by you up front.