Choosing a database for holding customer information

Hi, I started my own business at the start of year. Luckily enough business has been growing (!) and Im now looking for a better way to manage my customer information. Initially I was just keeping their address and phone numbers in Outlook and all other general information about their business types and personal details etc have all just been kept in my head!

It's getting to the point now though where I have too many customers to be doing that effectively and I want to create some sort of database with my customer information in it.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a cost-effective package or method of doing this? Sorry if this is too vague... I can give more info if needed, just didn't want to harp on with a long post if it was all a bit irrelevant anyway!

Thanks in advance for any replies.

There are loads of free CRM systems online you can use e.g. zoho crm

I had the same system as you until I built a password protected CMS for myself. I can add all of my clients, suppliers, employees and projects and update the details off all of the above whenever I like. I can also set myself tasks that have to be completed by a certain date so when I log on to my CMS the most pressing tasks are at the top of the list.

If you like I might be able to put a copy of it online for you so you can give it a test run. I designed and built it myself. Let me know.

It's built in ASP so you can run it online or you can put it on your PC if you have Microsoft Windows Professional. I might try and build a php version also. That way anyone can put it on their PC and it will be safe and secure.

SAGE ACT system is a pretty good CRM (customer relationship management) with good facilities for tracking sales activity. Microsoft have a similar product that integrates nicely with Outlook, though I can't quite recall the name at the moment.

Don't try and build your own. When you buy a standard off-the-shelf package, you will benefit from ongoing improvements in that package for nominal cost.

Complainer said:

SAGE ACT system is a pretty good CRM (customer relationship management) with good facilities for tracking sales activity. Microsoft have a similar product that integrates nicely with Outlook, though I can't quite recall the name at the moment.

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Microsoft Sharepoint is that what it's called? I think it is built so multiple users can access it at the same time. I think it builds in the business development side of things as well as just a CRM.

Here's more - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_SharePoint

no, sharepoint is a different system, does loads of other things.

Microsoft one is called Dynamics CRM

My apologies. What's Dynamics CRM like? Any links?

search google for it