It virtually goes without saying, but the professional services sector is highly competitive. From accountancy firms, to marketing and PR consultancies through to IT, service providers are fighting for competitive advantage in the toughest economic climate any have yet encountered. The response has been to focus on cost rationalisation and productivity alongside customer retention through excellence of service.

Strong client relations are the lifeblood of professional services organisations, who win or lose business on the strength of their people. Having access to the right information at the right time is critical to building and developing relationships. Faced with an uncertain future, every contact, business opportunity and bid is more important than ever. With the complex relationships and networks of contacts that many professional services firms depend on to generate new and incremental business, systematically identifying and following up opportunities is crucial.

A CRM deployment tailored to this environment can transform business performance, allowing you to:

• Respond quickly to changes in client situations, the external market and economy to demonstrate how your organisation can help and support clients and prospects as their needs change
• Make sure that relevant information is accessible to all parts of the business
• Target the right person with the right information
• Cross-sell and up-sell - systematically identifying business opportunities
• Make the most of relationships by building a complete picture of the client’s status
• Reduce the amount of admin and research required for new business pitches
• Have vital information immediately accessible, regardless of location