Juggling diverse client relationships? Check out Google Streak.

Put your CRM on a hot streak.  

Per usual, Triumph received no financial compensation from the companies for writing this article. Straight from the heart, baby.

The joys of social interaction 

Ah, people. The best (or for some of us, the worst) part about embarking on a new venture. Like it or not, dealing with the public is part and parcel of just about any new business or creative project. As the saying goes, no man is an island unto himself (or an island at all—not sure why we are talking about islands in the first place?). Eventually, the dreaded collaboration will come. And when it does, managing diverse client relationships can get pretty tricky.

If you want to impress with a personal touch, there can be quite a bit to remember. Who is who? What are their likes and dislikes? When is their kid’s birthday—you get the point. The most elite adventurers remember the small things. For a select few gifted extroverts, that comes naturally (kudos to you). For most of the adult world, a little help would be nice.

Once you’ve racked up enough clients, and remembering the small things becomes anything but small, consider looking for some automated assistance. Remember, it’s okay to ask for help. It’s the first step on the road to recovery.

Client relationships are important—and not everyone is as naturally gifted with them as Michael Scott.

If you don’t enjoy the same natural abilities as our gifted Scranton middle manager, fear not. We have some suggestions.

Thankfully for the modern adventurer, God created CRM, or Client Relationship Management systems. For those unfamiliar, CRM systems can help lessen the relationship load by creating custom profiles for individual clients. From there, all of the client’s information can be easily referenced: past orders, future requests, upcoming meetings, personal anecdotes—you name it—all in one easy to access location.

Try thinking of CRM as a really in-depth dating profile on each of you customers that you can integrate into your existing supply chain. Use this special knowledge to woo them into a second date (and more sales!). Traditionally, CRM systems went for a pretty penny and were largely out of reach for new, small, or independent adventures. Thankfully, times change, and Google has entered the marketplace with an affordable option for the masses.

This would be our friend Google Streak (points for name creativity, we guess), the intuitive and economical option for adventurers with multiple clients.

Let’s go streaking (sorry, we had to)

Streak’s own tagline does a pretty bang-up job of describing their offering, so we’ll let them take it from here: “Track everything, and always have context.” That pretty well sums it up.

 Looking to track sales leads and close deals? Check. More interested in project management timelines to organize unique suppliers and tasks? Can do. Looking to foster customer relationships through individual client profiles? Too easy. Need to streamline your customer service or hiring process with more detailed information on each individual ticket or applicant? Roger that, Maverick.

Oh, and, if (somehow) none of those features tickled your fancy, Streak also has a freeform function customizable to fit just about any unique need. Like we said, no matter how weird the business model, Streak can bring something to the table (and if you happen to make tables, they can help you bring that too). Oh, and, if you already have a Gmail account, you can seamlessly integrate Streak across all of your devices with just a few clicks. Don’t have a Gmail? Not to worry. You can still easily integrate with just a few more clicks.

Along with the productivity-boosting features we outlined above, Streak also enjoys some pretty serious endorsements. In addition to being named Google’s 2018 Partner of the Year (an award we didn’t know existed but are still impressed by), Streak is also trusted by major players like Uber, WeWork, OpenDoor, and Keller Williams—just to name a few. As that list demonstrates, regardless of your industry niche, Streak probably has something for you.

Ugh but this sounds complicated

Wrong. Streak’s user interface is about as straightforward as they come. The entire system operates similarly to a shared spreadsheet linked via company Gmail accounts. Do you know how to use email? Nice. Do you know how to use a spreadsheet? Of course, you do, you’re brilliant and read Triumph. Well then, congratulations, you’ve essentially already mastered Google Streak. Mazel tov.

What if I’m never at my desk?

Just as good. Google Streak’s entire program is optimized for mobile. If you’re always on the run, go ahead and build your CRM portfolio from anywhere.

What of the fees?

While Google Streak may not be free, it is much more affordable than most CRM products. And the company will let you take them on a few dates before officially committing—14 days’ worth of dates, to be exact.

Before we hop into specifics, please note that Streak also offers a free version with very limited functionality. If you’re still on the fence of whether a CRM system is right for you, we recommend giving this a go to see how it fits into your business model.

Now, to the paid versions. First up: the Solo plan (+50 points for name creativity). For a $15 monthly charge per user (billed annually), Solo riders can enjoy online order tracking and basic CRM features for up to 5,000 clients. Not everything you could want in a CRM program, but still a solid deal.

For those willing to upgrade to the Pro plan (minus five points for creativity), features expand considerably. For a $49 monthly fee per user (billed annually), your team will have access to all the advanced CRM features we outlined above for an unlimited number of clients. That’s pretty nifty, and its why Pro is the package we recommend for most adventurers.

For the immense adventure, Streak also offers an Enterprise package solution—but you’ll have to contact the company directly for a quote. In a nutshell, Enterprise plans offer similar features to the Pro plan that are tailored to the existing systems of a major company. Oh, and the Enterprise plan also comes with top tier personalized customer support (a CRM company practicing good CRM. CRM-ception, if you will).

We’re on a hot streak

Ready to take your custom relationship game to the next level? Ready to start wheeling and dealing and closing sales? Ready to finally remember what the heck your biggest client’s son’s first name is? Then ditch the bundles of sticky notes and streak on over (figuratively only, please) to Google Streak today.  

As always, feel free to Ask Triumph with any additional questions and consider Supporting the Team.

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All views expressed in the article are opinions of the author and should not be misconstrued as professional consulting or legal advice. Users are responsible for verifying all information before taking action, and Triumph Group LLC is not responsible for any outcomes. Pursue subjects at your own risk. Seriously, man. It’s your life.