What I want is pretty simple. I want to send an email to a CRM system. The CRM will parse the email and add a contact or task/note to an existing contact. I don't want to actually go to the CRM unless I'm looking to create reports, review stuff, etc.
It would be pretty simple. It would require a small amount of standardized language and formatting in the email. For instance this would be in the body of an email that I send to smallbox@mydreamcrm.com-
Name: John Smith
Email: johnsmith@gmail.com
Company: JohnSmith Inc
Follow Up: 03/01/2011
Note: had lunch, great guy, might be interested in a new website in third quarter.
Referral: Fred Jones
You could add a note or attachment to an existing contact by simply sending an email without the name. You could also do things like- follow up in 2 weeks and the system would understand it.
Email: johnsmith@gmail.com
Contract: submitted
Value: $20,000
Timeline: 6 months
Work: Website
Note: followed up with proposal attached
Follow Up: 2 weeks
(and then attach the file to the email)
Once I get the signed contract back I would then send it off to the CRM as well
Email: johnsmith@gmail.com
Contract: signed
Notes: kicked off project 3/15/2011
(attach signed contract)
This would then change the status of the lead to a converted sale. If there was additional work then you could do the following.
Email: johnsmith@gmail.com
Contract: new
Value: $12,000
Timeline: 12 months
Work: Marketing
Note: we are now working on marketing the new website.
(attach signed contract)
I can imagine expanding this a little and there would be more fields.
My problem with CRMs is that they aren't in my path, I have to leave my email account to go into a CRM. Then I'm bouncing between them, copying and pasting, etc. It's a mess. With this I could work within my inbox and my CRM would collect everything and send it back to me on schedule. I could then review sales leads, see which ones converted, etc.
Does this exist? If so, I can't find it. I gotta think I'm not the only one that would want something like this.