Integrating new software solutions into your team’s operations can be costly and time-consuming for any size business. The dedicated team at Softech Solutions alleviates these burdens by working with businesses of all sizes and technical ability to adopt and integrate new technologies into their business operations quickly.
Softech Solutions helps small and mid-sized businesses install Act!’s CRM and marketing automation products while offering a variety of consulting and training options that simplify adoption and help teams get the most out of Act!’s features and tools. We recently spoke to the owner of Minnesota-based Softech Solutions, Jill Gibson, on how Act!’s simplistic design and intuitive features help her customers overcome operational obstacles.
Q: Please tell us more about Softech Solutions—its history, offerings, expertise, etc.
I started Softech all the way back in 2005. Working as an application and project management specialist for many years, I made the decision to start my own company, offering clients consultation and training, as well as custom programming and design, on various contact management systems—most notably Act!. My expertise lies in contact management system design, business process implementation, and customised database design. I love working with clients to help them not only understand third-party integrations but also to help define contact management needs and programme and implement customised database designs to support those needs.
Q: In what types of industries are your target customers? Please share any key industry verticals, customers’ specific business needs, etc.
Softech has a diverse client base in terms of company size and industry, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to single-seat users, from manufacturing and retail to the healthcare and financial sector, and more. That is what makes Act! great; whether I’m working with accounts with 40 users or just five, Act! provides a range of products that can meet the unique needs of companies of any size and industry.
Q: What differentiates Softech Solutions from its competitors?
The fact that I am part of a small team at Softech and can work one-on-one with each client. This gives me the ability to build a unique relationship and understanding of each of my client’s goals and visions. In turn, I can take a more holistic approach to my consulting so that I’m not just implementing and training teams on Act! software, but also suggest integrating different Act! tools—like marketing automation—and customisation options that can improve operations based on my knowledge of the client’s long-term goals.
Q: Are there common roadblocks customers run into when setting up a CRM system?
Customers’ biggest challenge is data storage, specifically how to properly segment and compartmentalise data. Merging data from multiple systems onto one CRM can be exciting and overwhelming for my clients. They see the capabilities Act! has to offer and instantly want to add custom fields and boundaries to their data gathering without any idea of how the tools work or what they’re looking for. That’s where I come in because I help qualify data and then train employees to optimise their Act! CRM and tools to gather key insights and protect their strongest assets.
Q: As someone who has used Act! for years, how have you seen the solution evolve?
As a certified Act! consultant for the last 17 years, I would be remiss not to discuss the evolution of its marketing automation. The marketing automation tool has become so much more intuitive over the years, so onboarding teams already taking advantage of Act!’s CRM is a seamless process. It makes marketing so much easier; my clients don’t know how they lived without it! By automating a lot of the marketing operations on Act!’s CRM solutions, teams can generate more content, which helps each of my clients who use marketing automation in terms of growth and exposure. In fact, I have a 100% conversion rate for clients once they see the results made from Act!’s marketing automation tools.
To learn more about how Softech Solutions can help your business with its training and CRM needs, visit its website.
