A relatively new player on the CRM scene is RedCelsius Inc. (www.redcelsius.com) based in Alpharetta, GA. Built 100 percent in Java, the RedCelsius e-Business suite is a Web-based product suite that supports a company’s e-commerce and CRM processes in a single solution. Because of its 100 percent Java-based foundation, the software is compatible with most existing systems.

The sales module’s powerful account management function is impressive. It truly supports informed selling: a rep easily can see who in the company has been involved with an opportunity and in what manner. A quick click of a button provides a graphical organization chart for the account. Another click shows the opportunities for the account, including past profit/performance ratios and a graphical, color view of the financial impact a particular opportunity will have on current quota. The rep can accept or decline opportunities coming in. The sales interface is intuitive and informative. A bulletin board at the bottom of the screen notifies the rep of relevant customer news – “Distributor Top Hat Solutions has attained Premium status,” for instance.

The call center module empowers support reps to support the selling process because it informs them about the true value of a particular account. In a typical support organization where an integrated CRM system has not been implemented, customer service representatives have little information about the accounts they are working with, other than their trouble reporting history. With RedCelsius, support reps can view the account’s history across channels and notice, for example, that this is a customer who has a strong purchase record with the company, whether through direct sales, a distributor or the Web.

If the customer’s support agreement has expired, reps can use the account history information to make their own informed decision that these are valuable customers and provide them with support, rather than just summarily declining support until the contract is renewed. After the call is completed, the support reps can automatically notify the account reps of the need to update the account’s service contract.

The suite also includes modules for e-commerce, automated configuration, pricing and order entry, and marketing management. An e-media repository allows your company to make many types of materials, including collateral or even video presentations, available to potential or existing customers.