So I’m reviewing my messages in GMail this evening and happened to glance over at the Google AdWords. In the top spot is an ad for Junxure CRM and boasts how “Version 7 Rocks!” (the mixed use of upper and lower case is interesting, too)
Isn’t Junxure on version 8 now?
ProTracker Software Inc., the makers of ProTracker Advantage, announced an update to its resident CRM system (i.e. not SaaS or cloud service) as well as a new version of its Compliance Manual.
Full coverage of the releases is provided by Davis Janowski at Investment News.
ProTracker Advantage is a CRM system originally developed by Warren J. Mackensen, a fee-only planner in Hampton, N.H., for use in financial planning and wealth management firms.
In my opinion, ProTracker is a suitable CRM solution for advisers who seek a system with a lower learning curve than competitors and one that is not hosted over the Internet (and subject to service interruptions and less-than-realtime performance). Although one drawback of locally-installed programs is that someone must perform the update to the latest version!
E-Z Data, the provider of SmartOffice, a web-based CRM solution for financial services, was acquired by Ebix, Inc. today for $50.35 million. The acquisition will enhance the company’s existing EbixExchange platform to include E-Z Data’s robust CRM product.
Read the full press release on the Ebix Inc. website and read E-Z Data’s statement to SmartOffice customers on its website.
Sure enough, yesterday I posted about announcements coming from technology vendors leading up to Schwab’s IMPACT 2009 Conference.
Today, Tamarac Inc., best known for their SaaS rebalancing solution, announced the release of its Tamarac Advisor® 9 platform (coverage from InvestmentNews). This platform expands on the company’s rebalancing offering to include the following technologies:
Following on Monday’s post regarding LifestreamBackup, I learned of another service that is designed to capture and archive messages posted through Twitter.
CagedTweets is another utility that captures and archives comments posted on Twitter. Customers have three options of service depending on the number of Twitter accounts to be archived. Archiving of one account runs $50 and covers 3 years of service (I think), ten accounts runs $100, and firm-wide archiving runs $500.
Unfortunately their website does not have a demonstration of how the service works, nor is a free trial offered to test the service. Yet I have to hand it to the folks behind CagedTweets; they are offering this service through rapid development after being inspired by an April 27 Wall Street Journal article on compliance requirements involving social media.
Still, I’m inclined to endorse LifestremBackup over CagedTweets for two main reasons. First, the former tool features connections to other social media services in addition to Twitter, and second, the service is offered for a very similar price as CagedTweets.
However, according to their website, users who sign up for CagedTweets before the end of July will receive free archiving for all social media applications added to the service.
Check out CagedTweets through this link.
(Hat tip to @jrueckert for mentioning CagedTweets to me)
I’m busy working on the final slides for a presentation I’m delivering to the Mid-Oregon chapter of the FPA on Tuesday, March 17. Lunch is served at 12:30PM, the first speaker begins at 1:00PM, and my session begins after 2:00PM. I’ve been asked to provide an overview of the CRM software market (not a small task!) and also provide easy productivity tips that can help financial advisers get the most out of each workday.
If you’re in the local vicinity, I encourage you to sign up for what I hope will be a very informative presentation.
Click here to visit the FPA of Mid-Oregon meeting page. Cost is just $55 for FPA members, $65 for all others.
Pre-registration (at least 24 hours in advance) is strongly advised for all chapter meetings. To pre-register contact the Chapter Executive Director, Linda Barba at (541) 284-9855. Please leave your name, membership status, sessions attending, and number of guests.
This is my first in-depth review of an application targeted for financial advisers. Please post your comments on things like image quality, layout, and descriptions to help me improve the review process.
After exchanging several tweets with Bradd Delmuto (@bdelmuto), I attended a demonstration of AdviceAmerica, Inc.’s new ClientVision CRM utility. Bradd was very helpful in coordinating a live demo with Gary Kinghorn, director of product management for AdviceAmerica. Gary walked me through many of the features of this new program that I’ll share with you below.
First, some background. AdviceAmerica has been around since 1999 and financial advisers may recognize the company for its AdvisorVision product, a web-based financial planning software tool now in its 7th major release. For more on the company’s AdvisorVision offering, read Joel Bruckenstein’s review in the November 2006 edition of Financial Advisor Magazine.
Update: AdvisorVision 7.0 was reviewed in July 2009 by Joel Bruckenstein in this Morningstar Advisor article.
Do Advisers Need Another CRM?
The Internet community (including the Twitter population) is buzzing about the latest Terms of Service posted by Facebook this week regarding the company’s unrestricted rights to use any content posted on their site. This resulted in significant backlash from irate users, whereupon Facebook promptly revised the terms. For more details, read:
PC World: Facebook Owns Your Business Data
CNN: Expert: Social networkers risk ‘losing control’ of privacy
AP: Facebook backtracks on terms of use after protests
There’s a lesson in this story for financial advisers. Yes, you can prevent client backlash by polling them ahead of implementing new policies. This principle also applies to vendors to the financial services industry.
FPPad readers, go get a free copy of Acronis True Image 10 Personal Edition today!
Update 2/3/09: The website is back online. Try registering again.
I found out about this deal from LifeHacker.com where they have this to say about the disk image backup solution:
True Image does offer backup archive validation, a recovery disk creator, a startup interrupter that can re-apply a backup image, and other tools for those shaking their fists at the Windows gods.
See the full LifeHacker.com write-up by clicking here. Advisers need to think about full disk imaging solutions in disaster recovery and business continuity plans. When (not if) your main server’s hard drive fails, what will you do? Dig up yesterday’s backup tape and run a full restore? How long will that take?
I’m attending Andrew Gluck’s Financial Crisis Webinar today featuring Mark Tibergien, CEO of Pershing Advisor Solutions, LLC.
Part of what Andrew did was use a short survey to gather feedback from people who registered for the webinar
Read Andrew’s blog How Advisors Are Responding to the Crisis.
Andrew listed many comments from advisers that feature all sorts of strategies and ideas. It’s a lengthy list, and I must admit, I didn’t get a sense of what the majority of respondents were doing.
Enter the Tag Cloud.
