Much like linking to the GDS, a good CRM will also benefit our affiliate companies. By making this for them we increase their efficiency, productivity so increasing our turnover.

But also via the back door, we are making it easier for them to work with our stock than that of others. Plus if they have their own stock they will see more value to allowing us to tap into their databases.

The bottom line is the more efficient we can make our partners the more market share they will gain against their current and future competitors, the more turnover they will generate and the more profit we make.

Traditional CRM software is designed to increase productivity and brand love. An organiser of client’s information diarised to keep the sales staff admin efficient and increase customer interaction, by forms or reminders and auto functions like a thank you email after their clients have finished their holiday. Sienna will go a lot further.

If we look at the example on the right where one is reminded of a client’s birthday and at a touch or a button a list of gifts to send is presented. This example is just one of many functions that will be available from the organiser, all of which will be as simple to use.

I have used the two market leading CRM programs in South Africa. The trouble with them is they are multipurpose, made to be used by all industries which make them hard to program to your specific industries needs, they have minimal financial integration, need a dedicated server to run and email tracking is manual. I battled with both of them, hiring consultants and dedicating senior staff to implementation but to no avail, eventually after thousands of dollars and hundreds of man hours we gave up. Our affiliate targets will have had the same problems and I’m sure they will warm to Sienna’s CRM very quickly.

For Management and Customer Services,

Once the sales personal has made the booking someone needs to look after the clients, we could not find any software anywhere that kept a management overview of client’s payments and movements.

Using the information put into the CRM by the Sales Persons we can construct a easy to use calendar view of all clients movements arrivals and departures by linking to the financial system covered next all their payment information will be available as well. A perfect overview for Management and Clients liaison officers.

When we branch into other industries, say fashion we can customise it to the trade. Eventually when we offer the Sienna Software to the public, they too will find the organiser tab as I have called it very useful, like Face book it will remind you of your friends and relatives birthdays, but with the advanced option of offing to send cards and presents.