Professional Website Design

What ACT Needs

 Over the years many people have asked me about the technology I employ.  One of the constants that keeps me on top of everything is Act (www.act.com).  I’ve used it, and quite simply, it has helped me win business without question.  Outlook as a Contact Management tool is worthless.  I use Act in many different ways, and link it to my Blackberry by using the program Companion Link (sounds like a dating service, I know) www.companionlink.com.

 Unfortunately sometimes I think Act is programmed and run by people who are not in sales and seem unconscious when it comes to attributes that need to be incorporated into their program.  Therefore, here is a list of needs as I see it—though this list can be added to and suggestions are welcome.  As a sidebar, as I’m not a Act expert as some are, if any of these capabilities are in fact part of Act already, I welcome the correction!

The Dashboard

 The current dashboard looks like it was created for someone with too much time on their hands.  Act needs to create a Daily Dashboard that has more real and usable info and is highly customizable.  Email should be imported from Outlook along with email files and can be viewed from dashboard.

 Dashboard also has work week schedule view, along with separate or combined task list, with the capability to have each type of task in its own column.  For instance, Call List, Email list, To Do, Meetings, etc., all visible on the Dashboard.  The idea is to remove the gimmicky nature of the current dashboard, and incorporate something with real applicability and usability.

 Automatic Roll Over of Scheduled Items

 Every night at Midnight Act 6.0 would query the user to “Roll Over” items that were not completed, and that were set up to roll over.  Now, in the current version, the user must close Act and re-open it in order to roll over schedule d items. 

 Scheduling of Database Maintenance

 Again, Act 6.0 offered this feature and it kept the user on top of this much needed function.  This should be a part of every Act version.

 Quick Schedule

 Act should have a button that enables the user to “Quick Schedule” an item to the “My Contact,” this would save several steps when you just want to quickly schedule something.

 V-Card

 Ability to quickly and seamlessly import a V-Card into a new Act Contact. 

 Email scheduling

 The ability to schedule an email just like a call or a meeting.  Also with the capability to create an email and schedule a time in the future for it to be automatically sent.

 Splash page

 Is anyone tired of looking at these people when they open Act?  Have the splash page be just the Act logo with the version number.

 Scheduling

 Scheduling should have customizable radio button capabilities to increase speed, instead of drop downs which make for additional click, and therefore waste time.

 Dialer

 The Act Dialer should have the ability to dovetail with one’s daily call list imported from the Task List.  This therefore will enable the user to create a call list that the Dialer automatically dials, therefore speeding the ability to move through one’s call sheet (example, call sheet is imported onto the Dashboard and the user has the ability to use the dialer right from the Dashboard).

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