A Product Sampler;

 

Sales management programs for microcomputers have been out for several years, gradually becoming integrated as they are today; most now come with word processing, mailing, and even calculating capabilities. INC. tried out a representative assortment -- listed in descending order of retail price. All were run on an IBM PC-type microcomputer, the dominant system in sales management software. (For the Apple Macintosh, only one such product, listed for reference, is available.) INC.'s conclusion: though a couple of integrated packages come close, probably no one product does everything that a sales team requires. Some can handle several reps at once, some may focus on telemarketing or on product sales, and some may accommodate expense reporting. As that presents an obvious dilemma for prospective users, to help point the way some brief observations and definitions follow.

Many of the products come in two additional editions: one for a laptop and one for a local-area network (LAN). The laptop version may not include all the functions of the original. With the LAN version, for which you need to install the local-area network itself, several microcomputers can be hooked together, so that a variety of interoffice interests -- accounting, personnel, manufacturing, and marketing, say -- can simultaneously share the centralized pool of information.

Snap

KLS Inc.

175 Canal St.

Manchester, NH 03101

(603) 623-5877

Retail price: $4,500

Requires 320 kilobytes computer memory

Local-area network version

Laptop version

Very fast, accessible account contact and lead tracker. Telemarketer. Can accommodate multiple users; individual files protected by password, all open to management. Utilizes generous three computer screens' worth of account-record detail; 51 fields (24 user-defined). Can count or total given field within a file, thus calculating cumulative dollar amounts or item frequencies. Auto-dials, scripts. Powerful file searcher. Performs sales-cycle, quality-of-lead analyses. Quasi-relational: certain entries in one sector automatically update in others. Exceptional word processor supports strong mail-merge. Many on-screen sequences that walk user through steps needed to customize program. Lacks expense-accounting function.

MarketFax

Scientific Marketing Inc.

3303 Harbor Blvd., Suite G-9

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

(714) 957-0225

Retail price: $1,795

Requires 640 kilobytes computer memory

Local-area network version

Laptop version

Comparatively inelastic multistep monitor of phone and letter campaigns. Crowded single-screen input form, overly cryptic codes track campaign history, to-do activities. No user-defined fields. No real search facility. Can script, autodial. Does mail-merge, has primitive word processor (but can import text from other word processors). Compiles call reports. Tracks costs of campaign.

The Sales Manager

Market Power Inc.

101 Providence Mine Rd., Suite 106-A

Nevada City, CA 95959

(916) 432-1200

Retail price: $575

Requires 320 kilobytes computer memory

Local-area network version

Laptop version

Focuses on sales-production analysis; product-line orientation tracks 200 products through user-assigned codes. Utilizes rigid single-screen account-record format; 30 fields, none user-definable. Each account manually linked to activity-history records. Has separate personnel, expense-account, sales files. Comes with 75 report forms; can generate complex custom reports. Built-in commission, quota, sales calculations. Can track 51 expense items, assign disbursements, analyze budgeted versus actual spending. User can add simple programming. Adequate mail-merge, word processor marginal. Can print 132-character-wide report as well as standard 80. Manual file search difficult. Screen images are slow to fill in while browsing through files.

SalesControl 2

Sales & Marketing Systems Inc.

1730-B Corcoran St., N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20009

(800) 832-0030

Retail price: $495

Requires 320 kilobytes computer memory

Local-area network version

Laptop version

Good sales management touches such as ability to perform cumulative arithmetic on a field. Can select ranges within numeric field, such as groups of zip codes. Adaptable to lead tracking, sales analysis. Fast, able performer, somewhat tricky to get around in, but has excellent help screens. Account record utilizes more than 50 fields (30 user-defined). Numerous codes, but awkward to enter them. Auto-dials. Word processor rather rudimentary. Can print 132-character-wide report. Does not accommodate browsing backward through records.

SaleMaker

Software of the Future Inc.

Box 531650

Grand Prairie, TX 75053

(800) 433-5355

Retail price: $495

Requires 512 kilobytes computer memory

Local-area network version

Laptop version

Directed at telephone-call management. Limited input: only contact names and phone numbers, plus five user-defined fields. Windows carry motivational messages, performance evaluation. Has optional auto-dial, scripting. Very fast, comprehensive retrieval. Stores 99 form letters; adequate word processor; limited mail-merge. Offers multiple-user version that distributes and remerges call lists to and from other computers. Has simple predesigned reports; reports can be customized. Cannot total fields.

Act!

Conductor Software Inc.

9208 W. Royal Ln.

Irving, TX 75063

(214) 929-4749

Retail price: $395

Requires 460 kilobytes computer memory

Laptop version

Slick contact-tracker, mainly for individual user. Two screens per account record; 66 fields (15 user-defined). Context-sensitive windows display choices for input to many fields. Responsive database functions. Records but does not analyze expense reports. Good word processor; fast letter-writer. Limited mail-merge. Auto-dials. Fillips: appointment calendar, on-screen calculator.

C.A.T. (Macintosh)

Chang Laboratories Inc.

5300 Stevens Creek Blvd.

San Jose, CA 95129

(408) 246-8020

Retail price: $340

Requires 512 kilobytes computer memory

Strikingly different feel from IBM types. Clever, agile, easy-to-manipulate account management for individual rep, and sales manager can import data from group of users. Described as relational database, links account record with contacts, activities, and calendar. Windowing menus activated by mouse. Can search for numeric or time range. Modest mail-merge. Report printing has font, type-size, type-style controls. Very limited file storage for customized reports.