Case Study

CRM for Consultants

Find out how MarKee Partners uses OnePageCRM and the success they have had after implementing a CRM

MarKee Partners, a consulting business with a proven track record in commercializing medical devices, specializes in assisting founders and investors in evaluating the feasibility of their ideas and transforming them into profitable businesses. In order to effectively support their clients in product commercialization, MarKee Partners recognizes the importance of staying abreast of recent market trends, conducting comprehensive research, engaging with various investors, offering actionable and tailored recommendations, and implementing an efficient follow-up system.

Previously, MarKee Partners relied on a combination of project management tools and spreadsheets to manage their client communication and business operations. However, as the company experienced significant growth, they realized that their existing approach was no longer effective.

Consequently, Barry Marston, one of the founders of MarKee Partners, embarked on a search for a solution that would enable faster lead qualification and enhance overall business operations. The goal was to find a customer relationship management (CRM) tool that struck the right balance between simplicity and the essential features required by their rapidly expanding enterprise. Barry dedicated time to comparing different CRM systems, exploring user testimonials, and understanding the reasons behind their tool choices.

“OnePageCRM is the right combination: simple to use but it has very deep capabilities.” – Barry Marston, MarKee Partners Co-Founder

During his research, Barry observed that many CRM platforms were laden with excessive features that were unnecessary for their company’s needs. These overly complex tools tended to hinder the execution of simple tasks that MarKee Partners aimed to accomplish.

However, Barry’s search led him to the discovery of OnePageCRM, which stood out due to its distinctive combination of user-friendly interface and robust functionality. This CRM solution appeared to align perfectly with MarKee Partners’ requirements, offering a streamlined approach to managing their operations while still providing the necessary capabilities to support their growth trajectory.

Making the most of OnePageCRM

MarKee Partners, a consulting business specializing in the commercialization of medical devices, has found several compelling reasons to choose OnePageCRM as their preferred tool for business growth and process optimization. In an interview with Barry, we discovered the top six factors driving MarKee Partners’ adoption of OnePageCRM.

Next Actions and the Action Stream

OnePageCRM’s distinctive feature, the Action Stream, has resonated with MarKee Partners. This feature empowers users to assign tasks and set follow-up reminders for each contact within the CRM. The system then automatically organizes these tasks based on their urgency.

This functionality enables business owners and sales professionals to commence each day with a clear plan of the next actions to take and which contacts should be contacted that day.

MarKee Partners has embraced this action-oriented approach by utilizing OnePageCRM to manage all their leads. Each lead is associated with a specific task (Next Action) and a corresponding due date.

The Action Stream example: OnePageCRM’s unique and powerful feature.

Ensuring Timely Follow-up with Clients

Barry, a dedicated representative of MarKee Partners, places great importance on fulfilling his commitments when engaging with new clients. Whether it involves sharing a marketing report within a specified timeframe or any other promise made during client interactions, Barry relies on OnePageCRM to support him in delivering on his commitments.

By simply entering the relevant information into OnePageCRM, such as the promise to share a marketing report within a few days, the system takes charge of reminding Barry when the specified time arrives. This streamlined approach ensures that no promises are forgotten and enables Barry to maintain a high level of professionalism and reliability in his client interactions.

Enhancing Client Relationships and Streamlining Management

The adoption of OnePageCRM by MarKee Partners not only strengthens client relationships but also simplifies their management processes, eliminating the need for separate tools and systems. All relevant information is consolidated within the CRM platform, facilitating seamless access and efficient operations.

The Magic of the One-Page Concept

Previously, Barry and his team encountered challenges due to the scattered nature of their tasks across multiple applications and handwritten notes. However, with the implementation of OnePageCRM, everything is now consolidated in one central location, making it the centerpiece of their consulting business.

For instance, during customer calls, MarKee Partners can effortlessly switch to OnePageCRM, enter their notes, and set the Next Action with a specific due date—all within a single interface, eliminating the need for tedious back-and-forth exchanges.

Each contact in OnePageCRM is assigned an individual Contact Page, akin to a comprehensive profile. This page serves as a repository for all vital information, encompassing contact details, meeting notes, email conversations, and sales deals. Such consolidation ensures that critical details are easily accessible, fostering better organization and empowering MarKee Partners to deliver personalized and informed client interactions.

The Contact Page is similar to a client profile: All contact-related information is on one scrollable page.

The common challenge of searching for specific email correspondence or scattered meeting notes has plagued professionals in client-facing roles. The tedious task of sifting through numerous emails or relying on separate note-taking apps often leads to information loss or oversight.

OnePageCRM offers a compelling solution to this predicament. By centralizing all client-related information on a single, easily scrollable page, professionals like Barry at MarKee Partners can conveniently access and manage crucial details without the risk of misplacement or oversight.

Gone are the days of scouring through multiple emails to find a specific conversation or toggling between various note-taking applications. With OnePageCRM, all pertinent client information is presented in an organized and accessible format, empowering professionals to retrieve and review relevant details effortlessly. This streamlined approach not only saves time but also mitigates the risk of losing or forgetting critical client-related information.

Surpassing Project Management Tools

OnePageCRM’s Action Stream feature distinguishes it from conventional customer relationship management (CRM) tools. In addition to its comprehensive contact list, OnePageCRM automatically organizes all leads based on the urgency of their assigned Next Action. This unique functionality empowers MarKee Partners to efficiently prioritize their activities and stay on top of their client engagements.

Apart from the Action Stream, Barry leverages the pipeline feature within OnePageCRM to gain visibility into their progress with different clients. This visual representation enables MarKee Partners to track and monitor the various stages of each project. The Kanban view, specifically designed to facilitate task management, ensures smooth progress and alignment.

Having a clear overview of their operations equips MarKee Partners with the ability to provide real-time updates to clients. In response to client queries such as “How many qualified leads do we have?”, a quick glance at the pipeline in OnePageCRM allows Barry and his team to provide an instant overview of current status and future plans. This immediate access to relevant information strengthens client communication and enhances transparency, fostering a sense of trust and collaboration.

“OnePageCRM is our planning mechanism. We had used Trello before as a business planner. And then I went like: you know what, OnePageCRM is just as functional, plus I get to stay in contact with my clients and assign information to a specific customer rather than switching back and forth between applications, which was driving me crazy.” – Barry Marston, MarKee Partners Co-Founder

Gaining Insights and Empowering Client Updates

In addition to the Action Stream, Barry leverages OnePageCRM’s pipeline feature to gain valuable insights into MarKee Partners’ progress with different clients. This functionality allows them to track and visualize the stage at which each project currently stands. By utilizing the Kanban view, MarKee Partners effectively maintains project momentum and ensures seamless progress.

The comprehensive overview of their operations provided by OnePageCRM empowers MarKee Partners to deliver real-time updates to clients. When confronted with inquiries such as “How many qualified leads do we have?”, Barry and his team can swiftly address the question by referring to the pipeline in OnePageCRM. This quick glance not only offers the client an up-to-date snapshot of ongoing activities but also provides insights into future plans. This instant access to critical information allows MarKee Partners to keep clients informed on the fly, fostering effective communication and enabling them to make well-informed decisions based on current and projected project status.

Efficient Email Management Features

OnePageCRM offers a range of powerful email management features, including an integrated inbox that seamlessly syncs with popular email platforms like Gmail and Outlook. This functionality enables users to store all client-related emails directly within their CRM system.

Barry highlighted several benefits of this feature:

Filtered Email Storage: With OnePageCRM, only client-related emails are stored within the CRM, ensuring that spam, personal communication, and internal conversations do not clutter the system. This streamlined approach optimizes the CRM’s storage space, allowing for efficient organization and retrieval of essential client correspondence.
Enhanced Collaboration: The ability for every team member to access and review the history of client interactions within OnePageCRM fosters seamless collaboration. Even if a team member is on vacation or temporarily unavailable, others can seamlessly continue the conversation from where it was left off, ensuring uninterrupted client engagement.
Authentic Email Communication: OnePageCRM enables users to send emails directly from the CRM using their real email aliases (e.g., jane.doe@acme.test), ensuring that the messages retain their authenticity and credibility. This feature helps prevent emails from being flagged as spam and maintains a professional and reliable image when communicating with clients.
Advanced Email Functionality: In addition to sending and receiving emails, OnePageCRM offers a range of advanced features such as open tracking, the ability to send bulk emails to hundreds of contacts, the creation and utilization of email templates, and more. These capabilities enhance productivity and enable users to leverage efficient email communication within the CRM environment.

By incorporating robust email management features, OnePageCRM empowers businesses like MarKee Partners to streamline their communication processes, improve collaboration, and leverage advanced email functionalities for enhanced productivity and client engagement.

OnePageCRM has a dedicated email inbox that perfectly syncs with your favorite email client.

Seamless CRM Integrations

MarKee Partners successfully integrated OnePageCRM with Outlook and Mailchimp, harnessing the power of these integrations to enhance their business operations.

The integration with Mailchimp proves particularly beneficial for mass communication purposes. MarKee Partners leverages this integration when sending newsletters to multiple clients. Barry acknowledges the importance of repetition in sales, and the Mailchimp integration significantly reduces the time and effort required for sales representatives to individually reach out to each contact.

Exceptional Customer Support

OnePageCRM is renowned for its exemplary white-glove customer support. The company employs the principles of their CRM system to ensure that every client receives a personalized and attentive experience.

Barry emphasizes the reasons behind choosing OnePageCRM, stating, “Whenever I called or had questions about OnePageCRM, I received a response. That level of customer service is rare nowadays. Your support is outstanding, complemented by excellent training materials and topic-specific videos. All of these factors greatly facilitated our transition to OnePageCRM.”

Simple and Scalable CRM Solution for Consulting Businesses

As recognized by Forbes Advisors as one of the best simple CRMs of 2023, OnePageCRM offers scalability alongside its user-friendly interface. Despite its simplicity, the CRM system provides robust support for growing businesses like MarKee Partners.

Barry acknowledges that there are still numerous untapped features within OnePageCRM, highlighting the system’s ability to cater to evolving client needs. The continuous improvement efforts by OnePageCRM ensure that it remains the most effective CRM solution for professional services and consulting businesses.

By integrating seamlessly with popular tools and providing exceptional customer support, OnePageCRM empowers businesses like MarKee Partners to streamline their operations, drive growth, and unlock the full potential of their CRM implementation.

“What OnePageCRM does, and this is also what we try to teach our clients to do, is to find out what the customer wants. Find out what their unmet need is. How can we make it better? Talk to them instead of trying to tell them what they want.” – Barry Marston, MarKee Partners Co-Founder