Sage ACT! 2013 ROADSHOW COMING TO SOUTH FLORIDA

ACT 2013 upgrade
I am excited to be hosting the Fort Lauderdale ACT 2013 Road Show at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday, August 22nd from 8 – 10 AM.  The event is free and open to the public but prior registration is required. The event kicks off at 8 AM in the auditorium of the Carl DeSantis Building with a complimentary continental breakfast. My presentation will start with a demo...

ACT Software History

ACT 2012
A few weeks ago I wrote about some of the changes that ACT! has experienced during its 25 year history.  I received a call this week from one of the original ACT! co-founders , Mike Muhney,  prompting me to take you on another trip down Memory Lane in Mike’s own words. “The mid-1980s were a vibrant, competitive time, even compared to today’s software landscape.  At the time, the PC software...

Zen and the Art of ACT! Database Maintenance

act database maintenance
Back in the days of ACT! 6 (was that really ten years ago?) my telephone message asked callers if they had recently “Compressed and Re-Indexed” their database.  Back then, there was no way to automate this process although a reminder could be set to prompt a user to run maintenance.  Unfortunately, many ACT! users either ignored the prompt – or didn’t know how to set it to begin with. Fast...

Sage ACT’s New Upgrade Policy

ACT 2012 Upgrade
When you order software from Tech Benders we make sure that all of your pre-sale questions are answered honestly, and that you get the best possible price for your ACT! software.  I also make sure you purchase the ACT! version which is the most suitable to your business.  We even discount from the MSRP price that Sage quotes you. Currently, customers on any prior version of Sage ACT! are eligible...

ACT! Software Naming Conventions

act 2012
I have a page on my website that offers free software for the old ACT! 6 product.  Unfortunately,  ACT! 2006 users frequently try to download and install those freebies and find that they don’t work.  Let me make this abundantly clear – ACT! 6 and ACT! 2006 are not the same product. If you’re not yet confused, let me try harder.  Potential clients will call with questions on “ACT! 8”...

ACT! E-Marketing Vs “The Other Guy”

act remote options
I often expound on the virtues of ACT! E-Marketing, formerly known as Swift Page E-mail.  I thought I’d share a conversation with one of my clients who had some reservations about switching to ACT! E-Marketing from one of the “other guys.” “Hey Karen, I know you push ACT! E-Marketing.  I use MailChimp and I’m pretty happy with it.  Tell me why you think I should switch to ACT! E-Marketing.” “Well...

Happy 25th Birthday ACT!

sage act software
Wow!  As hard as it is to believe the ACT! software program turned 25 this month.  If you’re into numbers that translates into 14 versions, five named owners and millions of users. I received an e-mail this week from a long ACT! user who was complaining about everything from the confusing naming conventions for ACT! software to the fact that his old ACT! wouldn’t do any “new tricks” but that...

So Write a Book Already

act 2012 for dummies
Hard as it is to believe, I’ve written over a dozen books on technology and created training videos on ACT! and Outlook.  Trust me, writing is a labor of love.  My “day job” is to help my clients utilize CRM software to make themselves – and their businesses – more efficient, effective and profitable.  For me, writing was a second job that required untold hours of my time during the evenings...

ACT Dynamic Groups

act advanced query
The other day I was working with a client when his ACT! alarms window opened; I must say that the number of alarms he had was, well, alarming.  He quickly clicked the Select All button, selected Snooze and put all the alarms to rest for the remainder of the day.  Curiosity got the better of me so I headed over to his Task List where I saw that the date filter was set to Today.  I changed the filter...

Creating an Effective ACT EMarketing Plan

act emarketing help
A couple of years ago, I sold my old house and bought a new one.  The same realtor handled both transactions; her commissions made her a happy woman.  Ironically, the first piece of US mail I received in my new home was a postcard addressed to “Current Resident” asking me if I’d like to sell my home. In your business, what loyal customer wants to find out that new customers are eligible for...