Thanks for the added info Tom. I will spend some time with it when I get a chance. Al -------------------------------------------------- From: "Tom Servinsky" <tompiano at bellsouth.net> Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 6:14 AM To: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey at sbcglobal.net>; <pianotech at ptg.org> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Database for Piano Business > David reminded me of the T&C color code option, so let me jump in with a > few tweaks that I do. > One nifty things that I do is avoiding playing phone tag with customers, > which sometimes takes forever to get into the books.. > I now will return their call and give them a time and date which will work > for my schedule. I get a higher number of people agreeing to my time > suggestion right from the start. I then color code that appointment with > lime green ( why that color was picked, I haven't the foggiest idea) so > that appointment stands out on my schedule as a non-confirmed appointment. > When they call or return the email and confirm, then it goes to a > non-colored appointment. It's a quick and easy way to avoid phone tag > issues and getting people on the books quicker. It's a simple right click > on the mouse and the file icons pop up allowing the simple change. > I also have about 4 basic groups that get color coded ,especially on days > of concerts. Rehearsals get one color, final tuning prior to a concert > gets another color. Its an easy way to get my attention for the day's > details without getting too cumbersome. > I do send out reminders, both with emails and reminder cards. T&C allows > this with complete ease. > I use the categories section to determine which month and year the > customer is to be reminded.You can create as many categories as you want. > I have categories set up like this: > Jan 2009 > Jan 2010 > Jan 2011 > Feb 2009 > Feb 2010 > It's basically very old fashioned an nothing about this is rocket science. > When I complete the service appointment, I update the customer's category > with when I need to remind them. Then on any given month, you need only to > go to that month's category and open. Those who need reminded appear in > the contact list. Then go to the print command and determine which you > want to print. It also will allows you determine what type of label size > and form you want. Or you can print envelopes, if that's your choosing. > Quite honesty, this simple feature for tickling customers is why I have > stayed with T&C for so many years. It's quick and simple. > One of things I've mentioned to T&C folks about is allowing the use of a > create a pre-made reminder type of email card that could be applied to all > those due. I'm trying to gear all of my email-friendly customers to expect > reminders via email. Having a clever email that's pre-made as part of T&C > would be sweet. Now I have something I made and saved in My Documents and > do a cut and past. The nice thing about the T&C folks is that you can > actually call them up and discuss ideas for tweaks down the road. They > actually like getting feedback from users. If enough people suggest > something, it gets changed in the next update. Got to love these guys! > > Tom Servinsky > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey at sbcglobal.net> > To: <pianotech at ptg.org> > Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 7:27 PM > Subject: Re: [pianotech] Database for Piano Business > > >> #1 & 2 T&C has colors...they don't call them flags. When I finish an >> appointment...the next time I'm in the office I drag that contact in the >> calendar and change the date 1 year in advance...i.e. 2010. I change >> the Group on the appointment box to Service Due (which I type in and it >> can be anything I want...filled in from there on) Service Due has it's >> own color which is RED. Usually I drag them into a Monday which is my >> main office day. When that Monday comes around their appt is in Red and >> I know to call about the service due. I don't send out mailings, but >> T&C can certainly do that by using the user labeled catagories with Jan >> through Dec. and 2010, 2011 etc. You can click on the date and do a >> report...I never use it. Alarms for every appointment is available. I >> use them to alert me on my PDA that the next appointment is 1/2 hour >> away. >> #3 There are many views available and the contact view alone can be >> used. How do you keep your service notes at the time of the appointment? >> That's what I use my Notes for...I have a Palm Tungsten which syncs to >> T&C. Everything I enter at the customer is synced with the computer. >> I sure you have the same thing? >> #4 Each contact has a link to Mapquest tab on the computer screen. >> Same thing one click. Does your PDA have a picture of the map? Do you >> carry a computer with you? I have never tried to get a picture on my >> PDA...I know I can >> >> Basically, we all are use to what we use and are unwilling to take the >> time with a new program until we absolutely need too. I absolutely >> needed to, about 5- 6 years ago. I gave Outlook a long look and was >> using it until someone mentioned T&C on the List...never looked back. I >> was sold on the dragging contacts into the different areas. >> >> David Ilvedson, RPT >> Pacifica, CA 94044 >> >> ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- >> From: "Al Guecia/AlliedPianoCraft" <AlliedPianoCraft at hotmail.com> >> To: <dave at davispiano.com>, <pianotech at ptg.org> >> Received: 3/4/2009 4:08:01 PM >> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Database for Piano Business >> >> >>>Dave, maybe it's the way I use Outlook. >> >>>1, I set up my clients into 3 categories, a) Red Flag: customers who tune >>>on >>>a regular basis, b) Grey flag: Customers who are overdue. c) No Flag: >>>Customer who are over 1 year overdue. I can also make a note on the flag >>>as >>>to the tuning interval I want to set up. (3 months, 4 months, 6 months, >>>etc.) >> >>>2, I set up an alarm for when the next tuning is due. No need to use the >>>calendar to set up reminders. Each month on the first (that's the way I >>>set >>>it up) my alarm comes up with all the customers that are due to be tuned >>>that month. >> >>>3, All my customer information is on one page. No need to go into the >>>"note" >>>portion. >> >>>4, I hit one button and it take me to MS Maps and Directions with the >>>customers address already entered for directions. >> >>>I guess Outlook works better for my style of setup. I couldn't get T & C >>>to >>>do that. >> >>>Al >> >> >> >>>-------------------------------------------------- >>>From: "Dave Davis" <dave at davispiano.com> >>>Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 5:32 PM >>>To: <pianotech at ptg.org> >>>Subject: Re: [pianotech] Database for Piano Business >> >>>> Al, >>>> >>>> I found that T&C is much more powerful and user-friendly than Outlook. >>>> Not >>>> sure why it doesn't appear so to you. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Best regards, >>>> Dave Davis >>>> Davis Piano Service >>>> 425-226-0102 >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: "Al Guecia/AlliedPianoCraft" <AlliedPianoCraft at hotmail.com> >>>> >>>> Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 17:14:49 >>>> To: <pianotech at ptg.org> >>>> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Database for Piano Business >>>> >>>> >>>> I downloaded a trial version of T&C and worked with it a while. It >>>> really >>>> can't do what my MS Outlook can do and it if can, it's beyond my >>>> expertise >>>> to get it to do what I want. I'm sticking with my Outlook. >>>> >>>> Al >>>> >>>> >>>> -------------------------------------------------- >>>> From: "Mike Spalding" <mike.spalding1 at verizon.net> >>>> Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 2:31 PM >>>> To: <pianotech at ptg.org> >>>> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Database for Piano Business >>>> >>>>> PTBiz will export customer data only, via the "Mailmerge" function. >>>>> If >>>>> you try to open your PTBiz data with Microsoft Access, you will see a >>>>> list >>>>> of about 20 files, but the only one you can open is Mailmerge. >>>>> Apparently >>>>> the developer did something to make the others inaccessible. If some >>>>> database wiz out there could figure out how to unlock all of the >>>>> files, >>>>> we >>>>> could use Access to address the features we want, or to export all of >>>>> the >>>>> data to some other software. >>>>> >>>>> John Formsma wrote: >>>>>> On Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 10:22 AM, Ron Nossaman <rnossaman at cox.net >>>>>> <mailto:rnossaman at cox.net>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> I have a couple of questions. Can PTBiz export a comma delimited >>>>>> file of your database? >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> PTBiz will export a great deal of the data, but not all. It's been a >>>>>> while, but I think it will export everything but the piano data, >>>>>> invoicing, and the accounting. In other words, it exports customer >>>>>> information but not piano information. So, you're not totally out of >>>>>> luck -- just have to reenter piano data. >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> JF >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >> >> >> > > > >
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC