Thriving small businesses know an existing customer is worth their weight in gold. Using customer data mining software allows you to collect, identify, and manage your customers for higher levels of customer retention and loyalty. Building a customer database is a snap with an off-shelf desktop database. Expand your customer information beyond contact data to include key purchase, marketing, and demographic data. Leave your competitors behind by using an affordable desktop database solution.
1. Microsoft Access
Access is a welcomed addition to the Microsoft family of products. Access provides a small business the ability to organize and manage data for customer data mining and other data base solutions. Create a variety of reports and forms in your data base to connect with your customers and drive further profits. Excellent for growing company environments. Newer versions of the software provides users with data support for XML, OLE, and ODBC.
2. FileMaker Pro
FileMaker Pro a stand alone solution, continues its product leadership in the desktop database category. For the technically challenged small business, FileMaker Pro provides an easy-to-use format to maximize your customer information. Database templates to get you started are a nice must-have feature. An added security function allows limited access to employees and read-only formats necessary to protect private information.3. Lotus Approach
As part of the Lotus SmartSuite package, Lotus Approach allows full management and analysis of your customer data. This database solution can integrate items like forms, worksheets, and charts in Lotus Notes mail. Lotus Approach provides a growing small business an alternative to Microsoft products.4. Corel Paradox
Corel Paradox included in the Corel WordPerfect Office package gives full relational database capabilities and programming functions for the more advanced users. This database solution fits with growth companies planning an investment in technology for managing customer information.