As competition increases and wealth managers look for any edge possible, CRM system mobile apps can give access to critical data on the move. Here, Amy Buttell provides a round-up of available apps for the major CRM providers.

With competition increasing, wealth managers are looking for any edge possible when it comes to managing their client acquisition and engagement activities. By making full use of client relationship management (CRM) system mobile apps associated with the major CRM providers, advisors can access critical data on the road and schedule meetings where most convenient for clients and prospective clients.

“Advisors cannot possibly remember all the details about their clients' interests and activities, especially as the number of direct client relationships grows,” says Bill Winterberg, a technology consultant for financial advisors and wealth managers in Dallas, Texas (click here). “It’s essential that advisors document notes, reminders and key information in [a CRM system] so they can easily retrieve it later and refresh their memory on recent client conversations.”

While most wealth managers aren’t accessing CRM information on the go, according to a report entitled CRM for Wealth Management: Approaching Total Practice Management, usage is growing. Sophie Schmitt, an analyst with Aite Group, and author of the report, notes that about 15 per cent of 450 financial advisors surveyed said they have access to a CRM app on their mobile phones or tablet computers.

“We’re really at the beginning of this trend,” she continues. “Many firms haven’t made the necessary investment yet in this area. Even though mobile solutions are available, firms have not gotten to the point of trying to figure out what they need yet. More than half of the advisors we talked to were interested in having their CRM system information available when they are out of the office.”

While not all CRM systems have apps that run on all types of smartphones, the largest and most popular CRM systems for financial advisors, including Salesforce, Redtail, Pivotal, NEXJ and Microsoft Dynamics, all have smart phone apps.

Advisors can use these apps in a secure environment, to access information about clients, manage their calendars, view and in some cases edit and enter notes and perform other functions on the go, says Winterberg. While it wouldn’t be convenient to access all of this information on a smart phone all the time, it’s convenient for advisors who are on the go or at a conference and who don’t want to take the time or trouble to fire up a laptop or take out a tablet.

Here’s an overview of apps for the main CRM systems used by wealth managers. Both Salesforce (click here) and Microsoft Dynamics (click here) have app stores where third-party developers offer customized apps that run off those systems. You can also search the Apple Store, Blackberry App World and Android World App Store for apps specific to your CRM on your phone’s platform. You can access the CRM systems for several providers, including Juncture and Pareto on a web browser on a smart phone as well.

Pivotal CRM

Overview: Provides CRM access on the go.

Available on: iPhone, Blackberry (Pivotal Handheld), Android, Windows Mobile

Features: Streamlined interface, wireless and network access, read/write access to companies, contacts, opportunities and activities.

Cost: Several licensing tiers available

Microsoft Dynamics:

Overview: A number of third-party developers have developed mobile apps for Microsoft Dynamics that include access to all or various parts of the CRM system. Here are some of the most popular third-party apps:

CWR Mobile CRM (click here)

Available on: iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 6.5 & 7, Android

Features: Online and offline access to Dynamics data on the go, allows access to data outside a profile when covering for a colleague, encrypted connections, permits access to data on multiple devices at the same time (a smartphone and iPad, for example) and integrates within native e-mail, calendar, phone, tasks and other functions.

Cost: Several licensing tiers available

Mobile Edge for Microsoft Dynamics CRM (click here)

Available on: iPhone and BlackBerry

Features: Access to Dynamics data on the road, automatically syncs data on mobile devices, desktops and laptops, complete online and offline access, encrypted connections.

Cost: Several licensing tiers available

Mobile Client for Microsoft Dynamics CRM (click here)

Available on: Windows Phone 7, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, iPhone and Android

Features: Complete access to all data available online, encrypted connections, can update contacts, calendar and other information and automatically syncs all data across devices.

NEXJ (click here)

Overview: Allows users to access virtually all the features of NexJ CRM, currently in pilot phase.

Available on: BlackBerry, iPhone

Features: Access to features including relationship modeling, voice notes, logging calls, calendar management and task management.

Cost: N/A

Redtail

Overview: Access to 90 per cent of the features of RedTail available on your computer on the go.

Available on: iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Mobile

Features: Calendar management; access and edit contacts; create, view and edit opportunities; view notes and other functions.

Cost: Free with subscription

Salesforce Mobile

Overview: One of three Salesforce smart phone apps; Salesforce Mobile provides full access to Salesforce’s CRM solution on the road.

Available on: iPhone, BlackBerry

Features: Respond to leads, log calls, access information about opportunities, receive reminders, online and offline access, examine dashboards and interface with Salesforce Chatter.

Cost: $50 per month per user for the Professional and Enterprise edition subscribers, free for unlimited subscribers.

Salesforce Chatter

Overview: Access Salesforce’s internal enterprise collaboration tool via your smartphone for updates on co-workers, projects and data that you’re currently working on.

Available on: iPhone, BlackBerry, Android

Features: Can view files related to a person or group and post files other than images in BlackBerry and Android; can only post images on the iPhone; can create posts, find and follow people and groups, and contact co-workers via e-mail, phone or text on all three platforms.

Cost: Free to users of Salesforce Chatter.

Salesforce Mobile Lite

Overview: Permits free, basic access to Salesforce CRM on the go.

Available on: Blackberry, iPhone and Windows Mobile

Features: Access and create leads; create, edit and delete information; examine dashboards, events and tasks.

Cost: Free to Salesforce subscribers.