Well, that is quite a blog posting title — yet I think it most clearly explains the foundation of this interview with Nimble.com CEO Jon Ferrara. Nimble offers businesses a tool to integrate social media, email, and other “feeds” with the lead development, sales, and client follow-through capacities, reflecting the incredible volume and diversity (and real-time intensity) of client relationships and activities in the current market environment.
Ferrara rightfully points out that clues, insights, and client touch-points might be discovered on Twitter feeds, Facebook pages or LinkedIn profiles — but it can be a challenge to keep track of everything, including direct email and other client interactions. Nimble structures this stuff so that the data is available on a single dashboard, and (among other features) provides a daily update of client news — so you can learn about changes in circumstances and the like.
Ferrara also explained how his service is working to integrate with other tools to create a more seamless and easy-to-adapt environment.
A basic, one-person Nimble account is free. The company makes money through collaborative business accounts, where teams of sales reps and other employees can connect, collaborate and share relevant information. ?In the scheme of things, the business is still not large, generating about $3 million a year, with a few thousand clients. The business is growing.
I told Ferrara that, despite my understanding and belief in his system, I haven’t implemented it on any scale in my business yet. In theory, Nimble should be a good thing for us — we are really into relationships, and like many AEC businesses, have a diversity of business-to-business (and business-to-government) clients, in a variety of locations. However, it can be a challenge selling diverse people on CRM-type systems, and forcing the process on employees and contractors likely won’t produce the results we are seeking. Yet, maybe the time will come, sooner rather than later, where some systems integration will help us improve efficiency, collaboration and achieve measurable results.
You can learn more at Nimble blog.
