| Goldmine Software | | | | Where Goldmine Software Falls Short |
| Goldmine Software was one of the first programs | | | | When it comes to features and forms Goldmine |
| developed to allow business people to track their | | | | Software certainly does not fall short, it goes too |
| contact and sales information. Originally created to | | | | long. One thing the creators of Goldmine may have |
| help sales professionals organize and track client and | | | | missed is that simplicity is often the key to success. |
| account information, it has evolved into a group of | | | | The number one reason most Contact Management |
| products and add-ons that are designed to manage | | | | and Customer Relationship Management programs fail |
| contact information, track sales, do reporting, provide | | | | is that they are too difficult to learn and use, |
| follow-up, and integrate with other software | | | | therefore they do not get used. |
| programs. Though Goldmine Software has evolved | | | | Most business professionals are looking for features |
| over the years with the goal of providing a complete | | | | in a program, but the specific features they need. |
| Customer Relationship Management system, it has | | | | Extra features are not a benefit when you must |
| failed to address a primary issue: ease of use. | | | | navigate through additional forms to complete your |
| The Many Faces of Goldmine Software | | | | tasks. If this is required to perform daily functions, |
| Goldmine Software touts the fact that it is feature | | | | users simply stop doing those things and the system |
| rich and has many functional interfaces. Goldmine | | | | does not get used. Goldmine Software has so many |
| Software has its own contact management interface | | | | forms it makes it difficult to logically organize them |
| called Goldmine Business Contact Manager, as well as | | | | for all users. This creates confusion in navigating |
| others to handle Sales Opportunity tracking, | | | | through the program as well. Long on features in a |
| reporting, email management, follow-ups, | | | | business program often means long on learning as |
| appointments and so on. Goldmine has over 30 | | | | well. This often translates to resistance to accepting |
| different user forms as part of its standard edition. If | | | | the system, reluctance to use, and ultimately failure |
| you add other modules, the number of forms will | | | | of the program. |
| increase appropriately. While this creates a great | | | | Goldmine Software's Number is up |
| number of features and options for the user to work | | | | With the high number of user forms in Goldmine |
| with, it also creates a problem. Goldmine can take a | | | | Software (over 30) it takes time to learn the system |
| great deal of time to learn, and working with many | | | | and combat the complexity. The solution to this is |
| different forms can be cumbersome and confusing. | | | | simplicity. A system with the same features but |
| Having a great number of features turns from a | | | | fewer new forms will dramatically shorten the |
| benefit to a hindrance when learning the system | | | | learning process and make acceptance more likely. A |
| takes time away from your business. It can also | | | | system like Prophet 4.0, which is integrated inside |
| negatively impact your business as it takes more | | | | Microsoft Outlook, offers a solution. Prophet 4.0 uses |
| time for users to navigate through and complete all | | | | the existing contact, email, calendar, and task forms |
| the functions that are required. Goldmine Software | | | | of Outlook and adds only 6 new forms. Outlook is |
| has put features and functions ahead of simplicity | | | | the most widely used email, contact, and calendar |
| and ease of use. | | | | management program in business today, and so most |
| More Stuff for Goldmine Software | | | | professionals are already familiar with those forms. It |
| In addition to the base features of the Goldmine | | | | takes much less time to learn Prophet's 6 new forms |
| standard edition there are many add-ons and other | | | | than it does to learn Goldmine's 30. |
| modules that can further complicate the system. If | | | | Do you need to synchronize your contact and sales |
| you would like to share information with a small group | | | | management data with Outlook? Prophet 4.0 is |
| you can add a synchronization module. If you would | | | | integrated in Outlook so you need no additional |
| like real-time access to your group's information you | | | | synchronization software as Goldmine does. You can |
| will need the Goldmine Plus corporate edition. | | | | continue to work in Outlook and have that |
| Integration with other programs (such as Microsoft | | | | information available to you through Prophet's |
| Outlook) requires another module, and integration | | | | Contact Management and Sales Management |
| with Microsoft Exchange Server adds yet another. | | | | interfaces. Prophet 4.0 provides a simple to use and |
| With more and more add-ons, comes more and more | | | | easy to learn Contact and Sales Management |
| complexity. This complexity leads to more time | | | | System in a very familiar environment, Microsoft |
| working with the software, and less time simply | | | | Outlook. Goldmine Software is simply…not |
| working. | | | | simple enough. |