BST providers - What do you use to manage orders?

Didn't seem like this fit in the Traffic and content section or any other section, so I'm posting it here.

What do you guys use to manage your orders and customers?

I realize most BST providers have no order management and just go off scribbles on napkins or whatever it is they do, but some of you have your shit together and I'm wondering if I can get some good suggestions. There's got to be a better way then the 9+ different services I'm zapier'ing together.

I'm currently using wufoo forms for ordering and then use zapier to connect it to basecamp, google docs, aweber etc. An open Google Excel Doc is pretty useful and a main tool I use to manage orders with my team. It allows for instant collaboration and I can see everything at a glance. It's all a pretty long convoluted process, but it works.

The problem I have is handling more complex requirements. Like many of my customers would like to be able to put their orders on a schedule and get the service weekly or monthly. I can't setup scheduled orders with my current solution.

Anyways, what do you guys use to handle your BST orders? I have waded through most of what's out there and I can't seem to find anything that will quite fit the specific needs I have for selling services like we do here. I pretty much need Wufoo with a backend customer and fulfillment management as well as ability to setup scheduled orders.

Zaino said:

I dont know how this would translate to services here, but large contractors use CRM software to manage their business. http://www.sugarcrm.com/ for example.

Free stuff
Top 5 Best Free CRM Software For Windows

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Ya I have used and tried out most. They don't really work out for the type of ordering that happens here. I use basecamp for when I need to have more interaction with the customer about the order, but it has no categorizing of orders. I have to use google doc excel shared with my team plus basecamp to keep track.

Grindstone said:

See sig...dchuk built a pretty badass system for integrating clients, projects, production and communication...one big 1984 style screen to i-spy everything that happens. If I didn't have that, I'd probably be using Trello+Outveo.

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Well is he selling it? There are quite a few providers here and on other forums and almost no one has a order management system setup like yours (I have ordered from you before). I'm sure there would be quite a few people willing to pay monthly for it. I pay monthly already for who knows how many management services which all just do one piece of the job.

aim100 said:

If you handle much orders -
Hire a manager. that is your best bet.
Teach him handling orders. Does not matter what tool you are going to use, you will have a hectic schedule.
Actually u have to handle PMs, you have to handle thread, you have to handle emails. AND finally you are managing orders as well......... Managing orders takes a lot of time and a manager will save that time.
I used to do those yellow lines before 2 years but once i hired a manager, i have much free time......

I use formstack (similar to wufoo). Whenever an order comes thru formstack, i send it to my manager AND rest is his work.................

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Yes I have managers for each part. One manager handles the wufoo, takes orders and adds them to our open google excel doc which is shared with the team. Excel has columns for tasks to be done for each order etc. Zapier ties together basecamp and aweber.

It works well for processing orders right when they come. I don't have to delegate orders to my writers or to any other team, everyone can see what's available though the excel doc and they just claim it when they are ready to work. But there's not a reliable way for me to keep track of scheduling in monthly/weekly orders. And it would be nice if I didn't have to try to jimmy together 5+ services to try and handle the orders.

dchuk said:

Custom really is the way to go if you're handling $xxx,xxx+ volume of orders

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Probably. I just figured I would see if there's anything out there before going that route. I feel like there really should be a solution out there. There's definitely a market.