@Agenda

[dal1mdm]

I'm in sales and deal with lots of clients - about a $25 million base. There are lots of things I need to talk to lots of people about. It doesnt always matter which medium I use either. Email (@computer), at their location (@customer) or by phone (@call). However, when I am at whatever context I happen to use to communicate I may be overlooking items from other contexts. In other words, I'm sitting in front of customer A looking at my @customer list to see what items to discuss, but I really need to know what might be under the @call or @computer list too. Thats alot of pecking around.

Anyone in a similar situation? I'm wondering if I should use @Agenda more, or, in a different way.

~ Mark

 

[Anonymous]

Here's my spin on it...

Some paper based systems have what they call an "Information Record" or "Communications Log" that would keep track of ongoing dialogues

Each one of your communications with any Client is part of a larger whole...You don't talk to them once, and then that's it. If anything the purpose of the communication (whether it is by e-mail; phone or in-person) is to move to an Outcome greater than what the present situation is.

What links "Next Actions" together in the GTD Model is the Project List. A Project is simply the series of Next Actions that create an outcome that is different from the present. If you don't want to "lump" all of your Clients in with stuff like "New Filing System" or "Family Vacation 2004," I would consider a separate "Client" Category in Palm's Memo Pad; where you treat each relationship like an ongoing project - keeping a record of what has been agreed to; and what the Next Action is. This way - you have "the trail" and if you are sitting in front of them, you have one record that links all those "Next Actions" together - however you were planning on communicating to them.

You can fit quite a bit in a Palm Memo before it maxes out. At that point you have two choices:
1) Attach a beginning and end date to the name of the Memo, so you can quickly retrieve info - then archive it.

2) If you feel you need to carry the whole history with you - convert the Client Memo to a MS Word Text Document, and synch it to your Palm using Documents to Go, or a comparable utility.

Hope this helps!

Rich

 

[Anonymous]

Memos for Clients

Thats a good idea - having memos for clients. I guess one would just have to be cautious about keeping Next Actions distinct from Reference. But I guess it doesnt really matter if the memo repeats whats in the todo app (NA's) or visa versa. As long as the whole remains coherent.

I may give that a try.

Anybody else out there doing something similar?

 

[Anonymous]

ACT

I dont have access to ACT. I do my work on a company laptop primarily and its either Outlook or Palm. I find that Outlook doesnt work well with the Palm I've tried it off and on several times. I always come back to Palm Desktop. I know its not the best tool in the world but it shows data exactly the way my handheld does. Which is my primary criteria as far as operation.

 

[mondo]

I agree with DM. Palm Desktop is certainly not as elegant as Outlook, but its simplicity is important, as is the fact that it integrates so well with the Palm........

 

[vegheadjones]

have you tried using the Activities tab in Outlook to do this? Every Contact in Outlook has an activity tag where you can link tasks (Next Actions), E-mail, meetings (Calendar) etc. I also use the Journal to record meeting notes, and this will link there as well.

Ask if you have any questions.

 

[CosmoGTD]

The Activities tab in Outlook works great.
I use it all the time.

I also use the old FREE InFocus 2.0 Salestracking, which allows you to link any document to a Contact. (the new version costs $).
http://www.outlookxp.nl

Coz

 

[dal1mdm]

Activities

Veghead

Do the activities sync with Palm? I really prefer a system where I see the same data in both places (desktop & handheld).

Also, what do you use to sync?

~Mark (also known as DM)

 

[vegheadjones]

Alas, I do not know how to link the activity list to the palm. If you wanted a static copy, you could copy and paste it to a memo.

I use PocketMirror Professional at www.chapura.com. Never any problems with it.

 

[Anonymous]

Outlook

I use Intellisync - never have been able to get comfortable with the way it syncs.