Startup Lead Log recently launched CRM product, Dashboard, that is hoping to differentiate itself from the millions of other CRMs in the enterprise space through simplicity. Dashboard is an easy-to-use, simple web service that is targeted towards small businesses looking to turn sales leads into deals.
There’s no doubt that Dashboard keeps it basic with its options. There are four main sections: the main page, to-dos, leads and deals. There’s no software needed to download the sales and management application; users can access Dashboard from any computer. It’s fairly simple to save notes on each lead, deal or to-do, attach documents, add contacts and update calendars. Unfortunately, being too basic can have its drawbacks too. For example, users cannot add leads via email, only manually or through downloading a CRV file. Currently the application is in free beta testing but will soon be a paid service (this will be rolled out in April). Lead Log will charge $25 per month for the first two users, and then $25 per month for every additional user.
Here’s an instructional video:
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3176364&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1
Dashboard – Convert leads into deals from get real or die on Vimeo.
Though basic it its current state, Dashboard will get some additional bells and whistles in April. Dashboard will allow users add leads that are specific to industry, will have limited integration with email, and will even contain social networking features like a live Twitter-like feed for company-wide activity in the application. Recognizing that the CRM space is highly competitive, the company is looking to add even more features that will distinguish its product from other easy-to-use, similar CRMs such as PipelineDeals.com, Leads360.com, and Highrisehq.com.
Post-April, Dashboard plans to launch itself as a full-service (and perhaps not so simple) CRM platform, aiming to be the “anti-SalesForce.com.” Dashboard will feature support for mobile apps and will have a lead marketplace where users can buy lead templates and complete email support. The CRM will also contain an iPhone App-like application store, where developers can build SaaS applications on top of its platform.
This is an ambitious plan for a start-up that’s less than a year old. But the company tells TCIT that it’s already receiving positive responses about Dashboard from small businesses who are testing the beta version. Lead Log, founded by Esteban Gonzalez and Jared Opper, has received an undisclosed amount of angel funding from friends and family in the past few months and will be entering another round of angel funding soon.
It will undoubtedly be interesting to see how Dashboard transforms itself from a simple CRM application to a comprehensive yet easy-to-use CRM platform. Lead Log’s ambitions seem to be forward-thinking and innovative so it might just be the disruptive technology that is needed in the CRM space.
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