How ABLE Measures Up
In each installment of our “How ABLE Measures Up” series, we compare ABLE to another CRM tool on the market. Each CRM is evaluated by system, features, and pricing structure in order to give you a good idea of how it measures up against ABLE, our CRM for accountants.
Below is a quick comparison between ABLE and iChannel, followed by an in-depth, categorical analysis. We hope this will be helpful to you as you seek to find the CRM that is the best fit for your accounting firm!
About iChannel
iChannel is a central hub of information that enables businesses to share data seamlessly. It is primarily a document management and sharing tool that also offers some CRM capabilities.
About ABLE
ABLE is a business development solution for CPA firms that simplifies contact and pipeline management. Because CPAs have a limited amount of time to dedicate to tracking business development activities, users can quickly add information regarding contacts and deals, assess the status of their relationships to determine necessary actions, and build their personal brands.
Conclusions of the CRM Comparison
iChannel’s primary purpose is document management. All the features are built around the document manager product. This system fits best in large companies and firms that have robust document management needs. The core functionality is not built with business and relationship development at top of mind.
ABLE’s functionality centers on the theme of ‘doing smart well.’ Its primary focus is developing the top client, referral source, and prospect relationships that grow a CPA firm. Every feature addition and enhancement is intended to build on that theme. When it comes to accounting CRMs, ABLE is the ideal fit for CPA firms.
In-Depth iChannel CRM Comparison
Read on to learn more about how ABLE and iChannel measure up to one another when it comes to systems, features, and pricing structures.
System Comparison
Feature Comparison
To compare feature sets of the two platforms, we focused on four major components of successful business development: relationship management, internal collaboration, accountability tools, and content delivery.
Client Relationship Management
iChannel’s client relationship management tool allows users to identify contact information and interactions. Information on each record is available in tabs, including activity, notifications, and projects.
ABLE focuses on the user’s most important clients, referrals, and prospects. While information is available for all system contacts, a user can identify their top relationships and award them a CRoPs Tile. This allows users to effectively manage the relationship.
Internal Collaboration
Both systems offer strong tools for team synergy and collaboration. In both systems, teams can stay on top of customer/client relationships and pending deals.
Accountability
With iChannel, project responsibilities can be assigned, tracked, and reported so due dates are met and work is balanced. iChannel does not, however, support a survey module.
In ABLE, tasks and deals can be assigned so that everyone in the firm is aware of pending deals and who is responsible, establishing a culture of accountability. With ABLE, users can assess client loyalty with the Net Promotor® Survey, benchmarking their progress, promoting high scores on future proposals, and uncovering any dissatisfaction before the relationship is lost. This functionality is included in the annual subscription. Marketing teams can use high NPS scores as a promotion in future proposals, and firms can uncover dissatisfaction before the relationship is lost.
Content Delivery
The systems approach content delivery differently, largely due to the core intentions of the software (transactional versus ongoing engagements).
iChannel does not offer a content delivery tool. It does integrate with Outlook for tracking and documentation purposes, but is not equipped with brand-building capabilities.
ABLE’s Thought Leadership enables users to send clients the right piece of content at the right time. ABLE adds articles to its Content Library weekly, and users can share their own content or articles if they wish. Professionally curated articles and summaries are categorized and tagged for easy access. No integration is required for users to leverage Thought Leadership.
Pricing
ABLE not only beats out iChannel as the best CRM for accountants, it also measures up well against other available tools. View our full CRM comparison to find out more.
Are you wondering if ABLE is the right CRM for your accounting firm? Schedule a demo today! Our team will show you how ABLE can make a difference in YOUR business.