Little things mean everything. Remembering that a particular customer likes her widget in blue, not red, will win that customer over. Recalling the name of a customer's child or an anniversary, also will distance you from the rest of the pack. Managing all of the details of a single relationship is difficult, if not impossible, for an individual. Compound that with multiple customers and obligations, and this task becomes almost insurmountable.
Contact management is needed.
Letting everyone in the department or company work as part of a bigger team will more than multiply your efforts. Record every step of the process of contact with a customer. If someone else begins dealing with the customer, he can pick up where the last person left off. A customer doesn't have to repeat all of the steps and offer a complete explanation of everything that has previously occurred. GoldMine leads the pack in contact management and now leverages the Internet as a tool for communication.