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business tips

Call Note history is the perfect place to store notes for any customer contact you have made along with the added benefit of making customer follow-up a snap!

By selecting the check box at the bottom of a new Call Note, your Boulevard software will change the customer’s next contact date and update the Tickler to reflect the date you would like to contact them next. Using the Call Note feature also allows you to use the Daily Call History Sheet. This report prints call memo information from customer call history sorted by date with the most recent first. You can filter this report to include only those call memos within a specific date range, or for a group of customers. With just a glance, you’ll know who you’ve called, and haven’t wasted any time searching through profiles or other notes. Further, the call history report is also a helpful tool when away from your office or out of town. Use it to find out who to make those all-important business calls to during down time.

In Boulevard 2010, we added the ability to enter the same Call Note for multiple people. Here’s a perfect example of how to use this feature. When leaving reminder messages for guests about your upcoming Open House, simply check the box to the left of each customer’s name, click on the Customer menu, and click New Call. Type the call note and click OK.  Each customer’s profile whose name you checked, will now have the same call note. See how easy it is to keep track of all customer, recruit, and address list calls, emails, PC Program mailing, and more?

For more information and resources relating to customer follow-up, check out Boulevard Extras Volume 2: Customer Follow-up. This DVD goes in depth into creating loyal customers from your first contact with them, and how to use the many contact- and customer-focused Boulevard features to capture and track the kind of valuable information that builds strong customer loyalty.

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Credit Card SecurityIn talking with ProPay®, we have learned they have a service available called ProtectPay™. ProtectPay allows users to store credit cards within ProPay’s system, for a fee, and then submit charges when applicable. Because the information is not being stored on the merchant’s computer, the merchant does not have to be PCI or PA-DSS compliant. Instead, ProPay is and their systems ensure the security required by the credit card industry. However, ProtectPay as it is available now is not what ProPay recommends for the Mary Kay community.

ProPay tells us that phase 1 of their Virtual Terminal ProtectPay is expected to be released mid-July. The Virtual Terminal ProtectPay service is designed for micro merchants – AKA Mary Kay Consultants and Directors. Phase 1 will allow users to save the cards in ProPay’s system, creating a unique identifier for each card, and charge them for subsequent orders similarly to the regular ProtectPay. During a later phase, Virtual Terminal will allow for the user’s Boulevard to integrate and process against stored card identifiers.

Main Street Software empathizes with each of you in this transition period. We, too, have had to make changes in our own Mary Kay businesses to store card information for customers who have requested this. Our company has a history of making sure we do what it takes to do the right thing, to not step on any toes, and, above all, not break any rules just for convenience sake. Main Street Software will continue to communicate with you regarding every development.

Thank you for your understanding and stay tuned for updates as they occur.

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We’re taught that setting a goal is the first step toward achievement. Follow-through is key, though. In your business, this means tracking.

Weekly Accomplishment Sheet & Personal Sales Tracking

Unit or Area recognition is often based on retail product sold during the seminar year. From Preferences inside Boulevard software, click on the Weekly Accomplishment tab and ensure Base YTD totals on Seminar Year is checked. The New Year-to-Date Sales Total on the Weekly Accomplishment Sheet will now reflect your seminar year sales.

   To view your sales, from under the Utility menu select Weekly Accomplishment (or by selecting the dollar sign symbol from the main toolbar).  Then File and Print Preview.

When retrieving weekly accomplishment information, if a message appears that tells you the seminar year is undefined, return to Preferences and select the Seminar tab this time.

 

In order to retrieve information for seminar year-to-date, the seminar year selected must be entered. For our customers on the premium Product Update Service, the summer CD will update this information for the upcoming year.

Queen’s Court of Sales Tracking

Unlike the Weekly Accomplishment Sheet, the Queen’s Court dialog shows the retail credit you have earned from Mary Kay® based on product orders placed throughout the seminar year. This is an excellent tool for tracking Queen’s Court of Personal Sales.  It shows a list of all product order totals in the current or previous seminar year as well as the total retail value of all orders and the Queen’s Court qualifying amount. To view personal production entered into your Boulevard software, click on the Product menu, then Order. In the Maintain Orders dialog select the Queen’s Court button.

Additional information can be found in the Help by hitting the F1 key at any time in either of these areas of Boulevard. 

We’d love to hear if you met your seminar goals and about your walk across stage in July! You can do it – and we’re here to help.

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When we become accustomed to performing a task in a certain way that is both convenient and timesaving, it can be difficult to give it up. Main Street Software, Inc. knows you would prefer to continue to process credit card charges from your Boulevard software. We know how convenient it is for you and your customer to keep their payment information on file. However, each of us also knows how often information is stolen and how insecure the Internet can be. Security is of utmost importance and we are confident you want us to look after your best interests.

Therefore, come July 1, 2010, no matter what version of Boulevard software you are using, you will no longer be able to submit credit card transactions directly to ProPay.

ProPay is being required to change the way it allows any company to submit transactions to them directly. Propay is seeking to find another way to have interaction between Boulevard and them that will meet the industry requirements.

As new information becomes available, we will be sure to post the information here on our blog, via email, or as a NewsFlash message. When you upgrade to Boulevard 2011, all credit card information previously in the program will no longer be stored. Prior to installation, we recommend one of the following to keep track of preferred payment methods for your customers.

Option 1 – Pop Up Message:


For all customers who choose to pay by credit card,

  1. Open the customer profile.
  2. Click on the Notes tab.
  3. Type a note. (E.g. Prefers to pay by Credit Card or Credit Card)
  4. Highlight your note using your mouse.
  5. Click F8 on your keyboard.
  6. Click OK to save the note.

You can use the same steps for customers who prefer to pay by check, cash, or who you allow to carry a balance and make payments. This option is flexible to meet your needs.

Option 2 – User Codes:


If you would like to be able to pull reports based upon payment preferences,

  1. Open the customer profile.
  2. Click on the Recruiting tab.
  3. Select one of the available User Code fields. You will use the same field for each whom you are designating a preferred payment method.
  4. Type your note. (E.g. Credit Card or Cash)
  5. Click OK to save.

Now you’ll be able to retrieve a report based upon the information you have entered into the field.

The next time you talk to your customer, just let him or her know their financial security is important to you and you can no longer store their credit card number on your computer. For sample words to use when informing your customers, please visit Keeping You & Your Customers Protected – Part 1.

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Security is an increasing concern with regard to identity and financial information. As a small business owner, you should be aware of some changes that will affect how you run your business. Effective July 1, 2010, changes will be in place that will affect how you process credit card transactions for your customers and the information you are allowed to store.

For detailed information, please visit the Cardholder Information Security Program section on Visa’s website.

For your convenience, please refer to the following chart to ensure you comply with VISA’s Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requirements if you choose to continue to store credit card data for your customers.

As a software vendor, Main Street Software, Inc. was required to make modifications to comply with these new regulations, too. At this time, we are approaching the new security regulations in two steps. The first step was to ensure the latest version of the software, Boulevard 2011, met the standards and expectations for maintaining cardholder security.

With the installation of Boulevard 2011, existing users must agree to the terms of the End User License Agreement (EULA) which specify that cardholder data previously stored in the provided credit card field(s) in Boulevard will be wiped out as this feature is no longer offered.

  • New users installing Boulevard 2011 will not have the credit card fields previously included in the software.
  • Users will no longer be able to submit credit card transactions from Boulevard to ProPay™ (US & Canada feature only).
  • Credit card numbers can no longer be entered as a payment method in Avenue and any credit card information entered into payment method in the Palm® application will be lost during synchronization.

These steps were taken for our users’ protection as well as ours. Boulevard users who choose not to upgrade to Boulevard 2011, who choose to store credit card data on their systems, or who choose to store that credit card data in other areas of Boulevard are solely responsible for any breach in security they may face. Main Street Software, Inc. is not liable for any fraud or security breach on its users’ systems.

Here is a sample of what some of our employees are telling their customers:

Dear Susie,

I want to let you know about some changes I have to make with regard to your account security. As you know, thousands of people every day deal with identity theft and credit card fraud. There are some new regulations that affect me as your consultant.

From this point forward, I am no longer able to keep your credit/debit card on file. I’m sure you can understand I want to comply with these laws and ensure your information is secure. I’ll note your account as preferring to pay by card and that way I can get the information each time you place an order.

Thanks for understanding!

Subsequent to the changes made to the Boulevard software for the 2011 version, Main Street Software, Inc. will continue to work with ProPay to find an appropriate future solution, if possible, to integrate payment submission. We want you to know that we are committed to a high-quality product that simplifies processes within your business. However, we are also committed to maintaining the integrity of Boulevard and complying with laws and regulations surrounding small business owners including security and fraud prevention.

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The mailing label feature allows you to print labels for customers, recruits, or contacts; for multiple records, and even an entire sheet of the same label. In conjunction with other features such as the list builder, print labels for specific groups of people. Plus, you can even print labels for spouses if you’re making contact for a gift promotion.

  • Choose from a list of the most common mailing label sizes.
  • Sort them by zip code for large mailings to make postal service sorting quicker.

Using Boulevard Help, search ‘Mailing Labels‘ to learn more about how to make use of mailing labels in your program.

Use the ‘See Also‘ button located at the bottom of the topic for detailed articles on using specific components of labels.

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To create a standard note:

  1. Click on File and then Preferences.
  2. Select the Sales tab then choose Standard Note.
  3. Customize the font, style, and color to your heart’s desire.

Keep in mind, if you make your note too long it could affect the number of pages your invoice needs to print on.

For more of information on invoicing features or other ways to customize your Boulevard software, visit the Invoicing Your Customers in Boulevard Software and Customizing Boulevard Software for Your Business sections of our website.

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As the year draws to a close and a new year begins, our thoughts turn to taxes. When you are ready to close your business year in Boulevard and capture year-end data, all you need to do is run a few reports.

“Which reports do I print?” is a common question our customer service department hears. Your Boulevard software provides easy to access directions to help you through these annual steps. From the Help menu inside Boulevard, click on Contents, then Taxes & Year End. Click on the link, Closing my business year in Boulevard. Follow these instructions and you’ll be done!

Help: Year-End Reports

Of course, if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Department. Keep in mind, your tax consultant or accountant is a great resource, too. For specific questions regarding what categories offer the best write-offs or legalities, they’ll be the best place to call.

If you have not kept up on your paperwork and Boulevard entries throughout the year, we can help! Based on feedback from our Virtual Assistant customers, for the first time ever we’ve decided to offer a Seasonal Virtual Assistant solution!

Are you drowning in customer profiles?

Swimming in a sea of sales tickets?

We can enter them for you! Call today for a complimentary consultation and quote. Don’t forget, we are here for you. Main Street Software employs a full staff ready for your every customer service need. Don’t hesitate to give us a call or send an email and we’ll get your questions answered and keep you on track with your business and with Boulevard.

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