Creating Clients

This tutorial will show you how to create new clients and take you through the different sections of a client's profile.

1. Creating a New Client Record

Whether you're starting fresh or adding new clients as you go, ClientManager makes it straightforward to create new client profiles.

Step-by-step Guide:

To create a new client, click the "New Client" button, located in the top right corner of your screen, next to the search bar.
The "Create New Client" screen will appear.
Fill in the required fields, which are indicated by a star (*). These typically include the client's:
- Name
- Surname
- Nickname
- Nationality
Don't worry about fields like ID number or date of birth right away; you can always add these later. The system is designed to let you quickly create prospects or clients without getting bogged down in too much detail initially.
For Juristic Clients (e.g., companies, universities):
- If you're adding a juristic client, simply click on "Juristic Client" in the top right corner of the "Create New Client" screen. The fields will adjust to suit organisational details.
Once you've filled in the necessary information, click "Create Client." You'll be taken directly to the newly created client's profile.

2. Navigating the Client Profile

A client's profile in ClientManager CRM is organised into various tabs, making it easy to find and update specific information.

2.1 Personal Information Tab

This tab holds all the fundamental details about your client.

Basic Details: Here you'll find their name, email address, tax number, and so on.
Client Status: This is a crucial field, located in the bottom right. The client status dictates how the CRM interacts with the client:
- Active: Clients marked as active will be included in annual reviews and receive automated messages like birthday greetings. They're considered fully engaged clients by the CRM.
- Inactive/Deceased: Use these statuses for clients you don't want to include in automated communications. This is particularly useful for prospects who aren't yet full clients, or if a client is no longer active.
Review Month: This field helps you diarise client reviews. The CRM will automatically flag a client for review 12 months after their last one. By specifying a review month, the system will aim to schedule that follow-up for your chosen month. For example, if you set "August," the CRM will prompt you to review them in August once their last review is over 12 months old.

2.2 Contact Tab

Manage all address and contact details here.

Adding Addresses: You can input the client's home address. If their postal address is the same, simply click "Use Residential" to copy the details across.
Quick Copy Buttons: Throughout the client profile, you'll find quick copy buttons next to fields. Clicking these will copy the field's content to your clipboard, allowing you to easily paste it into other forms, quotes, or software.

2.3 Relationships Tab

This section allows you to record and manage relationships linked to your client, whether they are also clients or external contacts.

Adding a New Relationship:
1. Click "Add New."
2. You can either:
  - Enter a Name Directly: If the person isn't a client (e.g., a family member for estate planning purposes), just type their name and click "Save Relationship." You can add notes here, like their email address or ID number, if you wish.
  - Link to an Existing Client: If the person is already a client in your database, click "Search." Select the correct client from the options provided to link their profiles.
3. Define the Relationship: Once linked or saved, you can define the relationship bidirectionally (e.g., "Client is their Parent" and "They are the Client's Child"). The CRM will intelligently understand these connections, which is helpful for things like auto-filling beneficiary forms.

2.4 Financial Planners Tab

This critical section determines both the assigned financial advisor and who has access to the client's profile.

Access Control: By default, everyone in your practice can access a new client profile. However, if you add a financial planner here, only that planner and their assistants will have access.
Adding Multiple Planners: You can add several financial advisors to a single client profile, granting multiple advisors and their staff access.
Fee Split Percentage: When adding a planner, you'll specify a fee split percentage. This doesn't need to add up to 100%; you can have two advisors each with 100% if, for example, one handles short-term insurance and another handles life insurance. You can even add a note to clarify their role (e.g., "Short-term Advisor").

2.5 Employment Tab

Record all relevant employment details for your client here.

Employment Details: Capture the employer name, start date, industry, and when they joined that industry.
Occupational Percentages: Add these as needed.
Retirement Age: Entering a retirement age will trigger an automated notification from the CRM when the client approaches this age, prompting you to review their financial planning.

2.6 Underwriting Tab

This tab is for capturing personal and health-related details relevant to underwriting.

Height and Weight: Inputting these automatically calculates the client's BMI.
Doctor's Details: Record the client's doctor's information.
General Underwriting Notes: Use this section for any specific notes that might affect underwriting, such as past exclusions, BMI loadings, or if they don't qualify for certain insurance products.

2.7 Financial Tab

Securely store banking details and record financial overview information.

Banking Details: You can add up to two secure bank accounts for the client. You can also add a description (e.g., "Wife's Account") if it belongs to someone else but is used for the client's policies. When filling out forms, you'll be able to select which banking details to use.
Risk Profile: Select the client's risk profile from a dropdown. While ClientManager offers more detailed risk profiling tools, this provides a quick overview.
Income: Record employment income, commission-based income, and net (take-home) income. For detailed budgeting and tax calculations, you can use the dedicated financial planning tools, but this offers a quick summary.

2.8 Tidbits Tab

This is a fantastic section for personal, conversational notes that help you build rapport.

Conversational Notes: After a meeting, jot down personal details mentioned by the client, such as a family member's illness or a child's exam stress.
Adding a Tidbit: Simply add your note, then choose whether it's related to "Personal," "Family," or "Hobbies."
Future Use: Before your next meeting, quickly review these tidbits. It's a great way to re-engage with the client by asking about previous discussions (e.g., "How did your son's maths exam go?").

2.9 Notes Tab

For general, less frequently changing notes about the client's profile.

General Profile Notes: Use this for concise, overall notes about the client, such as "Client is going through a divorce, doesn't want to share policy information with wife" or "Communicate with son regarding policies."
For more detailed notes, use the dedicated notes feature within the CRM.

2.10 Tags Tab

Tags are incredibly powerful for client segmentation and targeted communication.

Adding Tags: Click the plus (+) button. Start typing to see suggestions for existing tags, or type a new tag and click "Save Tag" to create it.
Segmentation Examples:
- Group clients by employer (e.g., "XYZ Corp Employees") to easily track reviews for specific groups.
- Categorise by policy benefit or medical aid option for targeted bulk emails.
- Divide clients into classes (e.g., "A-class," "B-class," "C-class") for different service levels.
- Identify clients reviewed via email, face-to-face, or Microsoft Teams.
Tags offer immense flexibility for customising your client management and communication strategies.

3. Saving and Undoing Changes

Save Changes: After making any edits to a client's profile, always remember to click the "Save" button to ensure your changes are stored.
Undo Changes (Refresh): If you've made changes you wish to discard before saving, click "Refresh." The system will prompt a warning to prevent accidental data loss. If you proceed, the client's profile will revert to its last saved version.

FAQs

Can I import existing client data?
Yes! If you have an existing client book, data from another CRM, or spreadsheets, please reach out to us. We can often assist with importing or migrating this information for you.
What if I only have minimal information for a new client?
ClientManager allows you to create a basic client profile with just the required fields (name, surname, nickname, nationality). You can always add more details later, which is great for quickly capturing prospects.
How does the "Financial Planners" section affect client access?
By default, all practice members have access. However, once you assign a financial planner to a client here, only that specific planner and their assistants will have access to the client's profile, unless you add multiple planners.
What are "Tidbits" used for?
Tidbits are for personal, conversational notes (e.g., family updates, hobbies). They help you remember client-specific details, making future interactions more personal and engaging.
How can "Tags" help me?
Tags are powerful for segmenting your client base. You can use them to group clients by employer, policy type, service level, or any other custom criteria, which is excellent for targeted communication and reviews.

We hope this guide helps you effectively manage your client records in ClientManager CRM.