Using Focus3

Actions, Action Steps, Action Cycles, Action Cycle Aliases

Overview

• Actions
  • Actions are items that record any upcoming, scheduled or past communication or interaction with a Contact.
  • Focus3 included the following Action Types:
    • Call
      • An Action that records any outbound telephone communication with a Contact.
    • Correspondence
      • An Action that records any outbound printed communication with a Contact.
    • Inbound
      • An Action that records incoming communications (Call, Correspondence, Email, Walk-In Visit) to the Property from a Contact.
    • E-Mail
      • An Action that records any outbound email communication with a Contact.
    • Task
      • An Action that records a calendar event or reminder for an Employee.
    • Tour
      • An Action that records a Contact's on-site visit to the Property.
    • Sale
      • An Action that records the purchase of a Listing by a Contact.
    • Reservation
      • An Action that records a Contact's commitment to attend a Reservation Event.
    • Listing
      • An Action that records a Unit listed by a Contact for sale.
    • Transfer
      • An Action that assigns a Contact to another Property within the Company.
  • Actions for a Contact may be viewed and managed in the Sales Path section on a Contact's Contact Summary page.
  • The Action Search page allows Users to search for Actions. The Action Search page may be accessed by clicking on the "Actions" tab in the universal navigation.
• Action Cycles and Action Steps
  • An Action Step is a component of an Action Cycle that includes a specific Action (Call, Correspondence, or Email).
  • An Action Cycle is a series of one or more Action Steps, in a specific order and separated by a pre-defined number of days, designed to automate and ensure proper follow-up with a Contact.
  • Contacts in Focus3 may only be on one Action Cycle at a time.
  • When a Contact in Focus3 is placed on a new Action Cycle, Focus3 will automatically cancel all scheduled Actions for the existing Action Cycle and add the first Action of the new Action Cycle if it has one.
  • Actions added manually by Users, using the "Add New Action" drop-down menu on the Contact Summary page, are not cancelled or otherwise affected by Action Cycles, and must be managed independently.
• Action Cycle Aliases
  • An alternative name for an Action Cycle.
  • Action Cycle Aliases allow a single Action Cycle to be referenced by multiple names. For example, an Action Cycle Alias named "Not Interested" and an Action Cycle Alias named "Not Qualified" could both point to a "Future Prospect" Action Cycle.
  • Action Cycle Alias values are required in order for options to be visible in the "Action Cycle" drop-down menus located on the Call Details, Inbound Details, Reservation Details, and Tour Details pages.
  • When an Action Cycle Alias value is selected in the Action Cycle drop-down menu and the Action is saved, the Contact will be placed on the related Action Cycle.
• Sample Action Cycle Workflow
  1. A prospect makes an inquiry about the Property via telephone, email, postal mail, or as an on-site walk-in.
  2. A User with the "Add Contacts" Permission, usually the Administrator, adds the prospect as a new Contact in Focus3 and selects the appropriate Action Cycle for the Contact. This automatically scheduled the first Action in the Contact's selected Action Cycle. For example, the first Action may be sending a Correspondence - a personalized letter from the assigned Sales Exec. The scheduled Correspondence Action will appear on the Contact's record in Focus3.
  3. Users with the "Generate Fulfillment" Permission, usually the Administrator, will be alerted in the Fulfillment area that the Correspondence Action is ready to be completed. The Administrator will generate and print the Correspondence and update the status as "Completed".
  4. Completing the Correspondence will automatically schedule next step of the Contact's selected Action Cycle, perhaps a follow-up Call from the assigned Sales Exec. The Sales Exec will be alerted to completed the Call on the date scheduled.
  5. When the Sales Exec completes the Call, a new Action Cycle is selected based on the customer's response.
• Using Action Cycles
  • Action Cycles automatically schedule Actions that prompt Sales Execs and Sales Assistants to follow up with their Contacts as needed.
  • When a Contact is added to Focus3, an initial Action Cycle must be selected. After each interaction (Call, Tour, etc.) with a Contact, the designated Sales Exec or Sales Assistant may select a new Action Cycle to ensure the Contact is followed up with appropriately.
  • Contacts should always be placed on an Action Cycle unless a Tour is Scheduled or a Sale is Pending. Upon the completion of the Tour or Sale Action, Contacts should be placed on the appropriate Action Cycle to ensure proper follow-up.
  • To prevent a Contact from "stepping off" an Action Cycle when completing the last Action Step -- for instance, if a Sales Exec forgets to select a new Action Cycle when completing the last Action Step of an Action Cycle -- we recommend adding a Loop Step value to the last Action Step in each Action Cycle. This will ensure that follow-up Actions will always be scheduled for Contacts.
  • It is recommended that the last Action Step of each Action Cycle schedule a Call so the assigned Sales Exec may assess the Contact's status and intent.
  • Placing a Contact on an Action Cycle that contains no Action Steps will not schedule any follow-up Actions. The Contact will remain "on-hold" until they are placed on a different Action Cycle that contains Action Steps.
  • You must add Correspondence/Email options before creating Correspondence/Email Action Steps. See "Correspondence" and "Emails" for instructions.

Related Tasks

• Managing Action Cycles
  1. Click on the "Admin" tab to display the Admin page.
  2. Click on the "Action Cycles" link to display the Action Cycles page. The Action Cycles page lists all active Action Cycles by default. All Action Cycles may be displayed by selecting "All Action Cycles" in the drop-down menu on the upper-right.
  3. Click on an existing Action Cycle Name, to edit an existing Action Cycle, or the "Add New Action Cycle" link to add a new Action Cycle. The Action Cycle Detail page will be displayed.
  4. Complete the fields as desired. See the Field Descriptions below for detailed field descriptions.
  5. Click the "Save" button to create a new Action Cycle that contains no Action Steps.
  6. If desired, continue to create Action Steps for the selected Action Cycle. Click the "Add Action Step" link to display the Action Step Details page.
  7. Complete the fields as desired. See the Field Descriptions below for detailed field descriptions.
  8. Click the "Save" button to create the new Action Step.
  9. Repeat steps 6-8 until all Action Steps are created as desired.
  10. If desired, select the last Action Step, select a Loop Step value, and click the "Save" button.
• Managing Action Cycle Aliases
  • To allow Users to select an Action Cycle on Action detail pages, add Action Cycle Aliases that point to each Action Cycle as desired.
    1. Click on the "Admin" tab to display the Admin page.
    2. Click on the "Action Cycle Aliases" link to display the Action Cycle Aliases page. The Action Cycle Aliases page lists all active Action Cycle Aliases by default. All Action Cycle Aliases may be displayed by selecting "All Action Cycle Aliases" in the drop-down menu on the upper-right.
    3. Click on an existing Action Cycle Alias Name, to edit an existing Action Cycle Alias, or the "Add Action Cycle Alias" link to add a new Action Cycle Alias. The Action Cycle Alias Detail page will be displayed.
    4. Complete the fields as desired. See the Field Descriptions below for detailed field descriptions.
    5. Click the "Save" button.

Field Descriptions

• Action Cycles
  • Action Cycle ID
    • System-generated value.
    • Unique Action Cycle identifier. (ex. 123)
  • Action Cycle Name
    • Required text field.
    • Name of Action Cycle. (ex. "Introduction - Referral" or "Not Interested")
  • Active
    • Required drop-down value.
    • Makes the Action Cycle available or unavailable for Users to select. Make sure no Contacts are on the selected Action Cycle before setting it to inactive. (ex. Yes or No).
• Action Steps
  • Action Step ID
    • System-generated value.
    • Unique Action Step identifier. (ex. 1234)
  • Name
    • Required text field.
    • Name of Action Step. (ex. "2 Day Follow-up Call" or "Pre-Tour Survey")
  • Action Type
    • Required drop-down value.
    • Type of Action triggered by the Action Step. (ex. "Call" or "Correspondence/Email")
  • Correspondence/Email
    • Required drop-down value if the Action Type is "Correspondence/Email".
    • Displays the names of all active Correspondence/Email options. (ex. "Intro Package")
  • Loop Step
    • Optional drop-down value.
    • Displays the names of all Action Steps in the selected Action Cycle.
    • Loop Steps help ensure that Contacts always remain on an Action Cycle and are recommended only for the last Action Step of an Action Cycle.
    • Selecting a Loop Step value will trigger the selected Action Step when the current Action Step is completed and the Contact remains on the same Action Cycle. (ex. "5 Day Callback")
  • Offset Days
    • Required text field.
    • Number of days between Action Steps.
    • Focus3 will schedule the related Action for this number of days after the Action Step is initially triggered. (ex. "0" or "5")
  • Active
    • Required drop-down value.
    • Adds or removes the Action Step from the related Action Cycle. Inactive Action Steps will be skipped by the Action Cycle. (ex. Yes or No).
• Action Cycle Aliases
  • Action Cycle Alias ID
    • System-generated value.
    • Unique Action Cycle Alias identifier. (ex. 1234567890)
  • Name
    • Required text field.
    • Name that will be displayed for the selected Action Cycle. This name may be the same as the Action Cycle Name if desired. (ex. "Not Interested")
  • Action Cycle
    • Required drop-down value.
    • The Action Cycle that the Action Cycle Alias points to. (ex. "1 Day Callback").
  • Active
    • Required drop-down value.
    • Activates or deactivates the Action Cycle Alias. (ex. Yes or No).

Related Items

• Call
• Correspondence
• Inbound
• E-Mail
• Task
• Tour
• Sale
• Reservation
• Listing
• Transfer