Coaches Console: Trial Run

Each month I block out a few days for a "project" ... researching a new idea, reading the next book, catching up with contacts, or maybe some important R&R working in the garden.

This month's project is trying out The Coaches Console, a web-based business management system for coaches and consultants.

Over the years I've developed a pretty slick, paperless system of calendaring, invoicing, and client management using MS Outlook, QuickBooks, and a password-protected area of my website.  But lately I've been intrigued with the idea of moving everything to the "cloud" ... for easy access by both me and my clients.

Mentoring clients have asked about The Coaches Console ... but I hadn't heard much about it.  A recently advertised upgrade promising ability to extensively customize and brand client forms and questionnaires caught my attention -- after all, I want to continue or upgrade my client process, not use someone else's.

Yet their website mentions "a week or more" to get started -- yikes!  And a user told me she's been working on her setup for a couple months -- including purchased support from a virtual assistant -- and it's still not client-ready.

But I'm a sucker for a challenge ... and a fast run-through of their videos and free trial account look promising ... so I'm giving it a go.

So far I've invested 8 hours of time and have my client forms re-created ... and I'm picking up speed as I get more familiar with the format.

Stay tuned.  Will let you know how it goes.

Comments

[Shannon]

can't wait to hear more about your experience. I am starting a new coaching business and am considering Coaches Console. Do you think it would be simpler if you had started out with this product? Any other competitors for this product that you are aware of? Seems like a nice program...

[Carol Gerrish]

Shannon, overall it's a keeper. But do expect to put time and energy into the set up. Adding my existing clients was the easy part -- just an e-mail announcing it, with instructions to get started. Clients are appreciating the private client log and archiving features -- so it's already delivering value even though I haven't taken advantage of many CC features.

I'll be back with a post on some lessons learned ... or contact me.