Knowledge Base
Maximizer
What is Maximizer?
Maximizer Enterprise is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
software package used by the Fisher College of Business. This
centralized database will allow college staff from administrative
offices to track and update information on college contacts with
individual alumni, recruiters, business partners, executive education
participants, and other important Fisher friends and colleagues.
Maximizer will also allow the college to track and analyze
information on key companies and institutions. Fisher College staff
using Maximizer can either use the web version (less powerful) or the
thick client which would need to be installed on their office
computer, and they must receive a Maximizer login and password.
Who uses Maximizer?
Staff in Development/External Affairs, Career Services, The Center
for Operational Excellence, Executive Education and Dean's Office
All use Maximixer at this time. There are three types of users:
Basic User (several per office)
• Uses Maximizer to search records and input contact notes
Data Entry Staff (usually one per office)
• Checks to see if new contacts are alumni or donors
• Perform address and personal information updates for
contacts
• Perform mail merges and other administrative tasks
Maximizer Administrator (Jeff Price, Rachael Lavender, Paul
Fannin)
• Staff with additional access and accountability for Maximizer
issues
Who is responsible for Fisher College Maximizer data?
Each office is responsible for the Maximizer records they own. For
example, if a recruiter's contact information is added to
Maximizer by the Career Services data entry staff member, Career
Services is ultimately responsible for the integrity of that
data.Please note that data entry staff in other offices are able to
change information on other records, so data entry staff should
always check to see if a new contact is an alum who is already in the
system. For example, since many of the records in Maximizer are of
alumni and donors – and are the responsibility of
Development/External Affairs – data entry staff in other
offices should always check to see if new contacts are already in
Maximizer as an alum or donor.
How do I get help when I have questions about
Maximizer?
First, use the Help resources provided by Maximizer. Maximizer
software has a built in Help feature. Additionally, the Fisher
College Maximizer manual contains screenshots and step-by-step
instructions for most common tasks.Secondly, turn to Fisher College
Maximizer online documentation and the user group which will meet on
a regular basis. The online FAQ will be continually updated with the
latest solutions to issues with Maximizer. Staff in other areas may
have already found a solution to the same issue you are facing.Third,
contact Paul Fannin who serves as the college's internal
Maximizer support person. He will assist you with questions about
using the software, entering changes into the system, etc.
Most of Maximizer seems focused on individual records. Is the
college tracking information on any specific companies?
Yes. Most contacts with the college are with individuals, and the
Maximizer data reflects that fact. But the value of a Contact
Relationship Management (CRM) software package like Maximizer is the
ability for Fisher College staff in various offices to know how other
college offices are interacting with a company or organization in
order to fully leverage all the relationships of the college and the
organization. The primary offices using Maximizer (Dean's Office,
Development/External Affairs, Career Services, Executive Education,
etc.) have identified nearly 400 important companies and institutions
to track in Maximizer. Of these organizations, 90 have been
identified as VIP organizations. Each of the primary Maximizer
offices has committed to collecting and updating additional data on
these VIP companies on a regular basis.
A contact just gave me their new business card. How do I get
these changes into Maximizer?
If you are a regular Maximizer user, give the contact information to
the data entry staff person for your office. That individual has
received additional training on preventing duplicate entries in the
system, following Maximizer data entry guidelines, and adding new
contacts to the system. Once the contact has been added – if
you are a regular Maximizer user – you can add Notes to the
contact at your convenience.
Can I have a student in my office enter changes into
Maximizer?
No, except in unique, pre-approved instances. The integrity of data
for confidential records is essential to the success of Maximizer for
all the offices at Fisher College. All Maximizer users must take
appropriate training to have access to the system. Also, because any
changes to Fisher alumni records feed directly into The Ohio State
University's Alumni/Development Information Systems database,
additional training is required for the sole data entry staff member
for each Fisher office. Except in rare instances, staff are the only
authorized personnel to change records in Maximizer.
How will I find out about new data entry policies or new
features in Maximizer?
1. Check the online Maximizer documentation, including Fisher College
data entry guidelines and the most recent FAQ.
2. Attend the regular Maximizer User Group meetings.
3. Sign up for the Maximizer e-mail list to receive ongoing
announcements and reminders about Maximizer.
4. Contact Paul Fannin (292-8043) with specific questions.
An additional staff person in our office needs to use
Maximizer. What do we do?
The Director of your office should contact Paul Fannin or Carol Sharp via e-mail with the name, position, office location and
other pertinent information (whether they are a basic user or whether
they will be a data entry staff person for the office). The new
Maximizer user will also need to be trained to use Maximizer before
they are allowed access to the system.