IDEA: Create a unique company database. Accumulate all incoming business cards / email addresses for your firm.

Assign a detailed oriented person to record gathered business cards (letterhead with addresses, emails with information, return address labels with sender info)  to create a great database for your industry. As part of the reimbursement of travel expenses, have your sales personnel turn in accumulated business cards. Include contacts (telephone, email, fax and mailing address) for potential customers (most important), vendors and potential vendors, utility companies, fire and police stations, telephone and internet service companies, emergency vehicles for accidents, competitors, bankers, insurance brokers, tax return preparers, freight haulers, CPA firms, sales tax experts, lawyers, shipping brokers, auditors and other key personnel important to your business.  Have the person responsible for this posts it for wide access.  Divide all of the contacts in to categories and set up those groups as well.  Let the person who opens and stamps mail also keep this great company database since they come across many new contacts every day.