CRM UK - the official blog of Concentrix Ltd

The rise of Business Management Suites

The traditional method of using a variety of systems to manage a business causes inaccuracies, islands of information and poor knowledge across a business, and this often impacts on profitability. However, the days of running several unconnected systems to manage a business are quickly becoming a thing of the past, due to the rise of ERP and this is not a bad thing.

ERP (now more often called Business Management Suites) have significantly increased in popularity over the past few years as more and more businesses realise that implementing a solution can streamline internal processes, enabling them to reduce their overall operating costs and subsequently enhance their profitability.

So what Business Management Solutions are available?

Concentrix is a Microsoft Gold Partner and Sage Accredited Business Partner and supplies ‘best in breed’ solutions including Sage 200 Suite and Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

Both Sage 200 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV are extremely popular solutions, and we have a comparison of Sage 200 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV on our website.

Sage 200 Suite

Sage 200 is a genuine business wide application, so rather than having to run separate, an unconnected piece of software to manage your business, Sage 200 enables you to do it from within one piece of software. What’s more, because Sage 200 is an integrated solution which connects with all the main functions of your business, it delivers massive gains in efficiency and effectiveness.

Sage 200 is a modular solution. However the two foundation modules are:

- Sage 200 Financials

- Sage 200 CRM

There are also a variety of industry and process specific modules available including:

- Sage 200 Commercials

- Sage 200 Project Accounting

- Sage 200 Construction

- Sage 200 Manufacturing

- Sage 200 Point of Sale

- Sage 200 Wholesale and Retail

- Sage 200 Business Analysis and Forecasting

Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Microsoft Dynamics NAV is a cost effective, robust and highly flexible mid-market business management solution. It is a fully integrated solution which will bring your whole organisation together as it integrates all departments including, Manufacturing, Sales, Marketing and Human Resources.

In addition Microsoft Dynamics NAV has extensive business intelligence and reporting facilities which will help you to uncover valuable nuggets of information, enabling you to make more informed business decisions.

By comparison to Sage 200, the design of Microsoft Dynamics NAV is based around people’s roles and the tasks they perform. Essentially Microsoft Dynamics works with people, the way they do their jobs, and the way they work in their departments.

The standard functionality of Microsoft Dynamics NAV includes financial management, supply chain management, manufacturing, sales, marketing, human resource management, project management and service management. It also has a standalone accounting solution.

For more information about Sage 200 or Microsoft Dynamics NAV, or for more information about Business Management Solutions please contact Concentrix on 0509 410500 or email info@concentrix.co.uk

 

Concentrix Customer Surgery

The next Concentrix Customer Surgery is on Tuesday 8^th December.

The Customer Surgery gives existing customers the opportunity to spend an hour with one of our CRM, Accounts or Business Solutions Specialists completely free of charge, while enjoying some Christmas themed refreshments. You can ask our team about anything ranging from your existing system, to software upgrades, tips, advice and future developments.

Date: 8^th December 2009

Location: Concentrix Ltd, 20 Granite Way, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire LE12 7TZ

To book your place*, either email info@concentrix.co.ukor call 01509 410500 by Monday 30^th November.

*Please note to attend the surgery you have to book a place first

CRM Knowledge Base

Have you looked at the Concentrix CRM knowledge base recently? The latest post is the top ten do’s and don’ts for CRM success, and we’re adding articles of interest all the time.

All articles in the knowledge base are original – they’re written by experienced and qualified Concentrix consultants or our partners. CRM technology itself is rapidly developing and changing. The advent of ‘Social CRM’, the growth of hosted CRM, cloud computing, integrated solutions and ‘xRM’ (where the ‘x’ means ‘Anything’ - it’s not just about customers anymore) and increased computing power all mean CRM projects can become even more far-reaching and complex. That’s why the knowledge base is steadily growing. As well as this blog, we hope the knowledge base will help keep you up to date and informed about latest developments in CRM.

Concentrix also has a variety of whitepapers and pdf downloads. Most of these are available on request; however some are also available for download direct. For example, the CRM knowledge base includes Security for your Finance and CRM Software - A non-technical introduction on how to ensure your systems are protected from the ever prominent security threats, and Sage CRM – Standard and Advanced licences compared. The smaller accounts and ERP solutions knowledge base includesthe popular Concentrix whitepaper “Integrated Finance and CRM Software: How Sage 200 Improves Business Efficiency by combining Finance and CRM Solutions”.

If you have any suggestions or ideas for articles or whitepapers you would like Concentrix to develop, or any other questions or queries about CRM, accounting, business management or ERP solutions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

Sage 200, much more than an accounting solution!

If you currently use Sage 200, you will be aware that it comes with two foundation modules:

- Sage 200 Financials

- Sage 200 CRM

The majority of companies are aware of the financial module and use it on a daily basis. However, the CRM is often not given a second thought. However, a CRM solution properly deployed will significantly improve a company’s efficiency, effectiveness and overall profitability.

- Sage 200 CRM will bring a number of benefits to your organisation including:

- Reduced duplication of effort through storing all data in a centralised location

- Decreased errors through reduced data import

- A more consistent customer service experience

- Improved management effectiveness through powerful measurement and reporting tools

Concentrix is currently offering existing Sage 200 customers half a day of free training on Sage 200 CRM, to get you up and running.

For more information about Sage 200 CRM, or to arrange your free training, please contact us on 01509 410500 or email info@concentrix.co.uk

Free Seminar: Getting CRM Right

Just a quick reminder about the free seminar 'Getting CRM Right' on 24th November. To register* please click here, email info@concentrix.co.uk, or call 01509 410500.

Packed with tips and practical advice, the seminar is the ideal opportunity to find out how you can improve your organisation with the latest CRM technologies. The venue is easy to get to (just a few minutes from the M5 and M4 motorways), and refreshments and a buffet lunch will be included.

Seminar Title: Getting CRM Right

Date: 24^th November 2009

Time : 10.00 am to 13.00 pm (Registration 09.30)

Venue: Concentrix Ltd, 130 Aztec West, Bristol BS32 4UB

For more information about the event, please click here or don't hesitate to get in touch!

Sage 200 User Group

The next Sage 200 User Group for existing Concentrix Customers will be held at our head office in Mountsorrel, Loughborough on Tuesday 1^st December.

The User Group will include special guests Michael Crampsey from Sage UK as well as Elliot Stevens from Aspidistra.

The user group will provide the perfect opportunity for existing Concentrix Customers to:

- Ask questions about any aspect of Sage 200

- Meet and network with other Sage users and Concentrix Customers

- Get an introduction to Ecommerce for Sage from Aspidistra Software

- Find out about Sage 200 CRM integration with Sage 200

Date: Tuesday 1^st December 2009

Time: 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. (Registration 9.30 a.m.)        

Venue: 20 Granite Way Mountsorrel, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 7TZ

To register or for further information, please email info@concentrix.co.uk or call 01509 410500.

 

News from Microsoft Convergence Conference 2009

Customers use Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM to capitalize on trends, market shifts

Yesterday at Convergence 2009 Europe Microsoft showcased how it is enabling customers and partners to use modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) products such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV and customer relationship management (CRM) software such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM for competitive advantage.

In his keynote address, Kirill Tatarinov, corporate vice president of Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS), reinforced that businesses can implement Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM to help their people be more productive, get better insight and control over their business processes, and embrace connections with others in their ecosystem.

“Microsoft Dynamics delivers the value, simplicity, innovation and choice that allow businesses worldwide to endure, prevail and increase their competitiveness during these challenging economic times,” Tatarinov said. He also announced that all Microsoft Dynamics products are certified to run on Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 as of Oct. 22, 2009, the official launch date for Windows 7.

At the event, customers learned about how Microsoft Dynamics embraces trends such as environmental sustainability and social media as well as technology features such as Windows Touch to help address market challenges, regulations and compliance.

For example, companies going green are seeing value in Microsoft Dynamics vertically oriented partners as they look to IT for help in meeting and surpassing industry standards. For example, one partner is helping companies reduce risks associated with hazardous materials and ensuring regulatory compliance throughout the product life cycle in response to catalyst legislation such as REACH and GHS. Another partner is focused on integrating sustainable development solutions to measure, manage and monitor initiatives.

Microsoft also highlighted the continued success of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. With more than 1 million users, and industry recognition for the value it is offering to customers globally, Microsoft Dynamics CRM continues to deliver rapid innovation through regular on-demand service updates and CRM Accelerators provided at no additional cost to customers. As further reinforcement of the power of choice, and supported by healthy growth of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online offering in North America, the company announced that the on-demand solution will also be coming to international markets in the second half of 2010.

Examples of dynamic businesses that are using the power of technology to sharpen their competitive edge were highlighted throughout the keynote address, including Portuguese consumer bank Credifin and Spanish Hospital de Torrevieja.

Working with a regional partner, Credifin used Microsoft Dynamics CRM to enable a supermarket chain customer to reach a goal of issuing 1,000 customer loyalty cards in just 12 days. The Hospital de Torrevieja used a Microsoft Dynamics ERP solution to go paperless and send text alerts to reduce patient waiting time by 50 percent compared with other Spanish hospitals, and facilitated faster access to patient records for doctors, which resulted in shorter hospital stays.

Many customers attending the event had switched from competitive solutions to Microsoft Dynamics to better align with the new realities of their businesses.

Sage 50 and Sage 200 - Further Information

Sage 50 is probably the most popular accounting and business management software used by small businesses in the UK. However, if you're finding Sage 50 slow, limited in functionality, just not doing what you need it to do, or you can see your business growing, it could well be time to look into Sage 200. There's a guide on our website to help you decide: Comparing Sage 50 and Sage 200: 10 Reasons to Move (or Not to Move) 

Sage 200 is a fully integrated suite of business management software. As well as powerful accounting and finance functions, Sage 200 improves work flow and efficiency in nearly all areas of a business. Sage 200 has streamlined business processes and delivered real gains to hundreds of organisations, large and small, throughout the UK. So, whether you use Sage 50 or not, Sage 200 is well worth looking into.

To find more about Sage 200:

- Download the free whitepaper “Integrated Finance and CRM Software”

- Take a look at our Sage 200 2009 factsheet

- Click here to visit the Sage 200 section of our website

Windows 7 Compatibility: Microsoft Dynamics, Sage Software, GoldMine CRM and other applications

Microsoft Windows 7 is officially launched in the UK today! We've been testing what looks to be an incredible release of the hugely successful operating system for workstations and laptops.

If you're thinking of changing your organisation's operating system to Windows 7, and if you’re using CRM, Business Management, Accounting and Finance software, add-on applications or other solutions supplied by Concentrix, we strongly recommend you check the compatibility with Windows 7 before upgrading to the new system.

What Works With Windows 7?

As a guide, here’s a list of software applications supplied by Concentrix which the manufacturers have said are supported on Windows 7:

- Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0

- Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009

- Spindle Professional 2009 SP2

- Credit Hound v326

- Credit Guardian 1.01.2

- AVG Free 8.5

- Sophos Endpoint Security & Control 9.0

What Isn't Supported?

The following software applications supplied by Concentrix are not currently (as of 22nd October 2009) supported by their respective manufacturers on Windows 7:

- Sage CRM (All versions – version 7.0 will be supported on release)

- Sage Line 100 (All versions)

- Sage MMS (All versions)

- Sage 200 (All versions)

- Sage 50 (All lines)

- GoldMine Standard Edition (All versions)

- GoldMine Corporate Edition (All versions)

- GoldMine Premium Edition (All versions)

Can I Use Non-Supported Software on Windows 7?

Items not currently supported may work with Windows 7. However, because the manufacturer states that an item is unsupported, we can’t guarantee it. We will of course try and help but, if there's a related problem, we'll unfortunately be unable to progress any issue with the manufacturer until Windows 7 is supported by them.

With that in mind, we have been able to successfully run the following unsupported applications on a Windows 7 test environment:

- Sage CRM 6.1, 6.2

- Sage 200 CRM

- Sage 200 2009

- GoldMine Premium Edition 8.0.3, 8.5

- GoldMine Standard Edition 6.7

Need Further Information about Windows 7 compatibility?

If you’re a Concentrix customer using any of the CRM software, CRM add-on applications, business management or ERP software supplied by us, and are thinking about changing to Windows 7 and are in any doubt about compatibility, please don’t hesitate to contact the Concentrix support desk.

Free CRM Seminar: “Getting CRM Right” at Concentrix Bristol office

To celebrate the recent opening of the new Concentrix regional office in the South-West, Concentrix is inviting businesses to a free CRM seminar at our Bristol offices on the 24th November 2009.

Concentrix is one of the UK’s leading independent CRM specialists and the seminar, entitled ‘Getting CRM Right’ will:

• Identify the key factors you need to take into account when selecting CRM software

• Explain the phases, activities and tasks you need to undertake to successfully manage a CRM project

• Look at the latest developments in CRM, including hosted CRM software, CRM 'in the cloud', Social CRM and ‘xRM’

• Provide practical demonstrations of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and the business management solution Microsoft Dynamics NAV

• Demonstrate the benefits of implementing a properly configured CRM system

• Give you the opportunity to talk to experts from Concentrix, Star Technologies and Microsoft

The seminar is open to all – Concentrix customers and non-customers alike. Packed with tips and practical advice, “Getting CRM Right” is the ideal opportunity to find out how you can improve your organisation with the latest CRM technologies.

The seminar venue is easy to get to (just a few minutes from the M5 and M4 motorways), and refreshments and a buffet lunch are included.

To register online please click here, email info@concentrix.co.uk, or call 01509 410500. Please note that for free entry to the seminar, parking and refreshments, we need you to register for this event before 16th November 2009.

Seminar Title: Getting CRM Right

Date: 24th November 2009

Time : 10.00 am to 13.00 pm (Registration 09.30)

Venue: Concentrix Ltd, 130 Aztec West, Bristol BS32 4UB, UK

And of course for any further information about this seminar or other Concentrix CRM events, please don’t hesitate to contact Concentrix