CRM UK - the official blog of the CRM specialists at TSG

Disaster Recovery for Microsoft Exchange

Emails have become an essential form of communication to ensure the success of an organisation. As a result, businesses often suffer severe losses when emails are down or when data is lost. In fact, alarmingly 93% of businesses which experience a data loss are out of business within 5 years of the event occurring.

Acronis Disaster Recovery for Microsoft Exchange uses a flexible, intuitive interface which means exchange administrators can back up the mail database ensuring users can always access their emails without the loss of productivity.

Acronis Disaster Recovery for Microsoft Exchange has the following key features:

- Easy administration

- A full range of recovery options

- High speed performance

- Guided disaster recovery

- Password protected archives

- Active restore

- Database and Brick level Backup

- Flexible storage options

- Centralised management

To find out more about Acronis Disaster Recovery for Microsoft Exchange, please contact Concentrix on 01509 410500 or email [email protected]

Sage 200 launch in Bristol

Due to popular demand and as a result of expansion into the South-West Concentrix is now also hosting a Sage 200 2010 launch event in Bristol.

Open to both existing Concentrix customers and selected non customers, the event will provide attendees with the opportunity to:

- See the latest features and developments in Sage 200 2010

- Talk directly to experts from Sage and Concentrix

- Take part in hands-on demonstrations of the software

- Ask questions about any aspect of Sage 200

- Meet and Network with other Sage users and Concentrix customers

So, if you’re looking for Sage software in Bristol, or the South-West , this could be well worth attending.

Event Title: Sage 200 2010 Launch

Date: Tuesday 13^th July

Time: 10.00am – 12.00pm (registration from 9.30am)

Venue: 130 Aztec West, Bristol, BS32 4UB

To register for the event or for more information please email [email protected], or call 01509 410500.

Please note for free parking registration and refreshments, you need to register before 1^st July 2010.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics NAV Integration

There’s been a lot of discussion about the new functions in the next release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly Navision) due out later this year. The release is scheduled earlier than many people thought (the fourth quarter of 2010), and one of the most interesting developments is the new built-in integration with Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

As CRM and ERP specialists that provide both products, integrating Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics NAV is something we’re particularly interested in at Concentrix. What’s more we are often asked about it by our customers and potential clients. In fact the relationship between the two products has actually caused some confusion in some of our clients before, and to clarify the functions for sales and marketing in Microsoft Dynamics NAV are not the same thing as Microsoft Dynamics CRM (despite them being in the same product family). Basically Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a specific application designed for CRM from the ground up, with a wide range of powerful CRM features, while Microsoft Dynamics NAV is an ERP application which has some CRM functionality.

Currently if a client asks us to integrate Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics NAV we will deploy a third-party application. The one we choose will depend on the precise business requirements of the customer, but as an example we may use one of the products by Scribe Software (Scribe software Ltd provides cost-effective data integration solutions for Microsoft Dynamics and other business applications).

We haven’t seen the technical details of how the built-in integration will work yet, but we’re sure it will bring a whole host of advantages to users of Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics CRM alike. It will provide many business process improvements, such as reducing duplicate data entry, increasing data accuracy and helping keep the information in both systems up to date. A significant benefit for sales staff is that they’ll be able to quickly access client and prospect information such as payment history, contracts, pricing, and product availability. What’s more, because it will no longer rely on a third party application, Microsoft will fully support the integration.

Another key feature of the built-in integration is that you’ll be able to integrate either on-premise Microsoft Dynamics CRM or hosted Microsoft Dynamics CRM with Microsoft Dynamics NAV – (Concentrix offers both hosted and on-premise and the integration will work with both options). It will also allow you to migrate from hosted Microsoft Dynamics CRM to on-premise (or the other way around) while keeping the integration with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. This is also a valuable benefit because historically we have had many customers begin their CRM journey with hosted Microsoft Dynamics CRM and, once they’ve established that it works for them and decided they’ll make CRM a core part of their business strategy, will move to deploying Microsoft Dynamics CRM on-premise.

For more information about this topic, we recently posted a blog article which includes the original press release from Microsoft. 

There’s also more information on the news about Microsoft Dynamics CRM integration with Microsoft Dynamics NAV over at the crmsoftwareblog (along with lots of other interesting CRM related stuff!).

And of course if you’re looking for a Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Microsoft Dynamics CRM specialist in the UK, please contact Concentrix.

New functions in the next release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Here’s a recent press release from Microsoft about some of the new features and functions that will be available in the next release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, which is due in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Microsoft Unveils New Functionality for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009

Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 will deliver on software-plus-services vision and include CRM integration and online payment service.

PRAGUE — May 19, 2010 — As part of Microsoft Corp.’s commitment to providing leading enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions to midrange organizations worldwide, the company today unveiled Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 at Directions EMEA 2010. Because of the investment in architecture for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009, customers are able to take advantage of the benefits of the software-plus-services vision through the R2 release more quickly than scheduled, including built-in integration with Microsoft Dynamics CRM and online Payment Service. Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 customers will benefit from the following:

Microsoft Dynamics CRM integration.

Today’s fast-paced business environment demands instant access to customers and vendors. Microsoft is providing built-in integration with Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Benefits of customer relationship management (CRM) integration include eliminating redundant data entries, keeping information up to date in both ERP and CRM solutions, and providing salespeople with the ability to quickly access detailed business information about contracts, pricing and product availability. Customers can choose between integration to on-premises Microsoft Dynamics CRM or Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online with the option to migrate to either option over time.

Online Payment Service for Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

This enables customers to process payment transactions from the Microsoft Dynamics NAV interface across multiple channels, including e-commerce, point of sale and call center transactions. The Payment Service works with leading payment processing services and all major credit cards.

Role Tailored interface access for remote or roaming users.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 supports direct access from the Microsoft Dynamics RoleTailored experience over the Internet. This allows for remote or roaming users to take advantage of the richness and Microsoft Office integration of the RoleTailored interface and the many integration features connected to local resources, such as the operating system and Microsoft Office. This reduces the complexity and overhead compared with using other applications such as Citrix Systems and Terminal Services, especially for hosting partners offering cloud-based Microsoft Dynamics NAV deployments.

Microsoft Application Virtualization support.

The Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 RoleTailored interface can be deployed using Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) technology, which is relevant for both on-premise and hosted solutions. This provides a better experience for the end user as all integration with local applications is done on the desktop. It also cuts IT costs by centrally managing Microsoft Dynamics NAV client installations with automatic deployment to the desktop after an update.

Windows 7 user experience improvements.

Through Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2, jumplists can be used to open recently accessed customers and vendors for increased business productivity and efficiency, and the icon overlay functionality provides information on system events and status streamlined with the Windows 7 user experience.

Treemap visualization.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 showcases the possibilities around business data visualizations abilities in Microsoft Dynamics NAV through rich ad hoc data visualization. It provides treemap analysis that enables the comparison of any two values, for example sales and profits, which increases business productivity and business insight. The innovative client extensibility framework used allows partners to extend the user experience of Microsoft Dynamics NAV to integrate visualizations into any end-user scenario.

“We’re delivering this release in response to customer and partner feedback,” said Crispin Read, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics ERP at Microsoft. “Microsoft is committed to continuously bringing forth innovation in our ERP solutions, including the integration with cloud services. These latest enhancements to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 are an important step in delivering solutions that drive real business productivity.”

“The new features in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 improve our business opportunities and benefit our customers. The fact that Microsoft is able to deliver faster than planned reaffirms our decision to build our solutions on Microsoft Dynamics NAV,” said Christian Sega, managing director at agiles Informationssysteme GmbH, an industry solution provider and consulting company specializing in horizontal workflow solutions built on Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 will be available in the fourth quarter of 2010.

About Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of easy-to-use, integrated and adaptable ERP and CRM applications that enable business decision-makers to quickly respond to market shifts, take advantage of new trends, increase their competitive edge and drive business success. Microsoft Dynamics solutions are delivered through a world-class network of reselling partners providing specialized services and additional innovation to help customers excel in their industries.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Why Choose Concentrix?

When looking for a business partner it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the choice.  Each partner will give you varying information and will approach the process from different angles, so what makes Concentrix different?

Concentrix is an independent Business Solutions specialist. Formed in 1999, Concentrix provides best in breed CRM, ERP and IT Infrastructure solutions including Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Sage CRM, Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Sage 200. What’s more, we take a product agnostic approach to supplying the software, this ensures you get a solution which specifically matches the needs of your organisation.

However, this isn’t the only reason to go with Concentrix; organisations choose to work with us for a wide variety of reasons. So, if you’re wondering “Why Choose Concentrix?” we’ve added some of the reasons given to us over the years to our website.

For more information please contact us on 01509 410500 or email [email protected]

Sage CRM v7 launched in the UK

Sage CRM version 7 has recently been launched and we’re receiving a great deal of interest in the new features!

What benefits will CRM deliver?

Today’s business environment is extremely competitive and securing a sale is at the least challenging. However, once a customer has been secured, it is critical to keep them. After all, customer retention costs less than new customer acquisition.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) provides businesses with one central location to store all information relating to all customers. This improves the efficiency and effectiveness of organisations as staff knowledge is enhanced. What’s more, there will be reduced duplication of effort and increased employee productivity.   

What is Sage CRM?

Sage CRM is the mid-market CRM software application from one of the leading solutions providers.

The new features in Sage CRM version 7 will revolutionise how you manage your employees and how your employees manage their day.

The new features include:

- Full CRM feature –set – Sales, Marketing and Customer Service

- Interactive Dashboard – Fully customisable to how you work

- Rich personalised User Experience

- Fresh Look and Feel

- Fast Implementation and rapid ROI

- Out-of-the-Box Integration with Sage ERP systems

- Low total cost of ownership

For more information about Sage CRM V7, or arrange a free demonstration, please contact Concentrix on 01509 410500

Concentrix to hold Sage 200 2010 Launch

UK independent CRM, Business Solutions and IT solutions specialist Concentrix is hosting a Sage 200 2010 launch on 23^rd June 2010 for their accounts customers.

The event will specifically showcase the new features of Sage 200 and will give customers the opportunity to:

See the latest tools, features and developments in Sage 200 2010

Talk directly to software experts from Sage and Concentrix

Take part in hands-on demonstrations of the software

Ask questions about any aspect of Sage 200

Meet and network with other Sage and Concentrix Customers.

Established in Loughborough in 1999, Concentrix has hundreds of customers, throughout the UK. The company takes a ‘product agnostic’ approach to implementing CRM and business management systems and provides Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Sage CRM, Sage 200 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Concentrix works closely with organisations to make sure they implement solutions that are right for their business model, strategy and budget.

Commenting on the launch event, Peter Elgar, Marketing Manager at Concentrix Said, “We’ve decided to host a launch event this year based on the success of last year’s event. Sage 200 2010 is a great product, packed with new features to help streamline a variety of business processes.”

The launch event details are as follows:

Event: Sage 200 2010 launch

Date: Wednesday 23^rd June

Time: 10.00am – 12.15pm

Venue: Hilton Hotel Leicester, Junction 21 Approach, Leicester, LE19 1WQ

To register for the event or for more information, please contact Concentrix on 01509 410500 or email [email protected]

Background Information

Concentrixis a leading UK independent customer relationship management (CRM) specialist, business management software and IT solutions provider. Founded in 1999, Concentrix helps companies increase competitiveness, profitability and customer satisfaction by improving business processes, systems and IT.

Concentrix solutions are based on recognised, 'best-of-breed' software products. These include Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Sage CRM, Sage SalesLogix, and FrontRange's GoldMinesoftware. Concentrix also supplies Microsoft Dynamics NAV, the Sage 200suite. The company has also developed a number of complementary, add-on CRM software modules, and has a dedicated team of software programmers and developers.

As well as CRM and Business Management software, the company also supplies leading brand hardware, a comprehensive range of support, training, courses, upgrades, advice and consultancy. In other words, Concentrix provides complete IT solutions: software, hardware and supporting services.

Concentrix is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, a fully Accredited Sage Business Partnerand a FrontRange Premier Partner.

Concentrix is head office is based near Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK. The company has a regional office in the South-West (Bristol) and a satellite office in central London.

Get a real insight into how CRM works with a free demonstration from Concentrix!

Customer Relationship Management is becoming a must have to ensure the success of a businesses.  However, CRM is a concept which many people still don’t understand. So, what is it?  Essentially, CRM software streamlines internal business processes by effectively integrating all the key functions of a business. It is all about building and strengthening relationships with existing clients at the same time as attracting new customers.

Although, nearly all businesses will benefit from implementing CRM, often the advantages which the solutions deliver are difficult to comprehend until you actually see a working version of the software.

This is why Concentrix provides FREE demonstrations of all the software packages they provide. Concentrix supplies Microsoft CRM (and is a Microsoft Gold Partner), Sage CRM (and is a Sage Accredited Business Partner) and FrontRange’s GoldMine (and is a FrontRange Premier Partner.) Concentrix also provides leading Business Management solutions including Microsoft Dynamics NAV and the popular Sage 200 suite.

What’s more, Concentrix can customise demonstrations so that they work exactly how your business does. Often, if you see a demonstration which doesn’t relate to your company and its processes, it is difficult to get a real understanding of the benefits it will deliver. However, with a customised demonstration from Concentrix the software, strategy and processes become clear.

Concentrix demonstrations can either be done face to face or, over the internet (you won’t even have to leave your desk!), giving you the flexibility to arrange a demonstration at a time and place which suits you.

To arrange you free demonstration, or more information please contact Concentrix on 01509 410500 or email [email protected].