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

Concentrix TSG to exhibit at TFM&A in Manchester on Thursday 26th May 2011

Concentrix TSG will be attending the Technology for Marketing and Advertising (TFM&A) show on Thursday 26th May 2011. Not only is it the first time TFM&A is being held in Manchester, it is being held at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United FC!

The exhibition is the ideal place to chat with businesses that specialise in CRM, data, direct and digital marketing. The event will bring guests the latest marketing, advertising and sales solutions and technology combined with helpful seminars.

Make sure you visit our stand where we will be demonstrating Microsoft Dynamics CRM on the iPad! Our friendly sales consultants will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have about CRM, whether you know exactly what you’re looking for or not. The event will bring you the latest marketing, advertising and sales solutions and latest technology combined with helpful seminars.

Here at Concentrix TSG we help all types of companies and organisations with their CRM and ERP needs. We are product agnostic so we take pride in being able to recommend the right product for your business’s needs. Just a few of our products include Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Sage 200. For optimum performance of your business software, we also offer a full range of managed IT services, IT security, and infrastructure.

The last TFM&A show at Earls Court attracted 11,000 visitors, so it is a valuable and worthwhile visit. On top of this, it is free for you to come along! Doors open at 9am until 5pm. To register, click here. If you are not attending but you are interested in CRM or ERP solutions, feel free to visit the Concentrix TSG website where there’s lots of information to help you get started.

We look forward to seeing you in Manchester!

Microsoft Dynamics NAV Offers Update: Buy One License, Get Two More Free

Last year, Concentrix TSG ran a promotion to help UK businesses, and in particular smaller businesses, get started with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The offer, which we ran in association with Microsoft, gave the chance for companies and organizations that hadn’t used Microsoft Dynamics NAV before to buy three licenses of this leading ERP solution for just one UK pound (£1).

Occasionally we do come across businesses or individuals that seem to have a perception that Microsoft Dynamics NAV is just for larger organizations. While the choice of accounts and ERP software always comes down to your business requirements (your aims, objectives, processes and business strategy), the perception that Microsoft Dynamics NAV is just for larger businesses is incorrect.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV is an extremely flexible ERP product that is designed for a wide range of different sizes of organizations and different business process complexities. This flexibility means that it’s often a great fit for small and medium sized businesses, and at Concentrix TSG we can give you examples of where we’ve effectively and successfully deployed it in companies with less than five users.

Concentrix TSG had a great deal of interest in the three licenses for a pound offer and it wasn’t surprising that a number of companies took us up on it. The feedback from our clients on both the offer and the product has been great and has helped a number of organizations get started with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Unfortunately, as we’re a business as well, so we couldn’t continue that level of discount for long. The offer ran throughout the autumn of 2010 and ended promptly on 23rd December.

Despite finishing a few months ago, we still get enquiries about the three for a pound offer (word must have got around!). We also had a few clients that for various reasons couldn’t commit by the deadline and just missed out. So, here’s a new offer. Until June 23rd 2011, if you’re a UK business that hasn’t used Microsoft Dynamics NAV before, you can buy one user license of the product, and we’ll give you up to two more for no extra cost. This reduces licensing costs on larger projects, and again helps smaller organizations get started with the product. Whether you choose one or two additional licenses is entirely your choice; whatever is right for your business. We're also discounting our implementation and support services.

Like any ERP solution, Microsoft Dynamics NAV has its own features, strengths and benefits. But just because it’s a great fit for many small businesses doesn’t automatically mean it’s the right choice for everyone. Sometimes a solution such as Sage 200 may be more suited to your requirements, so you should always talk your options through with an independent business management software specialist (like Concentrix TSG!).

There’s more information on how you can get your free licenses for Microsoft Dynamics NAV on the Concentrix TSG website, or to find out more, please don’t hesitate to contact Concentrix TSG direct.

Evaluating CRM Software? Some Useful Resources to help you Choose a CRM Solution

Although a mature market, at Concentrix TSG we still get a lot of enquires from organisations that are looking in to implementing a CRM solution for the first time. In fact, these are the majority of enquires we get from new clients. Of course we also get enquiries from businesses that have used CRM for some time and approach us for advice on the latest software, to find out what’s changed since they deployed their CRM solution, and what their best options are.

Whether it’s the first time your business has deployed a CRM solution, or you’re looking to review, replace or upgrade an existing system, you need to start doing some background research. But where do you start?

Well, the obvious place is to contact an independent CRM specialist such as Concentrix TSG (many people do!), or you could start approaching vendors and business partners directly. But wherever you choose to start, it certainly won’t hurt to do some research on your own.

With many different CRM solutions, different deployment options, prices and technologies available, it’s not always easy to know where to begin and how to determine which CRM solution or solutions will best fit the requirements of your business. Fortunately there’s quite a lot of help and guidance available, and here are some resources which will make investigating, deciding on and ultimately purchasing a CRM system easier.

Firstly, there’s a knowledge base on the Concentrix TSG website which contains a selection of articles, advice and information about CRM, including a number of guides and downloads. This knowledge base gets updated and added to regularly so is a good first port of call when investigating CRM systems. If there’s a gap in the information, or you have a request or ideas for more content you would like us to include, please let us know.

If you’re not already familiar with focus.com, it’s worth a browse if you have a minute. Focus is a respected community of business experts from all over the globe and a great place to ask questions and find advice on just about any business issue. Recently, Focus published a guide, which is free to download, with advice on some of the top questions buyers should ask before purchasing a CRM solution. We recommend you download the guide and read the full details and explanations which accompany each question, but in summary the experts list of top questions to ask are:

- What are the desired outcomes of the CRM initiative?

- Is management fully on board with the new system?

- How do you characterize your company’s style of selling?

- How will we get quick adoption of the system?

- How will the system perform when executing your processes?

- Will the new system foster productivity?

- What integration and customization needs will you have?

- Is the CRM software available as a cloud-based solution, or on-premise, or both?

- What are the costs – including maintenance?

- Is the support type and level appropriate for your business?

- How reliable is the vendor?

- What references for or case studies of the solution are available?

- How does independent research position the product in the market?

- Will the solution continue to meet your needs in the future?

Please note Concentrix TSG is not in any way affiliated or linked to Focus.com. However we’re pleased to say that we recently had some of our contributions included in the above guide.

Another great resource of information to help you choose CRM software is over at the CRMSoftwareblog. Here, experts provide reviews, comparisons and opinions to professionals to help with the CRM software selection process. Although this blog tends to focus on Microsoft Dynamics CRM, it has new contributions from CRM experts almost daily, and you’ll be hard pushed to find an area of CRM that hasn’t been discussed, commented on or written about. Concentrix TSG also contributes to this blog, and as an example one of our recent posts was specifically designed to help in CRM software evaluation with 10 Questions to Help You Shortlist the Right CRM Solutions.

If you’re investigating CRM solutions and are looking for help and advice, it’s always worthwhile doing some background research and talking to an independent CRM specialist such as Concentrix TSG. Being independent we’re not reliant on any particular product or vendor, we’re able to discuss the various choices with you and help you find a CRM solution best suited to your business strategy, objectives, and requirements. So if you need help choosing a CRM system, or just need some advice on where to start, please don't hesitate to contact us!