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

Update on UK Price Rises for Microsoft Software Licences

Following on from our recent blog article about imminent Microsoft software licence price rises in the UK, we now have some more details on the changes.

Assuming the Euro and UK pound currencies don’t fluctuate significantly between now and July, the price of Microsoft licences for most of its business software, which includes Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics NAV, will rise by about 20%. This is part of Microsoft’s harmonisation of licence prices throughout the EU and EFTA regions: Microsoft is aligning the price of licences purchased in UK pounds sterling against the cost of those purchased in Euro’s.

So, for the majority of customers in the UK that use these products and are thinking of upgrading, adding more licences or have renewals due this year (in July onwards), you should certainly consider bringing these purchases forward to June. Having said that, the changes won’t affect everyone. If you already have fixed term agreements with Microsoft with agreed prices, these will not change.

Microsoft licensing is not always easy to understand. There are lots of different variables to consider depending on what sort of licence you need, what industry you’re in and how you choose to purchase. So to get the best value and to choose a plan that suits your business, it’s worth talking to an accredited Microsoft business partner (ideally one with a Gold or Silver competency in the area you’re interested in).

If you have any questions about these price rises may affect you or your business , please feel free to discuss with your TSG account manager or contact us direct.

UK Businesses Likely to See Microsoft Software Licence Costs Rise This Summer

This summer, Microsoft will align the prices of its volume-licences (which generally refers to licences for its business software) to the Euro. This aims to harmonise pricing across the European region.

At the moment, because of currency fluctuations the cost of licences varies depending on the currency you buy them in. Because the British Pound is currently weak against the Euro and has been for a while, UK customers are (arguably) getting Microsoft software cheaper than their Eurozone neighbours.

There’s a lot of speculation about how much Microsoft volume licence prices could rise for UK customers. Estimates range from a small amount to over 35%. Either way, if you’re in an organisation that's considering purchasing new or additional licences for products such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM or Microsoft Dynamics NAV, it’s might be worth buying them in the next couple of months, before the prices goes up.

No matter how you look at it, Microsoft’s licencing model for its business software is not simple. There are various different types of licence and agreements for its products and services which can confuse even the most savvy business person or buyer. Because of this, the price changes may not apply to all products. There are also likely to be exceptions, for example for organisations or individuals in academia.

Full details of the changes and how much licences are likely to rise (or possibly fall in some EU countries) will be available in June this year. So if you’re not sure whether these changes will affect you, or by how much, contact your Microsoft Business Partner in June.

And don’t forget, June is also a deadline for two major offers on Microsoft Dynamics products. There’s the cash back offer on Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for organisations with 30 users or more. For UK organisations this ends June 30th 2012. There’s also the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 'Give Me Five' Offer. Also ending in June, this enables UK businesses to buy five licences of Microsoft Dynamics NAV for just £1800! Both these offers are genuinely outstanding and, if you’re able to take advantage of them, are a great chance to save a substantial amount while at the same time avoiding any price rises caused by harmonisation.

Changes to the Microsoft Partner Programme – TSG Gets Gold Competencies in Server Platforms, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Portals and Collaboration!

Over the past couple of years, Microsoft has made some major changes to its partner program. Accredited Microsoft Business Partners used to be categorised by Gold, Certified and general tiers. Partners were awarded certification on a points-based system, and working with a Microsoft Gold Partner gave you the assurance that the partner was qualified, experienced and trusted by Microsoft to deliver its products and services.

As the network of Microsoft Partners expanded across the world and the experience and expertise of its business partners grew, there became a lot of partners certified to the highest level (Gold). So from a client’s point of view, with quite a few Gold Certified Partners around, how could you differentiate between them? If you’re looking at an ERP solution such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV for example, and you have three or four local partners , each certified to Gold and offering that product and related services, how do you tell which is more suited in terms of specific qualifications, technical expertise, product experience and business knowledge?

This is one of the reasons Microsoft revamped the way it certifies its partners. Microsoft has now replaced its Gold, Certified and general accreditation partner rating system with a more specific and more stringent competency-based programme. Microsoft Business Partners are now accredited as Gold or Silver in a specific competency area or areas. They are no longer accredited as Certified or Gold Certified as a company.

The phased out partnership programme was pretty general and although it served a purpose for a long time (this is the first time the programme has had a major overhaul in many years), the business environment has moved on.

Although at first glance these changes may seem subtle, they’re actually of real significance to Microsoft Business Partners. They’re also, more importantly, of major significance to businesses and organisations that are clients of, or are considering working with Microsoft Business Partners. It’s arguably the biggest change to Microsoft’s partner channel that the software company has ever made.

From a business partner’s point of view, the programme is tougher, there’s no getting away from it. But it makes sense. You’ll now be able to find a Microsoft Business Partner that is specifically certified to the business area you’re looking at and to a level of expertise you require. The more stringent and focussed accreditations provide a much higher level of assurance, reliability and business expertise to clients and potential clients.

Under the old partner programme, both TSG and Concentrix (now part of the TSG group) were Microsoft Gold Certified Partners. In case you haven’t seen it yet, TSG recently published a press release announcing how we achieved not one but three Gold Microsoft Competencies. So already, TSG is a UK Microsoft Partner with Gold Competencies in Server Platforms, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Portals and Collaboration.

As a company TSG is really proud that we’re among only one per cent of the 650,000 Microsoft Partners worldwide good enough to achieve this standard. To earn a Microsoft Gold Competency, organisations have to complete a rigorous set of tests to prove their level of technology expertise, have the right number of Microsoft Certified Professionals, submit customer references and demonstrate their commitment to customer satisfaction by participating in an annual survey.

This quote from TSG’s Chief Executive Officer David Stonehouse sums up the pride he has in TSG’s very capable employees,

“As the highest level of accreditation Microsoft offers its partners we are extremely proud of these achievements, especially as it’s a reflection of the hugely talented team here at TSG and I can’t praise them enough, our people really are our strength.

This was a very challenging process, with significant investment, Microsoft raised the bar last year by introducing their new competencies strategy, allowing for some differentiation of core capabilities within the Partner Network.

So to achieve recognition as one of the Microsoft Partners considered to be worthy of Gold Competency really is the icing on the cake and our customers can now have even greater confidence that their Gold Accredited Partner can deliver sound IT solutions".

For more information about the full range of TSG’s products and services or our formal accreditations and qualifications, please visit www.tsg.com or contact your TSG account manager.

Why You Should Choose ERP Software with a Clear Road Map and Statement of Direction

As independent business software specialists, here at Concentrix TSG we will only recommend an ERP solution that we feel meets the real needs of our client’s organisations. As well as functionality, features, flexibility, costs, expected return on investment and other factors that make a particular solution the right ‘fit’ with a business, it’s also important that the product is provided by a stable and proactive vendor. In other words, an established software provider that will not only look after the product, but listen to its customers and actively update, improve and develop it in the years to come.

Individuals, businesses and other organisations that are investing in an ERP system for the first time, or replacing a legacy system, need to be absolutely sure that the software has a long-term future. They need to know that the vendor will continue to invest in the product’s development, while delivering innovation and technical enhancements. It’s also important that the vendor maintains and supports older versions of the software for a reasonable time without forcing upgrades on its user-base: the majority of businesses want to upgrade, but in their own time!

No-one wants to invest in an ERP solution and be left with an unsupported, outdated or underdeveloped piece of software. Businesses want to get maximum return on investment, as quickly as possible. They want a system that will carry on working for them, delivering benefits, cost-savings and process improvements as their businesses expand and adapt to changing environments.

Most leading ERP software vendors regularly update and publish a product roadmap, statement of direction, or similar documentation to keep their customers, potential customers and business partners fully up to date with the plans for the software. For example, the UK business software provider Sage usually releases a new version of Sage 200, its mid-market ERP solution, around June each year. This is preceded by a variety of documentation and information about the product.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV is one of the most popular Dynamics ERP solutions in the UK, and Microsoft recently published an updated Statement of Direction for this product. This new document provides current and potential users with a clear outline of the ‘headline’ forthcoming product enhancements, and delivers strong assurance on the product’s future. It provides a look into the short, medium, and longer-term development plans for Microsoft Dynamics NAV, while enabling businesses to plan and get the very best out of their ERP software investment.

Microsoft updates its Statement of Direction for Microsoft Dynamics NAV fairly regularly. Although there are rarely (if ever) any surprises in terms of change of focus, direction, or strategy, it is important to note that the regular release of a statement of direction demonstrates that Microsoft is firmly committed to Microsoft Dynamics NAV. It shows how Microsoft is developing Microsoft Dynamics NAV with technical innovations and the addition of powerful features, enhancements and product functionality.

The next major product update, ‘Microsoft Dynamics NAV 7’, is scheduled for release in the latter half of 2012. However, there’s an exciting and long-term future clearly laid out for Microsoft Dynamics NAV, and an updated roadmap shows the features, functionality and enhancements in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 7, plus versions 8, 9 and beyond.

As well as being committed to regular product updates, Microsoft also shows commitment to organisations that want to upgrade in their own time. This is by providing mainstream support for older versions of the software for at least five years after its first release. So for example, if you purchased Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0 in April 2007, you’ll have full support available until April 2012. Then, if you want to continue with that same version of the product, you can purchase an extra five years of extended support. This helps make sure you get an excellent return on investment with whatever release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV you start with.

We recently published a post over on the erpsoftware blog which discusses the key points from the latest Statement of Direction for Microsoft Dynamics NAV, and how it shows there’s a great future for the product and its users.

For more information about the latest Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Sage 200 or other ERP solutions, please contact Concentrix TSG - UK ERP Specialists.

Find Out More about Sage 200 Business Intelligence with these Free Online Seminars

Sage 200 is one of Concentrix TSG’s most popular products. It’s a great ERP solution for organisations that have outgrown entry-level accounting software, such as Sage 50. Sage 200 is also ideal for businesses that need modular, easy to deploy, feature-rich ERP software that will bring together all your key processes.

Based on customer feedback (as well as some of the lively discussions in our regular Sage 200 user-groups), Sage 200’s Business Intelligence functionality is one of the most exciting features of the product. In a nutshell, Sage 200 Business Intelligence provides cost-effective reporting and analysis, helps maximise your productivity and minimise costs to achieve a real competitive advantage.

With full management dashboards, Sage 200 Business Intelligence delivers a unified and integrated view of your data. The powerful analysis and reporting, presented in an easy to understand format, means you can make better decisions because you’re working with timely and accurate information taken direct from your Sage 200 system. 

If you’re looking for an introduction to Sage 200 Business Intelligence and to find out how it can give your business the competitive edge, why not book on to one of TSG’s free online seminars? They’re a great way to find out more about Sage 200 BI, without having to leave your office!

TSG’s next free Sage 200 Business Intelligence online seminars are on Tuesday 7th February 2012. We’re running two seminar sessions on the same day to suit your schedule: a morning session, between 9.30am and 10.30am, and an afternoon session, 2.30pm-3.30pm. Registration is essential - please visit the events section of TSG’s website to find out more.

For organisations that have Sage 200 Business Intelligence already set up and want formal training to really get to know it, Concentrix TSG regularly runs intense, in-depth day courses. The courses are discounted for existing Concentrix TSG (and TSG) customers and offer great value. Please contact [email protected] for further information.

The next Sage 200 User Group and Sage 200 Business Intelligence Training Course

If you’re a current Concentrix TSG Sage 200 customer, you should have received your invite to the first Concentrix TSG Sage 200 User Group of 2012! In case you haven’t, it's taking place on Wednesday 18th January at our offices in Mountsorrel, Loughborough.

Melvin Fletcher will be joining us to show Datalinx’s Mobile Ordering & Delivery system, which uses the latest in handheld and tablet technology to allow quick and easy transactions on the move. Dave Parker from Sage will also be joining us to talk through Sage news and the Sage 200 Wish list.

The Sage 200 User Group will also provide an opportunity for a chat with your Account Manager, so please get in touch if you’d like a meeting and we will schedule one in.

Don’t forget we are also running a Sage 200 Business Intelligence training course on Thursday 26th January. The course is open to everyone, with a discounted price for current customers. Using Sage 200 for Business Intelligence will help you quickly and efficiently analyse data, make better and more informed business decisions, and gain an in-depth understanding of what’s really happening throughout your business, so it's well worth using. The course will guide you through using Sage 200 Business Intelligence, based around the Sage 200 Commercial modules.

To register for the User Group, to submit your questions or arrange a catch up with your account manager please complete the fax back form that you received with your invite or email [email protected]. You can also email us to find out more about the Business Intelligence training course, or call us on 01509 410500. Of course, if you need any further information please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Concentrix TSG to exhibit at iT Showcase Doncaster on Tuesday 29th November

On Tuesday 29th November, we’ll be exhibiting at iT Showcase in Doncaster. If you are looking to implement a new CRM or ERP system, it’s worthwhile coming along to get some expert advice.

The software exhibition is helpful whether you are in the early stages of your project, or if you are simply looking to switch support partners. Whatever it is, iT Showcase is the ideal exhibition to help.

As a CRM and ERP specialist, Concentrix TSG offers Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Sage CRM, two of the most powerful CRM solutions on the market. Sage 200 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV are strong ERP solutions, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides ‘out of the box’ integration with Microsoft Dynamics NAV for in-depth customer analysis. Concentrix TSG also provides a one-stop shop for IT infrastructure and support.

Our experienced consultants will be demonstrating Microsoft Dynamics CRM on the iPad, so make sure to pop along to the Concentrix TSG stand! Doors open from 10am until 2pm at Doncaster Racecourse.

If you can’t attend the show and would like more information, please visit the Concentrix TSG website or contact us directly.

We look forward to seeing you on 29th November!

New Microsoft Dynamics NAV offer for UK Businesses: Five Licences for Just £1800

Microsoft Dynamics NAV is a highly flexible ERP solution. It's also one of the most powerful, cost-effective and robust business management solutions available. The latest version, called Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2, was released towards the end of 2010 and has already proven popular with a wide variety of businesses.

While it Microsoft Dynamics NAV is often a good fit for medium and large organisations, it’s also a good fit for smaller businesses. In fact, Concentrix TSG has a client using it with just one-user! However, sometimes we come across people in smaller businesses that, for some reason, believe Microsoft Dynamics NAV is an enterprise level product and only suited to organisations with tens or hundreds of end-users.

To help smaller businesses get started with Microsoft Dynamics NAV, during the latter half of 2010 and the first half of 2011, Microsoft ran two promotions. These were primarily aimed at getting smaller businesses on board with the product. The promotions, which enabled businesses implementing Microsoft Dynamics NAV for the first time to buy three licences for one UK pound, or in the case of the second offer buy three licences for the price of one, were genuinely exceptional and offered outstanding value. They enabled a number of Concentrix TSG clients to save significant amounts on initial software costs.

We had a lot of interest in both these offers and they enabled us to help several businesses get started with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. However, anecdotal feedback inferred that while these promotions offered outstanding value, they were available for a relatively short time period.

The Microsoft Dynamics NAV licence price and structure mean you can keep costs to a minimum and grows your ERP system as your business grows. However, changing your ERP solution, or implementing one for the first time, is a major business decision. People, businesses and organisations need enough time to research, plan and assess their options.

So, at the start of this month Microsoft announced a new offer to UK organisations considering changing their existing ERP solution to Microsoft Dynamics NAV or just starting out with proprietary ERP software. The offer, called the “Give Me Five” promotion, allows businesses to buy five Business Essentials or Advanced Management licences for just £1800 (UK pounds).

This is a significant financial saving and makes Microsoft Dynamics NAV exceptional value compared with other ERP products in its class. It provides smaller businesses with a realistic, low risk way to get a quality ERP system implemented within their organisation.

One of the key differentiators of this latest offer is that it runs until next summer (June 2012). This gives plenty of time for any business to thoroughly consider their options and not feel rushed in to making a decision.

Note this offer is only available to new customers that haven't previously bought licenses from the Microsoft Dynamics ERP product range. There are also other terms and conditions that apply.

Concentrix TSG is ‘product agnostic’: we will only recommend an ERP solution if we feel the product meets your aims, objectives, budget and requirements. This could of course be Microsoft Dynamics NAV, or it could be a different solution such as Sage 200. If you’re a UK business and want to find out if you’re eligible for this latest Microsoft Dynamics NAV offer, for more information or if you have any other questions about ERP software, please contact Concentrix TSG.

CRM and Customer Analysis – How CRM Software Helps you Keep the Right Customers

Most people in business are familiar with the phrase “It costs more to gain a new customer than to keep an existing one”. And, despite the advances in marketing technology, digital marketing and social media, it’s a phrase which is still true.

In a tight economy, with the results and return on investment of each marketing campaign more important than ever, it’s essential to use your CRM software to analyse and develop your existing customer base. What’s more, satisfied customers are one of your most powerful marketing tools: there’s still nothing stronger than genuine personal recommendation, and keeping your existing customers happy will in itself help you generate more business.

Customer retention is important, but account management is a specialist role which takes training, time and dedication. So, if you’re going to invest time and resources in keeping customers, it’s good practice to regularly use your CRM software to do a quick check on which customers you actually want to keep.

Not all customers are equal. In fact, there may even be some that you’re better off without. For example, the ones who are consistently late payers, frequently giving you ‘reasons’ why they haven’t paid and taking up resources in your admin, accounts or even legal departments.

Then there’s the terminally dissatisfied. No matter how hard you try, they’ll find a problem. No matter how much time, energy and resources you devote to them, the scenario will just keep repeating itself, and the cost of servicing particularly difficult customers can outweigh their value to you.

Modern CRM software products such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM or Sage CRM are incredibly powerful with a wide range of features and functions. You can use the tools within these applications to run in-depth analysis of your customers. But, to keep it simple, if you suspect a particular customers is using up more resources than their current or potential value, take a quick look at the communications, service calls, cases, activities and history logged against them. Comparing these with past and forecast spend will soon tell you whether you need to review their contracts or service agreements, or even consider gently dropping them.

At the other end of the scale are your key accounts or best customers; the top few per cent that deliver a significant part of your revenue. Those customers that are more profitable because they spend more than most, that are easy to service and generally pay on time. Typically the Pareto Principle or 80-20 rule is quoted (meaning 20% of your customer’s deliver 80% of your revenue) but there’s no hard-and-fast rule. It depends entirely on your business and sector.

Whatever the ratio, you can easily find out who those customers are using your CRM software. You can look at what they bought, how often they’ve bought, how much work went into each sale, the cost of each sale, and most things in between. You can either look at each account or customer ‘manually’, or run advanced searches or set up (or ask your business partner, or in-house CRM expert if you have one to set up) a report.

If you have a CRM system which links with your accounts or ERP system, you’ll be able to analyse this in even more depth, such as payments history or credit status. Microsoft Dynamics CRM, for example, provides 'out of the box' integration with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. This enables significant productivity improvements through the interaction between front and back office in any organisation, and helps you get a clear view of your best (and worst) customers. Similarly an integrated system, such as Sage 200, which includes a CRM module as a ‘foundation module’, links CRM functionality directly to your other key processes such as manufacturing, project accounting or a retail system. And if you have a business intelligence module or data visualisation tool, the results can be even more detailed.

By Concentrix TSG – UK Independent CRM specialists

Free Document Management and Business Reporting Tools available for Microsoft Dynamics NAV

In the UK, Microsoft Dynamics NAV is Microsoft's leading Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and business management solution for small and medium-sized organisations. It's a highly flexible product, with a wide range of sector and process specific configurations and add-on applications.

Since the start of this month, two powerful add-on applications have been available for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 which users can download from Microsoft’s Customer Source website. Before you download or implement either product, we strongly recommend you contact Concentrix TSG or talk to your Microsoft Partner of Record.

You’ve probably already heard of Zetadocs from the company Equisys. Zetadocs is a well-known family of products that improve document handling and management for a range of ERP and business software solutions.

Zetadocs Express for Microsoft Dynamics NAV works as a document management module within the ERP programme. Available for free download since 1st September 2011, this add-on application makes it easier for Microsoft Dynamics NAV users to store, find, access and send files and documents. It helps everyone work more efficiently - saving time, money and resources.

Because Zetadocs Express for Microsoft Dynamics NAV uses Microsoft SharePoint Online, you need to have a subscription to Microsoft Office 365 for it to work. Once it’s up and running, you’ll be able to keep documents associated with Microsoft Dynamics NAV records, such as scanned invoices, letters, delivery notes, emails, faxes and other documentation in a central location. It also has a range of features such as drag and drop, approval and ‘save and send’ as pdf.

The second application that’s also been released is a business reporting tool called Jet Reports Express for Microsoft Dynamics NAV from Jet Reports, Inc. This tool uses Excel to provide a quick and easy way to produce high quality reports using the data contained in Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

There are various ways to get use Microsoft Dynamics NAV for business intelligence. Because Jet Reports Express for Microsoft Dynamics NAV uses Excel, which most people are familiar with, it’s easy to use and requires minimal user training. It also means you can use all of Excel’s features and functions on your data.

There are over twenty report templates included with Jet Reports Express for Microsoft Dynamics NAV. These are for use throughout your organisation – from sales and marketing to accounts and senior management. The templates look great, provide a professional presentation for your data, and help others identify and understand the information in your reports. You can also of course adapt these reports yourself to meet your specific requirements or personal preferences. And don’t forget the price - it’s free!

So if you’re looking to improve your document management or business insight using Microsoft Dynamics NAV, to find out if Zetadocs Express or Jet Reports Express are right for your organisation, or for help getting the applications up and running, please get in touch. We’re a leading UK Microsoft Dynamics NAV business partner.

Note: to download either Zetadocs Express or Jet Reports Express for Microsoft Dynamics NAV you need to be on a current Business Ready Enhancement Plan.