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

Membership Management System gains popularity

For every club, the most important asset is members. Often the process of joining a club can be time consuming and difficult and once you have joined, it may take a number of weeks for the membership to be processed. However, Concentrix has developed a membership management system based on Sage CRM which is proving a great success with clubs, sporting organisations, institutes, charities and other member organisations.

The Concentrix Membership Management System is based on the popular Sage CRM platform. The system has enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of a number of membership organisations through increasing the consistency of member information as well as access to it. So it’s made it easier for organisations to administer and run their club, charity or other membership organisation. What’s more, the system is easy to use and has a variety of tools and functions which help clubs build stronger relationships with existing members, target new members more effectively and drive the sport forward.

However, the system doesn’t only bring benefits to the membership side of an organisation, it improves all aspects of a club from day to day tasks to long term strategic planning. With full website integration, the software streamlines membership processes including administration, subscription management, member communications, event organisation, forecasting and reporting.

Key Features and Benefits of the Concentrix Membership Management System include:

- Comprehensive, web-based membership management

- Robust, reliable solutions based on Sage CRM

- Customised to meet the precise needs of your organisation

- Automates all key membership processes

- Full website integration enables online booking, membership renewals, and information updates

- Secure administration of subscriptions, finance, transactions, events, courses, awards

- Eliminates time-consuming and error-prone paper or spreadsheets

- Unlimited headroom for growth

- Easy control of different membership levels, e.g. individual, group, club and corporate

- Enhances communications through news, updates, and communication tracking

- Easy to use, intuitive system.

For more information about the Concentrix Membership Management solution, please contact Concentrix on 01509 410500 or email [email protected]

 

Sage 200 User Group

The next Sage 200 User Group for Concentrix Customers will be held at our head office in Mountsorrel, Loughborough on Wednesday 10^th March.

The User Group will include special guests Scott Gibson from Sage UK as well as Sarah Vickers from Sicon.

The user group will provide the perfect opportunity for 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 Fixed Assets for Sage 200

- Find out about Sage 200 Business Intelligence

Date: Wednesday 10^th March 2010

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 [email protected] or call 01509 410500.

*Please note that for free entry, parking and refreshments, we need you to register for this event before 1^st March 2010.

Sage 200 Business Intelligence

You may think you know everything about your business and have all the information you need to make informed business decisions. However, things may not be as you expect. Although you may analyse data, there are often nuggets of information which will remain hidden unless you have the right software to uncover them. Very often this information will influence decision making.

Many businesses focus their attention on planning their future rather than analysing the past and in a lot of circumstances this is the right thing to do. However in order to make informed decisions about the future of any business it is critical to analyse the past as well as what is happening at the current situation. This is where business intelligence software comes in.

Sage 200 Business Intelligence is a module available within the Sage CRM suite. Sage 200 Business Intelligence provides a unified view of all your data and makes complicated spreadsheets a thing of the past, as reports are generated automatically. Sage 200 Business Intelligence provides a number of benefits to organisations as it:

- Increases control and agility, Sage 200 BI can help you identify areas of low and high performance

- Provides a complete view of your business. Sage 200 BI enables you to analyse data closely in order to identify trends across your business

- Is based on industry leading technology.

For more information about Sage 200 Business Intelligence, please contact Concentrix on 01509 410500 or email [email protected]

 

Vacancies for Software Developers - Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Thought about a career at Concentrix? We're actively looking for people to join our software development team. In particular people with C#/asp.net SQL, Microsoft ISS skills to work with Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics CRM and SharePoint.

It’s is a great opportunity for a motivated and talented individuals to join an expert development team. Essential to your success in this position you must have:

- solid ASP.NET software development experience

- knowledge of C#, Microsoft IIS and SQL Server 2005 or later.

Equally as important is your ability to work in a team, and your experience of dealing with customers. Experience within Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Dynamics NAV or SharePoint would be advantageous. In addition to the basic salary, we're offering the successful applicant a benefits package including pension and healthcare schemes.

If you're interested, full details of this position are available on MSDynamicsWorld and (along with our other current vacancies), on the job vacancies section of the Concentrix website.

Only 19 days to go until TFM&A!

There is now only 19 days to go until Technology for Marketing & Advertising (TFM&A) 2010! The exhibition is at Earls Court London from 23^rd - 24^th February. TFM&A focuses on business solutions for Marketing Professionals.

Concentrix is an independent CRM specialist and takes a product agnostic approach to implementing software. At TFM&A we’ll be showing our full range of products and services, including Sage CRM, Microsoft Dynamics CRM and FrontRange’s GoldMine.

If you can make it to TFM&A this year, please come and visit us at stand A9 for a chat!

If you are unable to attend TFM&A and would like more information about Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Sage CRM or FrontRange’s GoldMine, please contact us on 01509 410500 or email [email protected].

Your college in business: What CRM can do for you.

Recent economic, technical and cultural changes have had an impact on nearly every sector of business within the UK and the education sector is no exception. The changes have resulted in educational institutions looking for ways to improve their processes and efficiency, while attracting new students and engaging with stakeholders. They are also looking for ways to ensure that existing students stay loyal.

As with many businesses, the key to the success of an educational organisation is data. CRM in education facilitates the delivery of excellent customer service which in turn aids the development of long term relationships with customers and therefore customer loyalty. Customer loyalty is essential to ensure profitability of an organisation; after all it costs more to attract a new client than it does to retain an existing client.

CRM systems can help educational institutions to achieve this, as they improve communication and understanding and enable the institution to deliver a better customer experience. However the term Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is misleading as the strategy, software and processes apply equally to the management of every relationship – not just those with Customers. In essence you could replace the word ‘Customer’ with anything you like whether it is Student, Lecturer or Employer.

However Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions will not only enhance the relationship side of your business. For organisations involved in Employer Engagement strategies such as Train to Gain (the government initiative to encourage businesses to train their staff) CRM can help educational organisations to sell their training. It can also help institutions to reach the Training Quality Standard (TQS).

Concentrix has helped many educational establishments to improve their operations through implementing a CRM system. We supply the best in breed CRM solutions including Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Sage CRM and FrontRange’s GoldMine. Our Customers in the education sector include: Bradford College, Grantham College and Darlington College. We’ve also deployed systems for the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) and SummitSkills – The sector skills council for the Building and Plumbing Industry.  

The latest whitepaper released by Concentrix – “Your College in Business: What CRM can do for you” explains what CRM is and discusses the benefits of CRM to educational organisations. To download the whitepaper – please click here.

For more information about CRM and how it can benefit your organisation please contact Concentrix on 01509 410500 or email [email protected]

Introducing xRM – ‘Anything’ Relationship Management

Nearly every business in every country, operating in every sector has one thing in common – the importance of data. Data is pivotal to the success of all organisations as it enables you to understand a wide variety of parameters from the requirements of your customers, to understanding your stock levels. In recent years, businesses have harnessed this knowledge through the rise of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.

So What is CRM?

CRM is a way of improving business efficiency. It is all about strengthening relationships with customers to ensure that they return and at the same time as attracting new customers. Essentially CRM systems provide organisations with a centralised source of data which reduces duplication of effort, meaning information will no longer be stored in people heads, on different spreadsheets or in paper files. This in turn improves the customer experience, resulting in higher customer retention.

xRM

The term Customer Relationship Management is slightly misleading as the strategy, processes and benefits apply equally to every relationship – irrespective of who the relationship is between. There is an increasing need for businesses to manage every relationship which occurs, not just those with customers and this is a concept which Microsoft has branded xRM, where the x can be replaced with anything you like.

For more information about xRM and the benefits it can bring to your organisation, please click here, contact Concentrix on 01509 410500 or email [email protected]

CRM for Passenger Transport

We've added a new CRM for Passenger Transprt article to the industries section of the Concentrix website!

The Passenger Transport industry is extremely competitive and targets driven. Irrespective of mode, all companies are aiming to reduce the number of customer complaints and late arrivals in an attempt to magnify profitability.

The majority of us use Public transport from time to time, for some it is part of their daily routine. However, with the ever rising price of fuel it is likely that in the future more of us will leave our cars at home and turn to public transport in an attempt to hold onto our money for longer. But with an increasing number of passengers to satisfy how will the sector cope? The answer lies within CRM software.

Professionally implemented, a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system will enable passenger transport companies to store all their information centrally, meaning they no longer have to rely on disparate spreadsheets or email directories. Essentially through implementing a CRM system a passenger transport company can become more customer centric.  What’s more, CRM systems have feature and tools which save time and reduce duplication of effort.

Concentrix has worked with a leading train operator to develop a comprehensive customer service system. However the highly developed system will not only bring benefits to train operating companies, it is highly customisable so that it can benefit every organisation in the passenger transport sector.

Implementing a suitable CRM system will:

- Improve service, communication and transparency with customers

- Increase operational efficiency

- Provide one centralised source of information

- Facilitate quality control

Concentrix is an independent CRM specialist and provides ‘best in breed’ CRM solutions including Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Sage CRM and FrontRange’s GoldMine and has the skills to develop a system so that it meets the exact requirements of your organisation. 

 

Role Tailored functionality in Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Many of us organise our working lives by creating lists of jobs that we have to do. However, over the course of a week it is a common for a list to increase, rather than for it to decrease. The most common reasons for this are:

- Distractions

- Multi-tasking

- Interruptions

- An inability to prioritise

The fact that the task list isn’t decreasing in size is at the very least demoralising for the individual and can impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation, but in some severe cases it can be a contributor to stress at work and have a negative impact on the profitability of the company as a whole.

However, by removing the distractions and clutter, more often than not we would achieve a lot more. Just think, how much you achieve when you work in an office on your own, or at home – it is probably much more than you achieve when you are surrounded by others.  

Role Tailored Microsoft Dynamics NAV removes 90% of the clutter on a workstation meaning that the individual can concentrate on the task in hand and see a task right through to the end.

Benefits of Role Tailored User Experience

The Role Tailored functionality supports users as it helps them to:

- Perform tasks efficiently and effectively, by removing any surplus clutter

- Easily find the information they need to perform tasks

- Provides them with a complete view of their workflow

For more information about role tailored functionality in Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics NAV or ERP solutions, please do not hesitate to contact Concentrix on 01509 410500 or email [email protected]

Easily Manage, Automate and Control Timesheets

Concentrix is now supplying TimeControl Automated Timesheet Software, which eliminates the need for paper-based timesheets and links to your CRM, ERP, business management or accounts solution.

What is TimeControl?

TimeControl Timesheet software eliminates the need for paper-based timesheets with easy, quick and accurate data entry. TimeControl software also brings together multiple timesheets into a single centralised source, providing consistency across an organisation, even if there are differences between departments in terms of the type of timesheet used.

TimeControl Timesheet software is a cost-effective way of improving efficiency, reducing bureaucracy, increasing productivity and helping to bring projects in on time and on budget. In addition it keeps track of staff time, projects, job progress, and a wide range of other variables to suit the specific needs of your organisation (it's highly customisable). Staff simply enter information directly into the software via laptop, desktop computer, terminal or similar. And as CRM and ERP specialists, Concentrix can link TimeControl directly to your Accounts, ERP, business management solution (including the Sage 200 software suite and Microsoft Dynamics NAV) or CRM software such as Sage CRM or Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Before choosing TimeControl as our preferred timesheet product, we looked at several other timesheet software systems. However with its flexibility, ease of use and ability to link to CRM software and ERP solutions, TimeControl really stood out. We’ve already implemented the solution at one of our bigger customers sites and the customer feedback has been excellent.

For more information about why Concentrix is supplying this exciting product, please take a look at our TimeControl Timesheet software press release. For more information or to arrange a free demonstration of TimeControl, please contact Concentrix on 01509 410500 or email [email protected].