Wizard Systems

Wizard Systems announces release of HEAT Service Management 7.2.1

Wizard Systems is pleased to announce the general availability of HEAT Service Management 7.2.1. This is a stabilization release that includes over 60 customer issues and the following enhancements:

- Reduce serialization of database access thus improving performance during load
- Detection and prompt message in Self-Service when lower version of IT browser is used.

For more information on HEAT or how to download the updates, please contact Wizard Systems.

 

Wizard Systems announce release of GO-Global 4.6, - Web access to your office applications

We are pleased to announce the release of GO-Global v4.6 Gateway Infrastructure includes:

• Fully integrated with Active Directory.
• High Compression Protocol:  GO-Global utilizes the proprietary Rapid X Protocol (RXP) that allows for fast performance even over low-bandwidth connections such as dial-up lines of high latency Internet connections. This highly efficient proprietary protocol is a non-published standard, thus adding to its anonymity and security.
• High Availability Load balancing- based on application, CPU, memory, and active sessions.
• Scalable to 100’s of users:  unlimited application servers –and- easy expansion of server farm.
• Easy system administration:  formal training and special certifications not required.
• Universal print driver: client and server printers supported.
• High Encryption SSL:  (56-bit DES -default); supports 128-bit RC4, 168-bit 3DES, or 256-bit AES encryption.
• Smart Card Support- compatible with Microsoft's Winscard API's.
• Single Sign On Integrated Windows Authentication
• Support for IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Windows, Linux, and Mac desktops.
• iOS Mobile Gateway Client (iPad; iPhone; iTouch). Supports mobile printing. Free from iTunes.

 

For more information on GO-Global or if you're a GO-Global user, contact Wizard Systems

Make calls and replay conversations directly from your Sage CRM

SYNETY CloudCall Click transforms your Sage CRM into a powerful communications system using state of the art Cloud technologies.

CloudCall Click can quickly and efficiently be installed into the current applications of any business, allowing users to make phone calls directly from your CRM as well as record outgoing phone calls.

What are the benefits?

• Initiate calls directly from your Sage CRM
• Automatic logging of call recordings against contacts
• Play call recordings directly from your Sage CRM
• Real-time Dashboard and reports showing your employees' activities
• Categorize calls and add call notes with automatic synchronisation
• Low cost calls - e.g. Call UK mobile 2p per minute

 

 

For more information or a demonstration, please contact Wizard Systems on 01454 316800.

 

It's here! Sage CRM 'Business Collaboration powered by Yammer'

'Business Collaboration powered by Yammer' is an internal social networking and collaboration tool that allows employees to discover conversations and collaborate in real time around such things as, opportunities, leads and support cases directly within Sage CRM version 7.2.

To use 'Business Collaboration powered by Yammer' simply create a yammer account using your business email address. It's free to join and it only takes a few seconds. Once your Yammer account has been created you're instantly part of your company's yammer network and you can start collaborating! 
 
Once installed the component allows you to:

•View and post to your own yammer news feed from within Sage CRM
 
•Aggregate company specific stories and communications within Sage CRM
 
•View and post to a company’s own news feed from within Sage CRM
 
•Specify a string to search for specific messages and communications from within Sage CRM
 
•Post private (inbox) messages to other users within your network
 
•View and respond to your own private (inbox) messages
 
•View a list or users who you follow, or who are followed by you, within your network
 
•Add a Sage CRM note for any message you post against a company within Sage CRM

 

For more information on Sage Upgrades or the latest version, 7.2, please contact Wizard Systems.

 

Five Ways On-Premise ERP Fails Growing Enterprises

The cloud is the best way forward for businesses of all sizes, but growing enterprises are particularly handcuffed by the on-premise model of the past. By locking in to a single vendor's costly, infrastructure-heavy products, enterprises actually harm their own interests. Extending the typical "big iron" corporate ERP system to a new subsidiary or operating region is a costly and cumbersome process that can slow a business to a crawl, just when it’s looking for speed. Here are the four top reasons on-premise ERP is failing to serve the interests of growing enterprises.

1. The overhead and complexity of many "big iron" ERP systems are greater than many small and growing business units can take on or need to. Instead of providing tools to help these new operations grow, the on-premise system can actually stifle creativity, flexibility and speed.

2. Expanding an on-premise system to new territories and subsidiaries almost always means investment in servers and networking hardware, which can represent additional capital expense and increase the burden on IT.

via www.netsuiteblogs.com

Sage CRM 7.2 released with new collaboration tools and mobile access capabilities

The release of Sage CRM 7.2 delivers a host of exciting new features and enhancements that help you leverage the latest trends in mobility, Social CRM, and business collaboration. Mobile and Social CRM adoption continues to rise globally and in recognition of these key trends, Sage CRM 7.2 brings with it greater Social CRM capabilities with Sage CRM for Facebook and enhanced mobile functionality with two powerful sales apps for the iPhone and Windows 8.

New features include:

• Improve teamwork with a collaboration tool powered by Yammer (the private/internal social networking tool for organisations from Microsoft)
• Sage CRM native apps for the iPhone and Windows 8 provide mobile sales teams with real-time data (even if they are out of coverage)
• Sage CRM for Facebook: Instant information about your customers and prospects using Social CRM
• Improvements in the Report Writer with interactive graphs
• Sage CRM and Sage ERP X3 Integration (access to quote, order, invoice and sales credit information from Sage ERP X3)

If you're a Sage User you must have a 'Maintenance Contract' to access latest versions.  Please contact Wizard Systems for more information on Sage CRM 7.2 or how to install the new features.

Download Sage_CRM_v7 2_release_document (a very detailed document on the release and new features)

 

Extended Expression Editor with Inaport 7.3 - Advanced Import tool for CRM applications

Inaport 7.3 (the advanced import tool for CRM applications like Sage CRM and GoldMine) gives you the ability to extend the expression editor by adding your own functions. These functions become available at any point where you can write an expression in Inaport. Some ways this has been used:

• call out to an external web service to get current pricing for commodity products being imported into CRM
• implement specialized parsing of a sales order line
• call out to external database to do conditional updates.

Implementing new functions is straightforward. You create a DLL in any .NET compatible language, and drop it into the Inaport install directory. Inaport will find the DLL on start up and make the functions in it visible in the Expression Editor.

For more information on the latest version of Inaport, please contact Wizard Systems.

6 Tips for improving CRM user adoption

Implementing any new system in an organisation can introduce a little bit of upheaval, but a key factor in ensuring the success of a new CRM implementation is to secure high user adoption - making sure everyone uses it that should do. 

Here's our top 6 tips for improving user adoption:

1.  Get buy in - Ensure all users, managers as well, are committed and signed up to using the system
2.  Training - Have you set aside enough time and resources for Training users on the new system?  Has the training been tailored to the job role of that user?
3. System Design - Most CRM systems can be tailored for specific users, i.e. different users get different screens and capabilities.  If this is a new system, keep the interface clean and simple, and introduce extra functionality in stages over time.
4. Monitoring usage - Intitially it's a good idea to monitor users to check activity levels, how many times they log in, etc...
5. Monitor usage issues - In a similar way, be prepared to nip in the bud any usage issues, i.e. when a Users says "I can't log in...I forgot how to....The system can't do XYZ"
6. KPI and measurement - Finally it might be a requirement of the employee that they MUST use the system.  So what KPIs are you measuring in the CRM system - e.g. New Leads created, Phone Calls made, Appointments Made, size of Sales Pipeline, etc.

For more advice on how to ensure the success of a pending CRM installation, talk to the experts at Wizard Systems on 01454 316800.

 

Spring release of Workbooks CRM - Bulk Actions and Postcode Anywhere Integration

Here's a snapshot of the Spring release of Workbooks due March 9th.

 

Automation Improvements - Bulk Actions on Reports

It is now possible to perform a bulk action on a report by running a process engine script.  This would allow you to automate common tasks on a group of records, or extract and process data retrieved from a report.  As an example you could write a script to automatically create invoice records, from sales orders of a certain status or send a renewal notice to all customers whose support contract will expire next month.

On reports you will now find an Automation Tab.  Here you can select the process you would like to attach to the report.  The process will become available on the Bulk Actions menu of the Report.

Automation Improvements - Run Process on Save

You can now automatically run a process when you save a record.  For example if you have an existing process button that you always run; you could replace that button with a script that runs every time the record is saved.  You will find a new option under the process button setup screen, which allows you to position the button 'On Save'.  Instead of creating a button on the form, the script is run automatically when the record is saved.

 

Postcode Anywhere Integration

We have integrated Workbooks with Postcode Anywhere to enable you to look up complete addresses using partial information such as a postcode/zip code or partial street address.  The specific service we have integrated with is Postcode Anywhere's Capture+  You will require an integration key and a subscription to their service.  They provide a free 30 day trial from their website.  The Postcode Anywhere service can look up addresses in over 200 different countries, including the UK and USA.

Custom Field Improvements - Relationships on DLIs

Dynamic Linked Item custom fields have been extended to enable you to create a relationship between the two records you are linking.  For example if you create a 'Primary Contact' on an invoice record by using a DLI linking to a person, you can configure the custom field to automatically build a relationship between the Person and the Invoice.  This would mean that the Invoice would appear on the Transactions tab of the Person record.

This can now be configured in the Advanced section of the DLI setup screen.

          

 

5 Golden rules about CRM and how not to break them

The five key rules of a CRM solution for a business are:

1. Maintain a central, easy to access system.  Be able to access it from whatever device you are using. 
2. Communicate: Use it to improve the way you communicate with your customers and other users
3. Use it:  For all customer facing staff, this will surely be a key tool they would use during their whole working day.  A CRM system should be a focus for all key client information
4. Cover the 'Touch Points': How do your customers contact you and are you tracking these sources: Phone, Appointments, Web and Social Media
5. Analyse:  Continually monitor use of the system, activity levels, sales pipelines, and customer service KPIs.  What's working well and what isn't

And here's some tips on how not to break them:

• Make sure you have the right CRM system for your business, correctly setup and easy to access.  We at Wizard Systems supply 5 different CRM solutions, giving our customers the choice they need.
• Make sure everyone knows how to use the CRM system.  Don't take shortcuts on training and ensure all new staff are shown how to use the system and what processes it manages.  Wizard Systems provide a full range of training services, on line, at your premises or at our training centre.
• Audit the system.  Identify users who are not using the system actively.  What parts of the solution are you using well and are you missing out on not deploying capabilities the system already has?  Wizard Systems can always undertake a full systems review to assist with your CRM strategy going forwards.
• Keep up to date with CRM trends.  Solutions never stand still.  New releases come out all the time.  So stay in touch with Wizard Systems and watch out for our regular on line webinars featuring many CRM topics from improving sales with CRM, marketing with CRM, and improving customer service.

Wizard Systems have been implementing CRM systems in mainly small and medium sized businesses for 20 years.  We are a one-stop shop for all your CRM needs!