ERP Role in selling your mid-size business Microsoft Great Plains and CRM example

If you own the mid-size business and actively work in it as executive manager or lead, say marketing, you probably know exactly what needs to be done on the daily basis to keep it running. However, in many cases this business critical knowledge exists in your head only. This means that if you would like to sell your business it has little value without your participation. So, ahead of the selling time you should formalize the business to make it work within the systems and rules, independent of people. Lets consider the parts we will need.
Functional Diagram. Well one may think that he doesnt have to reinvent the wheel, but we think that this is the only possible way to start from the top level of formalization. Functional diagram should show the process of getting new customer as a prospect, the sales process up to the closing, then customer order executing. And this diagram should reflect the interaction of your departments and key employees/positions.
Sales Control. When you want to formalize sales you are looking for the system, which allows you to distribute leads to your sales people and then have a tight monitoring of the closing rates and the quality of the closed prospects by salesperson. This system will allow you to create formal position: Sales or Marketing director, who can generate new business for the company through this Sales automation system. In our opinion this is 60% of the formalization success.
Order Execution. You need standard ERP to control order fulfillment. Usually such a system is implemented on one of the Accounting applications platforms. In the case of small and mid-size business, we would encourage you to map to your functional diagram, described above and clarify all your needs with the consultant, who will help you with the implementation. Order Execution automation will allow you to introduce another formal position Controller.
CRM/ERP market. You could find variety of the systems on the market. Here you need to stick to the quality rules. When you implement the computer system you should probably take the leaders on the market and be sure that they will stay or get additional market share in the future. In the case of mid-size business in our opinion you should be selecting between two leaders: Microsoft Business Solutions with its ERP: Great Plains, Navision, Solomon, Microsoft CRM, and Best Software with their MAS 5000
Microsoft Great Plains & CRM. These two systems are integrated and allow you to implement Sales Control and Order Execution, if you decide to stake on Microsoft brand.

You can always have us help you with the implementation & customization. Call us: 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918.

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies USA nationwide Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization company, serving clients in Chicago, California, Texas, New York, Georgia, Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan, Florida, Canada, UK, Australia, South Africa and having locations in multiple states and internationally ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ), he is Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.

Microsoft CRM Integration with IBM Lotus Notes Domino machinery dealership example

IBM Lotus Notes with Domino email server is traditional document workflow management solution for large corporate business, where you need audit trail on approval cycle and decision making. Microsoft Business Solutions CRM is very cost efficient solution to automate sales process. It might be surprising, but we see good strata of clients who are willing to deploy and integrate both systems: MS CRM and Lotus Domino. In our opinion these clients are balancing ERP platform risks and trying to protect and deploy investments into Lotus licenses, while deploying new and already leading CRM solution Microsoft CRM. In this small article well give you the integration example European division of one of the well known machinery manufacturer dealership network.

Custom Lotus Database. In our case client had custom database, which was designed back in the beginning of 1990th. Some dealers had Lotus Notes Domino 4.0 and some of them had 6.0 and 6.5. Technical excurse in Lotus Notes Domino 6.0 you can use Java 2 agents, and it seems to be platform independent (Microsoft Windows Server, IBM AS/400). To synch all the dealerships the decision was made to upgrade across the network to Lotus Notes Domino 6.0 (to be a bit conservative)

Domino Messaging. Obviously you have to have just one email server assigned to your url domain, and as traditionally Lotus Domino was the email server the replacement with Microsoft Exchange 2003 (which is natural choice if you purchase Microsoft CRM) was not an option. With Alba Spectrum Technologies MS CMR Lotus Notes Domino connector you can switch email messaging to Lotus Domino

Lotus & MS CRM events synchronization. IBM and Microsoft software designers designed CRM & Lotus events differently. Second phase of the project implementation will synchronize appointments, calendar events, etc. between Lotus and MS CRM.

MS CRM ODBC lookups to Lotus database. As the second phase we plan to implement lookups from MS CRM Account to cases with custom fields and Lotus notes lookup tab. This tab will be realized as web .net application, integrated into MS CRM web interface. This web application will have machine serial number, warranty & service info. As you probably know in MS CRM 3.0 you can deploy custom table in link it to MS CRM object as one-to-many. The most important is that it will be synchronized by MS Outlook and will allow you as a salesperson to work offline.

You can always have us help you with MS CRM customization, implementation, support & MS CRM SDK data conversion. Give us a call: 866.528.0577 or 1.630.961.598, help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer at Alba Spectrum Technologies ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ) - Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Navision, Axapta MS CRM, Oracle Financials and IBM Lotus Domino Partner, serving corporate customers in the following industries: Aerospace & Defense, Medical & Healthcare, Distribution & Logistics, Hospitality, Banking & Finance, Wholesale & Retail, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Placement & Recruiting, Advertising & Publishing, Textile, Pharmaceutical, Non-Profit, Beverages, Conglomerates, Apparels, Durables, Manufacturing and having locations in multiple states and internationally.

help@albaspectrum.comMicrosoft CRM Lotus Notes Domino Connector FAQAndrew Karasev

Microsoft Business Solutions CRM and IBM Lotus Notes Domino, being two groupware products from competing software development leaders, however could coexist within one organization computer network and even work together in collaboration. There maybe multiple reason why corporation would use both products: licensing, commitment to IBM Lotus Notes as legacy product, risk balancing staking on both Microsoft and Java/EJB/J2EE platforms, deploying Lotus advanced workflow to automate document management, etc. The need to synchronize MS CRM and Lotus Notes Domino databases is dictated by the ERP market and the connector is available. In this small article well answer on the frequently asked questions.

Messaging. Can MS CRM use Lotus Domino instead of Microsoft Exchange? Yes. MS CRM Lotus Domino connector allows you send messages from MS CRM objects: Lead, Account, Contact and all the future object, including Sales and Service modules

Outgoing Messaging. When Microsoft CRM send email from Account, Contact, Lead connector takes control over and sends email through Lotus Domino server. It has Java Agent at the Lotus side and MS CRM SDK custom piece at the MS CRM side. If you compare outgoing messaging with standard MS CRM Exchange connector, then mechanism is slightly different. Microsoft CRM Exchange connector places GUID in the message header and uses this GUID to identify the object in the responding email to push it back to CRM and attach. MS CRM Lotus connector doesnt use GUID instead it scans MS CRM objects (Accounts, Contacts, Leads) in smart cached way

Incoming Messages. When Lotus Domino server receives email Java Agent side of the connector triggers checking with MS CRM if addressor email matches with any Contact, Lead or Account email. In the case of the match email is transferred into MS CRM in the form of activity of email type. Again please note that connector doesnt use GUID mechanism. We found that matching is better approach and we have Microsoft CRM Exchange advanced connector which works with matching, without standard GUID mechanism.

Microsoft CRM & Lotus Notes Events synchronization. Future version of the connector will synchronize MS CRM and Lotus Notes objects: Calendar, Appointment, Fax, Phone Call, etc. Please, note that Lotus has different objects we have the matching table, please check with us.

Lotus & MS CRM Versions. Lotus should be version 6.0 or higher. The reason for this is simple version 6.0 supports Java Agent technology. MS CRM should be 1.2 or 3.0. Lotus could work in multiple hardware & OS platforms, such as Windows Server, AS/400, etc.

Product Pricing. It is US$3k basic pack, including 30 users and then $75 each additional user. In Europe price is proportional in Euro.

Support. Product is installed Worldwide and supported in Europe from German office, in the USA and Canada from Houston and Chicago, in South America, Africa, Australia, Asia, New Zealand from office in Sao Paulo Brazil.

Please give us a call if you have additional questions 866-528-0577 or 630-961-5918! help@albaspectrum.com

Building Customer Relationships by Staying in Contact

Do your customers see you often enough? Do you have a regular system of contact that makes sure your products and services are consistently in front of your customers? Businesses lose out on more sales than they know because their customers forget about them.

Experts say it takes 7 contacts to turn someone from a stranger into a customer. But don?t stop making contact after you?ve made the first sale. The first sale should be the foundation for a real relationship between you and your customers. And relationship selling is in many ways the easiest: you know the customers?needs, often before they do, and your customers feel comfortable going to you when they have needs.

I believe a certain amount of our business should come just because we are the most visible vendor on our customers? radar. We keep our products and services in front of customers, which makes us the easiest and most convenient choice. Here are a few ways you can keep your business in your customers? line of sight:

1) Acknowledge customer milestones. When something important happens for a customer, congratulate them. Did they successfully introduce a new product into the market? Did their corporate VP get an award for industry excellence? These are great opportunities to show these customers that you are paying attention to what?s important to them.

2) Keep them informed about your company?s big events. Are you putting out a product that one of your potential customers might need? Have you expanded your service so that your customer can get product sooner than before? Customers can?t take advantage of your superior product or service unless they know about it. Use some sort of regular communication, like a newsletter, to let your customers know what you have to offer.

3) Technology is your friend! Many companies are having success with newer forms of communication, like blogs and podcasts. The secrets for using these to reach customers are simple: pick topics that interest your customers, and keep your posts and podcasts short, informative, and on topic.

4) Short and simple is good. Not every contact with your customers needs to be elaborate and involved. A simple phone call or written note lets your customers know you have them in mind. It?s better to have more, regular contact than more involved contact that makes a bigger impression.

Woody Allen was right when he said, ?Eighty percent of success is showing up.? If your company keeps ?showing up,? you are likely to get business that your competitors miss. There are many ways to stay in touch. Just be sure you do it consistently. Keep reminding your customers that you are uniquely qualified to solve their problems. They?ll come to you first for solutions!

Richard Jarman works with small and medium-sized businesses who aspire to communicate with their target audience. He helps clients highlight their company's unique strengths, so they can attract and keep customers. See what he can do to improve your business! Visit his web site today at http://www.jarmanbusinesswriting.com. Sign up for the free newsletter, The Next Step, and receive the special report, Essential Keys to Successfully Marketing to Business.

Build Customer Experiences, Not Relationships

Firms believe that forging relationships with customers will make them more profitable. But people recognize a company's true goal: to take their money. To succeed with CRM efforts, firms must make each interaction a satisfying experience in its own right.

Customer relationship management (CRM) is all the rage, as companies increasingly use technology to craft relationships with consumers. The goal: improving customer acquisition, retention, and lifetime value. Firms believe they can achieve this by:

Increasing contact. To expand their mindshare with customers, firms craft additional ways to interact with customers. This ambition drives automakers to pack cars with telematics equipment and just about every Global 3,500 firm to launch email campaigns. Harvesting data. Companies expect that data logs will reveal customer desires. To create as rich a record as possible, companies meld third-party data, such as credit bureau reports, with their own customer information. Tailoring offerings. From wireless telephone carriers' custom calling plans to Amazon.com's book recommendations, companies attempt to pitch just the right offer to the right person at the right time. Customers Don't Want Relationships In theory, CRM tactics mimic the way that interpersonal relationships evolve -- spending more time together, learning about each other, and exchanging something of value. But the similarities are misleading. Unlike person-to-person interactions, person-to-company interactions will never grow into relationships because consumers:

Like anonymity. A person may gladly share secrets with his friends, but he doesn't like to disclose information to a vendor. In a recent survey of nearly 6,000 North American online consumers, 69% of respondents told us they are either very or extremely concerned about losing control of their personal information. Pursue their own agendas. People don't contact companies for a friendly visit or an impromptu chat. Consumers interact to accomplish specific goals. That's why only 3% of visitors to consumer packaged goods (CPG) sites look for lifestyle content -- despite CPG firms' significant investments in this content. Remain suspicious. Companies' desire to build long-term relationships with customers falls prey to other objectives, such as meeting quarterly numbers. Customers see this in firms' high-pressure sales tactics, reluctance to replace defective products, and seemingly arbitrary contract termination fees. And highprofile events like the 1980s junk bond debacle or today's Enron scandal solidify people's belief that companies simply can't be trusted. CRM Must Focus on Customer Experience Since customers will rebuff corporate relationship advances, firms need a new CRM focus. Forrester recommends that companies build and sustain their customer base by obsessing about customers' experiences at every touchpoint. To succeed, firms must:

Redesign internal processes, not customers. Changing the way a company operate may be hard work, but changing human nature is nearly impossible. A large hotelier recently realized that confused customers called the reservation line for tech support, and vice versa. Rather than bracket the numbers with instructions that no one would ever read, the company built a consolidated contact center. Fulfill current goals -- don't rely on loyalty. Firms must redouble their efforts to anticipate user behavior, expecting increasingly empowered consumers to forgive even fewer missteps. Companies should use the questions of Scenario Design -- who are your users? what are their goals? and how do they accomplish those goals? -- to guide the design of customer-facing systems. Measure outcome, not activity. Companies must evaluate interactions from thecustomer's perspective. An immediate but nonsensical answer to an email inquiry may fulfill internal metrics for responsiveness, but it ultimately dissatisfies the consumer. To avoid this, firms must measure what matters to the customer -- if and when an initial problem was resolved. http://www.illusivecreations.com Calgary Web Design

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Management Features of Sales Force Automation

 Sales force automation, or SFA, is a term that refers at its most basic to automating critical sales functions like lead and account management. Sales force automation uses software to automate sales tasks like order processing, lead generation, information sharing, contact management, customer management, and employee evaluation.

It also keeps track of customer preferences, buying habits, demographics, and performance management. Sales force automation tools improve field sales productivity and open whole new realms of possibility for companies. With an on-demand architecture that allows effective sales force management and CRM, managing sales information is easy on even the largest scales. Essentially, customers and sales employees can manage and share any type of information.

There are a number of benefits and features that come with sales force automation technology, and these features comprise the backbone of the SFA system. They include:

Lead management

Lead management allows companies to keep better track of leads by ensuring they don't get cold. This can reduce or eliminate the need for manual routing and lead assignment duplication, clearly defines opportunity assignments, and is able to automatically assign leads to the correct individual based on territory, product expertise or user-defined rules. Thus SFA allows for automatic load leveling across sales territories, and better relationships between team members.

For example, with automatic lead management, you can set security controls that ensure teams or partners can access only their own leads, increase lead conversion rates and improve sales response times.

Opportunity management

Opportunity management allows sales teams to work better as units by standardizing sales methods and systems, identifying bottlenecks, and tracking deal closures. It also allows employees to focus their resources on strengthening key partnerships and dominating key competitors instead of competing with each other. More organized sales teams allow managers to delegate tasks and set up automatic reminder emails for themselves and their team.

Most importantly, the opportunity management feature allows companies to centrally track custom information like partner and customer communications and milestones while simultaneously monitoring myriad sales processes like sales channels, service effectiveness or product lines.

Account management

An account management system ensures that your company is able to attain full knowledge of your customer accounts. Accurate knowledge of customer account equals better collaboration amongst your sales teams and retains lasting customer relationships. Additionally, account management allows a company to defines and evaluate all those involved with the account, from the project manager to the executive sponsor.

With account management, you can set up online access to all customer account information, like organization charts and current partners-across the entire company. No one is left in the dark and everyone knows the account status and history.

Territory Management

On-demand, advanced territory management capabilities allow you to adjust to rapid changes within your company. An easy point-and-click interface ensures your company can automatically route accounts and opportunities to the correct territories.

A solid territory management system also decreases lag time in lead assignments by ensuring a lead never gets cold; lead assignments are easily queued and automatically sent to the correct territory. In essence, territory management allows companies to easily monitor, set up, gather, transfer, assign, re-assign, and change accounts across territories.

Contract Management

Contract management is another integral feature in sales force automation. Essentially, it allows companies to manage a contract's lifespan by shortening approval cycles for contracts, renewing contracts sooner, and reducing administrative costs.

This SFA feature improves tracking and management of contract information, such as value, conditions, terms, evaluations, and more.

Traditionally, most companies have had to build, buy and sustain an IT software system all on their own; however, this leads to extremely high maintenance fees and myriad other costs. Today, the advent of automated sales force technology allows businesses to subscribe to already built, on-demand, customizable services that provide everything a traditional IT software does and more.

The architecture of sales force automation allows for a decrease in the total cost of ownership, reduction of risk factors, a decrease in wasted time, and a new focus on business and management rather than technology.
Diane Newsom writes for salesforce.com ? A pioneer in rel="nofollow" href="http://www.salesforce.com">SFAsoftware. Visit their site for more information on sales force automation.