IPS International Choose K3's SmartVision CRM Software To Capture Prospect & Customer Activities
IPS international - a UK-based consultancy and training organisation - has purchased SmartVision CRM from K3 Business Technology Group Plc. Powered by Microsoft CRM, the system will enable it to capture all the activities connected with prospects and customers so that information can be shared to maximum advantage throughout the organisation.
(PRWEB) July 30, 2004
At the project kick-off meeting, Don MacDonald, IPS International's Director responsible for the acquisition and implementation of the CRM system, said that there were a number of points the project willl address. "IPS International has been very successful and we are well established in our market place. However, there are a number of key objectives: to improve our response time to customers and enquiry-to-order conversion rate; to increase our active customer list over the next 12 months; and to reduce our administration burden in relation to customer contact."
IPS International developed a bespoke database system approximately nine years ago, which linked to other in-house
Developed applications. This system logged customer enquiries and quotations, but was designed at the time when the generation of paper-based quotations and proposals was the norm.
"We evaluated a number of CRM system, including some which had established links to our Sage Accounting system, but the integration with Microsoft Exchange and particularly Microsoft Outlook - coupled with the mechanism to follow a more formalised sales process methodology - were the deciding factors," says Don MacDonald. "Another key factor was that we share a common market place with K3, a Microsoft Strategic Partner, who is not only able to help us implement the system but is developing additional functionality which will be of interest to us in the future."
IPS International also operates from a branch in Folkestone, as well as having trainers and associates working at home and abroad. This means that users at these locations could access the system via the Internet using a web browser.
The 15-user license SmartVision CRM installation will be deployed on a dedicated CRM server accessed by both web browser and Microsoft Outlook. As part of the project, it will integrate with Microsoft Exchange so that inbound and outbound e-mail activities can be recorded in CRM to build up a transaction history by customer or prospect. The system consolidates a number of databases within the company which will be used to manage the sales pipeline and record quotations and proposals centrally. This information can be disseminated throughout the business to offer an improved customer service. IPS International will also be able profile customers more accurately to target market customers more effectively.
About IPS International Ltd
IPS International, based in Rochester, has over 18 years of experience evaluating the training needs of customers through design and delivery of specific consultancy and training fulfilment. Its wide range of experience covers business consultancy, engineering apprenticeships, standard and tailored training courses. They cover subjects from strategic business planning, management development, health and safety, engineering, care and information technology. IPS has particular strengths in engineering maintenance and electrical/mechanical multiskill training. It is also able to deliver computer-based training content under the governments? Learndirect? initiative.
For more information please visit www. ips-international. com
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
K3 is a publicly quoted company (London: KBT. L) and was formed out of the Enterprise Resource Planning software division of Kewill Systems just after 2000. As software authors for ERP and accounting software, K3 has a turnover of circa £10m and has approximately 1600 customers in the UK and abroad. SmartVision CRM, based on the standard Microsoft CRM application, is a product specifically developed for the manufacturing and supply chain industries over and above standard Microsoft CRM.
K3, a Strategic Microsoft Partner, is currently embedding its manufacturing ERP software SmartVision with the standard Microsoft CRM to develop a combined suite of CRM and ERP web-enabled applications. In addition, K3 is able to provide consultancy, project management, training, bespoke software services and systems integration.
For more information please visit www. k3btg. com
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard Thomas
Marketing Director
K3 Business Technology Group plc
Case House
85-89 High Street
Walton on Thames
Surrey KT12 1BX
Tel: 01932 251600
E-mail: richard. thomas@k3btg. com
