Archive for December, 2009
Jerry Shawhan Announced as Top Bail Raiser for 2009 Muscular Dystrophy Association LOCK-UP
CINCINNATI – December 21, 2009 – Jerry Shawhan, Cincom treasurer, recently was locked up for “good.”
Shawhan participated in the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) LOCK-UP fund-raising event in which local business and community leaders agree to be “arrested” for having a “big heart.” Donations helping to “bail” them out helped to raise vital funds for the battle against neuromuscular diseases.
BIG BAILER
After all the bills and checks were counted, the event raised $41,331 for MDA, but the real story here is that Shawhan (with the help of his “Free Jerry Shawhan” Web site) raised $5,025! That makes him the event’s Top Bail Raiser!
Congratulations Jerry!
Cincom, IBM, Accretive Solutions Team up for “It’s a New Day: Managing Cash in the Current Economic Environment” Educational Seminar
GOOD CASH MANAGEMENT MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY, “THE CHECK IS IN THE MAIL.”
Cincom, IBM and Accretive Solutions have teamed up to present a how-to guide to exceptional cash management in a recorded educational seminar titled; “It’s a New Day: Managing Cash in the Current Economic Environment,” (http://events.cincom.com/forms/newday).
HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR COMPANY’S FINANCIAL POSITION
From the long running U.S. housing market bubble burst through the financial market credit freeze, bailouts, and the historic, rapid and simultaneous deep GDP and jobs collapse – effectively forecasting and managing a company’s cash and liquidity has become a Herculean Houdini-like chore.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
CFOs, Controllers, Treasurers and Directors of Finance.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
- Economic Overview
- Weaknesses in Traditional Reporting
- Benefits of Good Cash Reporting
- Typical Cash Reporting Process
- How to Build an Effective Cash Model – Key Components, Challenges and Pitfalls To Avoid
PRESENTERS
- ·IBM - Dr. Philip Swan, Chief Economist
Dr. Philip Swan is responsible for developing and interpreting the global economic outlook and its risks, including the implications for the rapidly evolving information technology industry. He assesses the capital investment environment to measure the impact of economic issues and events of importance to IBM.
- ·Accretive Solutions – John Chapman, CPA, Senior VP, Consulting
John Chapman is a CPA with more than 25 years of senior management experience in medium and large corporate accounting environments. He has held positions as CFO, Controller and VP Finance. Over the course of his career, John developed a strong focus and high level of expertise in the area of cash management-treasury, combining both his transactional and systems-based experience.
- ·Cincom Systems – Ron Hank, Senior Global Business Strategist
Ron Hank has served Cincom Systems in a variety of sales, marketing and business development functions for 34 years. He currently leads the Cincom Business Intelligence global business strategy.
VIEW “It’s a New Day: Managing Cash in the Current Economic Environment,” http://events.cincom.com/forms/newday
About Cincom
For 41 years, Cincom’s problem-solving software, services and people have helped thousands of companies all over the world grow and manage their businesses.
Media Contact
Ron Hank,
Senior Business Executive
1-800-2CINCOM
rhank@cincom.com
Cincom Acquire Demo Profiled by Microsoft
In this short video, Cincom product director, Jim Wilson, shows short demos of the Cincom Acquire Sales and Product Configurator. This technology can be used to deliver expert systems for use in many industries and can empower your users with the expert knowledge that your company veterans have built up over the years.
This list of short demos includes:
- HVAC: Air movement products
- Graphical view of business rules
- Bicycle: Guided recommendation and configuration
- Voice / data: Complex services and complex pricing
- Medical plan assistant: Declarative rules engine and guided selection of health care plans
The Bottom Line: According to research firms like AMR and Gartner 70% – 80% of new business will go to the company that is easiest to buy from. Are you easy to buy from? To schedule a one-on-one demo go to http://www.cincomacquire.com/sales-product-configurator-demo.html.
NEWS RELEASE: Specialty Vehicle Manufacturers Excel at Automated Sales Functions
When compared to their peers in similar industries, transportation and specialty vehicle manufacturers are excelling at automating some of the most crucial selling strategies and critical links in the overall sales process. Looking to find out why transportation and specialty vehicle manufacturers are attaining higher sales effectiveness than comparable industries, worldwide software provider, Cincom Systems (http://www.cincom.com/acquire) recently completed a national survey of sales and IT executives (http://www.cincom.com/vehicle).
Of those surveyed, 70% have basic systems in place for tracking opportunities and responding to them, including following defined processes for nurturing and escalating sales leads through their channel partners. This is approximately 17% above the composite benchmark of comparable industries.
Of the transportation and specialty vehicle manufacturers surveyed, 70% have basic systems in place for tracking opportunities and responding to them.
“The greatest compliment any manufacturer can give a customer is to really listen to what their requirements, needs, preferences and unmet needs are during the bidding, estimating and quoting process,” says Louis Columbus, co-author of the report. “Being able to give customers the freedom to define just exactly how they want their specialty vehicles configured through the use of automated systems is turning this class of manufacturer into the leading trusted advisors of their industry.”
RFQ Most Likely Automated
When it comes to handling the request for quote (RFQ) cycle, transportation and specialty vehicle manufacturers are the most likely of those surveyed to use an automated workflow system (20%), where opportunities are captured in a system to classify, organize and escalate them.
Transportation and specialty vehicle manufacturers are the most likely of those surveyed to use an automated workflow system (20%) for request for quotes, where opportunities are captured in a system to classify, organize and escalate them.
“Manufacturers attaining best practices in managing the RFQ cycle don’t leave accuracy or product quality to chance,” continues Columbus. “These manufacturers are exceptionally thorough in how they manage RFQ development, scheduling and product delivery to make sure that customers’ expectations are met and exceeded often.
“The bottom line from this report is that exceeding customer expectations on a regular basis is the best strategy to compete in a tough economic climate – and using automated RFQ systems and processes is an accelerator to getting there,” says Columbus.
Yet a Large Gap Exists
Despite the use of best practices in the top echelons of the industry, 50% of those surveyed manually track RFQs or track them in separate systems. A technique that can, says Columbus, “leave the door open for competitors when accuracy or product reliability drops as a result of not capturing customers’ needs thoroughly enough.”
While 50% report that the status of sales opportunities is tracked by process mapping the majority of the time (21% higher than composite benchmark), another 40% admitted to tracking sales opportunities informally via email.
“If you want to see sales intensity, go on a sales call with a transportation and specialty vehicle manufacturer sales rep or distributor. Every sales call counts. Regardless if a bus or a fire truck or any other emergency vehicle is being specified, the discussion invariably turns to making the vehicles as responsive as possible at saving lives – and that is the best ROI of all,” says Columbus.
For a copy of Cincom’s “2009 Transportation and Specialty Vehicle Industry Survey Report,” visit http://www.cincom.com/vehicle.
For over 40 years, Cincom’s problem-solving software, services and people have helped thousands of companies all over the world grow and manage their businesses. For more information about Cincom’s products and services, contact Cincom at 1-800-2CINCOM (USA only), send an e-mail to info@cincom.com or visit the company’s website at www.cincom.com.
Related Links:
Cincom Systems website
http://www.cincom.com
Cincom Acquire™ manufacturing website
http://www.cincomacquire.com
Cincom Enterprise manufacturing website
http://www.cincomerp.com
2009 Transportation and Specialty Vehicle Industry Survey Report
http://www.cincom.com/vehicle
NEWS RELEASE: Syrex Information Services Selects Cincom Contact Center Solution on IBM’s Smart Business Platform
CINCINNATI – December 10, 2009 – Worldwide software and services provider Cincom Systems (http://www.cincom.com) announced that it has entered into a contact center solution agreement with Syrex Information Services.
Cincom, an IBM Premier Business partner, replaced Syrex’s existing dialer solution with Cincom® Synchrony™ Express on the IBM Smart Business Platform (http://www.ibm.com/smartmarket/us/en/_/N-b/Ntt-cincom/searchResults.action).
Synchrony Express provides Syrex with an all-in-one contact center software suite that includes:
- multi-channel inbound/outbound interaction management,
- a universal queue,
- skills-based routing,
- predictive dialing and
- campaign management.
Synchrony Express also provides a pre-integrated and pre-configured firewall and backup and recovery services .
Naresh Kakkar, Director of Syrex Information Services, said, “Syrex’s primary goal was to increase the efficiency of operations by automating our processes with the flexibility to meet future needs. After evaluating multiple vendors, we decided to invest smartly by selecting Synchrony Express on the IBM Smart Business Platform. Synchrony’s unprecedented simplicity, ease of usage and manageability with IBM as a single point of contact ensured its win. Cincom Synchrony Express on the IBM Smart platform increased our productivity by 25% and delivered the perfect customer experience.”
More information about Syrex’s use of Cincom Synchrony Express is available at: http://www.cincom.com/pdf/SYIN1001003.pdf.
Cincom Synchrony Express
A contact center without the cost and complexity of traditional IT, Cincom Synchrony Express (http://www.cincom.com/synchrony-express) provides departmental-level or small to medium contact centers with an all-in-one contact center solution that improves customer experience, agent performance and overall business operations. Synchrony Express includes an award-winning unified agent desktop, multi-channel interaction management, reporting and analytics.
View an IBM Smart Business/Cincom Synchrony Express Flash demo here.
About Cincom (http://newsroom.cincom.com/about/)
For 41 years, Cincom has helped thousands of clients worldwide by solving complex business problems with its software and services. For ideas, information and insight to help grow your business, visit the “Smart Business” blog.
Media Contact:
Carla McQueen, Cincom Public Relations
513.612.2300
cmcqueen@cincom.com
NEWS RELEASE: Specialty Vehicle Manufacturers Have Issues with ERP: Cincom Report
When it comes to ERP systems, specialty vehicle manufacturers have apparently chosen unwisely. None of those surveyed said their ERP systems exceeded their expectations. Most (50%) classified themselves as having an ERP system that “sometimes inhibits their ability.” While 40% report that their ERP systems provide “valuable information but also require frequent workarounds and customized data extracts.”
None of the transportation and specialty vehicle manufacturers surveyed said their ERP systems exceeded their expectations.
This is according to a 2009 research report by software maker Cincom Systems (http://www.cincom.com/erp) based on a national survey to sales and IT executives that sheds light on how these transportation and specialty vehicle manufacturing organizations are managing their businesses for increased efficiency and effectiveness.
“Clearly there is tremendous opportunity for those specialty vehicle manufacturers willing to invest in new technology to leapfrog their competition and realize a significant market advantage,” says Lou Washington, co-author of the report.
REPORTING VARIES
Only 30% of respondents initially integrate their accounting, finance and sales systems first. Fifty percent of transportation and specialty vehicle manufacturers have no project-management integration with accounting, finance or customer management systems. This creates a large gap between rapidly advancing manufacturers that are creating profit and loss statements per project and those that lack insight into the profitability by project on an ongoing basis.
50% of transportation and specialty vehicle manufacturers have no project-management integration with accounting, finance or customer management systems.
“Given these disparities, this segment is probably looking at a shakeout in the near future,” says Washington. “The recovery will bring the strong more opportunity faster and leave the weak in a weaker position than they occupy now.”
For a copy of Cincom’s “2009 Transportation and Specialty Vehicle Industry Survey Report,” visit http://www.cincom.com/vehicle.
ABOUT CINCOM SYSTEMS
For over 40 years, Cincom’s problem-solving software, services and people have helped thousands of companies all over the world grow and manage their businesses. For more information about Cincom’s products and services, contact Cincom at 1-800-2CINCOM (USA only), send an e-mail to info@cincom.com or visit the company’s website at www.cincom.com.
RELATED LINKS:
Cincom Systems website
http://www.cincom.com
Cincom Acquire™ manufacturing website
http://www.cincomacquire.com
Cincom Enterprise manufacturing website
http://www.cincomerp.com
2009 Transportation and Specialty Vehicle Industry Survey Report
http://www.cincom.com/vehicle
NEWS RELEASE: Cincom & CEO Thomas Nies Featured in “History of Database Management Systems”
CINCINNATI — December 9, 2009 — IEEE Annals of the History of Computing magazine contains a six-page feature on Cincom and CEO Thomas Nies in its current October-December issue.
The Annals, recognizing the large role Database Management Systems (DBMSs) have played in the history of software development and the growth of the software products industry, is focusing two issues on the subject.
The first issue, which features Mr. Nies, focuses on the products, companies and people who designed, programmed and sold mainframe DBMS software beginning in the 1960s and 1970s.
Thomas J. Bergin, a professor emeritus of computer science and information systems at American University in Washington, D.C., worked with Carla McQueen in marketing to gather recollections on how Cincom TOTAL was developed and marketed.
Cincom and Thomas Nies are found on pages 55-61 with the abstract, “Thomas Nies’ experiences at IBM installing applications convinced him that the industry’s future was in software. With this article, he describes how Cincom, the company he cofounded in 1968 with only $600 in capital, grew into one of the largest software firms in the world. Beginning with its early database management product, Total, Nies details the company’s history and strategic business decisions.”
An abstract of the article can be seen on IEEE Annals of the History of Computing Web site at: http://www.computer.org/portal/web/csdl/doi/10.1109/MAHC.2009.93
Commercial HVAC/R Manufacturers Lack Guided Selling: Cincom Report
Despite selling complex engineer-to-order products that are challenging to sell, none of the commercial HVAC/R manufacturers that responded to a recent Cincom survey stated that they had true predictive guided selling systems.
None of the commercial HVAC/R manufacturers that responded to a recent survey stated that they had true predictive guided selling systems
This is according to a 2009 research report by software maker Cincom Systems (http://www.cincom.com/acquire) based on a national survey to sales and IT executives that sheds light on how these commercial HVAC/R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) manufacturing organizations are managing their businesses for increased efficiency and effectiveness.
“Long sales cycles, highly unique customer requirements, accuracy in pricing, configuration and manufacturing execution—these all combine to make this industry one of the most complex in managing the sales process,” says Louis Columbus, co-author of the report. “A truly predictive guided selling system is one of a handful of tools that help simplify this process.”
The research also showed that 27% of HVAC/R manufacturers have real-time availability of catalog content, pricing and sales data, including integration to engineering specifications and drawing—indicating this may be a best practice.
Lack of Dealer Tracking
Most commercial HVAC/R manufacturers use an indirect sales force in whole or in combination with a direct sales force. Yet none of those surveyed rely on advanced analytics and lead escalation in regard to opportunity tracking to ‘learn’ which channel partners can deliver the best sales performance by each type of lead. As a result, HVAC/R manufacturers are leaving money on the table in terms of understanding their customers and channel partners more effectively, and serving them more profitably as a result.
None of the commercial HVAC/R manufacturers surveyed rely on advanced analytics and lead escalation in regard to opportunity tracking to ‘learn’ which channel partners can deliver the best sales performance by each type of lead.
“The HVAC/R industry is the most demanding in terms of accurately communicating complex product information and knowledge throughout its distributor, dealer and partner networks,” says Columbus. “Relying on manually based processes constrains the ability to sell, and over time, steals profits from HVAC/R manufacturers. Automating pre-sales, sales and post-sales processes has proven to make a direct contribution to profitability in this industry.”
However, when it comes to measuring and managing the sales plan, 27% extensively use analytics and dashboards to optimize processes. This is 14% above a composite benchmark of similar industries.
For a copy of Cincom’s “2009 HVAC/R Equipment Industry Survey Report,” visit http://www.cincom.com/hvac.
About Cincom Systems
For 41 years, Cincom has helped thousands of clients worldwide by solving complex business problems with ideas, information, software and services.
Related Links
Cincom Systems website
http://www.cincom.com
Cincom Acquire™ manufacturing website
http://www.cincomacquire.com
Cincom Enterprise manufacturing website
http://www.cincomerp.com
2009 HVAC/R Industry Survey Report
http://www.cincom.com/hvac
