4 Ways to Optimize Your CRM for the COVID Age

Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there have been many changes in business operations across industries. Social distancing, remote work and learning and online shopping became the norm. Consumer behavior dramatically changed, prompting a company’s customer relationship management (CRM) system to work extra hard to adapt to the changes. Businesses had to accommodate to remote work and changing consumer behavior. With “online” being the main platform, CRMs have had to work hard to help companies best serve their customers. Michael Vickers, executive director of Rainmaker Digital Solutions and Summit Learning Systems, shares an article on Destination CRM describing several ways to optimize your CRM in this COVID age.

Use Cloud-Based Project Management Tools. “These are internal tools that centralize information and communication, allowing employees to work in the comfort of their homes. Employees have access to all of the company databases, including for client engagement and customer service, and all they have to do is log in and use the tools. Cloud-based project management tools make working more orderly, unlike the back-and-forth communication through emails, which can be overwhelming.”

Constantly Update Your Company’s Knowledge Base. “Working remotely means that you might not be at liberty to respond to every employee question. Therefore, you should always ensure that your company’s knowledge base is up to date so that the employees can refer to it whenever clients have any questions. A knowledge base cuts down on time you spend researching information, as employees can access anything they need to know from one place.”

Use Video Chats. “One of the revelatory tools to have emerged from the pandemic is videoconferencing, and apps such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet became widely adopted practically overnight. Since COVID can make it very difficult (or even impossible) to hold physical meetings, you could communicate with your team (and potential clients) through video chats. Video chats optimize CRM as the team informs you of any challenges they encounter while keeping the team members posted on the welfare of the business. You can use video apps to make individual calls to each team member or conduct webinars involving everyone.”

Use Customer Service Solutions. “The most crucial aspect of your business is your clientele. Customer service software helps you monitor customer relations. Information stored in the service software provides a reference point for identifying any clients’ complaints, thereby improving these areas.”

 

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How to add a read-only SQL database user via Infor Cloudsuite

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With Infor Cloudsuite’s SQL Manage User Service, there is no need to setup any DBA permissions or to use database management software. You can simply add a read-only database user via Cloudsuite in the below steps.

 

  1. Login to Infor Cloudsuite and go to the Service Request tab, then click Create a Service Request
  2. Select Deployment and Request Type: SQL Manage User >> Next
  3. Select the Database Server, fill in the User, Password, Database name and for our example we are using the default database roles, for read-only, use db_datareader. See all default SQL database roles here and then click Submit!

 

Done!

NOTE: Some organizations have minimum password requirements. We recommend using a password generator online and keeping it to letters and numbers so users can type in relatively easy.

OFFICE Stays One Step Ahead with Infor

OFFICE, a leading-edge fashion footwear specialist and part of Truworths International, has chosen Infor CloudSuite Fashion to align multiple business processes within a unified ERP system. The solution, delivered via multi-tenant cloud on Amazon Web Services (AWS), will be deployed by Infor partner Fortude. It will help OFFICE simplify complex processes across merchandising, warehousing, allocations, planning and inventory management for greater business efficiency. Per the press release, OFFICE’s omnichannel model was placing considerable strain on existing IT resources and the business wanted to eradicate inefficiencies while securing real-time business insight to boost decision-making capabilities. “We’re a dynamic business and need systems to match,” says Jon Richens, OFFICE’s managing director. “The solutions from Infor provide simplicity of architecture but with the depth and breadth of industry-specific functionality we need, all at an attractive price point and with the added resilience and agility of the cloud.”

 

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How to add a new user using Infor Cloudsuite

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Infor Cloudsuite allows you to add users into Lawson more easily then the traditional method of adding the user via Lawson Security Administrator or LID via the loaduser command.

 

  1. Login into Cloudsuite and Create a Service Request

  2. Select deployment and type Add User then click Next
  3. Download the sample CSV File so we can create a template file with user info and load back in.
  4. Fill out your user information based on the organization domain, identity setup etc. (You can view existing users in LSA or ISS to get an example if this is your first time).
  5. Once complete, click Select File and select the template file you just competed and Submit
  6. Once it completes, you should be notified and see the status as Success

 

Done!

Innovative Ways Tech Has Benefited 3 Different Groups

Technology is a double-edged sword. some tech can be beneficial, others a disaster if used incorrectly. Yet there is little to no doubt that technological innovations make for a better, forward moving society. Entrepreneur Serenity Gibbons shares an interesting article on Forbes of the key technical inventions that have benefited specific groups over the past few years. Each one, Gibbons points out, is a testament to ‘beyond the box’ thinking.

1. Serving as a safe tech ‘bridge’ for young device users. “Children who belong to Generation Z and Generation Alpha wear a ‘tech native’ badge by default. Nonetheless, younger kids and preteens aren’t ready for the responsibilities that come with having full access to the Internet. It’s non-negotiable that they need to learn the skills necessary to navigate the web. They just shouldn’t be exposed to its temptations or dangers too young. Products like the Z2 – a phone specifically made for children and only includes texting, picture-taking, and calling capabilities. – show that thoughtful tech can be used to protect young people against the ‘wild west’ technologies they aren’t ready to face. This allows children to develop smarter tech habits and ease their way into the wider boundaries of the Internet.”

2. Helping low-income families escape from the cycle of debt-related poverty. “Leveraging the expertise he honed while at Harvard, Rohan Pavuluri co-founded Upsolve. The nonprofit focuses on helping struggling low-income families determine whether or not to file for bankruptcy. Those who decide Chapter 7 bankruptcy could better their situation in the long run can go through the process online.  Pavuluri believes Upsolve provides an affordable, equitable platform for those who could benefit from declaring bankruptcy. By making bankruptcy accessible to anyone, he believes his technological solution will give many individuals and families a fighting chance to beat poverty.”

3. Opening doors for remote workers with disabilities. 

“Working from home got a huge boost during the pandemic—but not everyone can easily move from an office to a residential setting. For instance, workers with disabilities can face barriers to engaging with their colleagues or clients when they’re not at the workplace. Like many emerging markets, creating more exclusive work-from-home environments for workers with disabilities is gaining traction. From making biometrics more inclusive to developing training sessions that meet the needs of all participants, the field is ripe for more tech-driven products and services to broach occupational obstacles.”

 

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How To Choose A CRM In Six Easy Steps

The competitive landscape of any industry is as oversaturated as ever. Great customer relationships is the key to establishing  your business in the marketplace. This is where customer relationship management, or CRM, comes in. A CRM can help business owners manage relationships with their customer base, track potential customers throughout the sales pipeline, manage leads, track sales and collaborate between various company departments. However, a system this important can be overwhelming. Forbes Advisors Jennifer Simsonson,  Cassie Bottorff share some steps to follow so you can find the best fit CRM system for your business.

Step 1: Know Your Priorities and Goals
“It is imperative to know why you want a CRM system in the first place. A CRM system can only help your business if you outline clear goals. Business goals could vary from expanding product lines to increasing revenue to strengthening customer service. After identifying business goals, consider how a CRM system could help you reach those goals.”

Step 2: Find Your Team Members’ Needs
“It is important to identify exactly who will be using the system and why. Sales and marketing departments are generally the main users of CRM software, however, every department should have input in the decision-making process for the system to work seamlessly. Ask each team member what their needs are and how they think the software system could help them perform their duties.”

Step 3: Determine Important Features
“The sheer volume of CRM features and tools is overwhelming. Take control of the situation by making a list of what you are looking for before you begin the search. Compile the information gathered from team members, along with your business goals and timeline markers to create the list. No matter what your focus is, make sure robust data security and customer support features are on the must-have list.”

Step 4: Examine Different Types of CRM
“While all CRM systems should help you develop better relationships with your customer base (hence the name), there is no one-size-fits-all system. CRM solutions can vary widely depending on the features they focus on. The three major types of CRM are collaborative (providing a seamless customer experience through the various departments of a company), operational (streamlining the customer relations process), and analytical (analyzing your customers’ data, providing a deep insight into their buying behavior and purchasing trends).

Step 5: Create a Budget
“Another way to whittle down the plethora of companies is to set a budget at the onset to give you search parameters. This will give you a clear ceiling, and eliminate options that live outside your predetermined budget.”

Step 6: Research the Vendor
“Once your search is narrowed down to a handful of options, start researching those options. There are a few key things you can use to determine if a platform will be a good fit for your needs such as user reviews, word of mouth trade publications, and independent software comparisons. Once you have narrowed down your search to one software provider, test it out to make sure it works for your company. Most CRM vendors offer a free full-feature trial of their product. Take advantage of this to ensure the system meets your business requirements and expectations.”

 

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Main Challenges Of Mergers And Acquisitions

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In many mergers and acquisitions (M & As), retention problems can lead to negative employee attitudes. High-level organizations can lose influential executives and board members, which can damage the deal’s success, and corporate culture and perception can also suffer. Starting with early negotiations and meetings with the team on the integration of the merged corporate culture, regular dialogue between the two merged management and the employees is crucial to ensure alignment towards a shared vision. Keep the services of qualified consultants who understand the merger objectives of the company and have the skills to achieve them. Build an M&A team and select a coach for the M&A leader so that the team leader can focus on how the new company will be integrated into the company leadership, be sensitive to cultural differences, lead the change process and retain and motivate key employees.

Aside from the obvious HR concerns in Merger and Acquisitions, there is the underlying business philosophy differences which might translated to technology differences.  One consideration is how do the two organization manage their inventory.  Is it something that can easily be combined in the same system?  If not, is it better to keep two systems going even though you are in the same industry?

Even if the inventory is very similar, there could be regional differences that make it very difficult to source the same items in all of the various regions that the combined company might encompass.  There could be differences in how the inventory is purchased as well.  For example, a grocery chain that basically has the same products in all of their stores is one view of how to manage multiple locations and makes re-ordering easy.  All stores carry the same products and therefore it is easy to repeat merging with other stores and converting them to the same products your other stores carry.  A repeatable process.

If merging with another grocery chain that allows all of the products to be determined by the store or department manager, then it is a much more complex process to merge these two grocery chains. There is at the core a basic difference between their philosophies about how to manage inventory.  This might be the hidden elephant in the room that no one considered during the M&A negotiations.

In conclusion, make sure that the way that business is conducted at both organizations – the operational philosophies – is compatible with the technology that you are planning on using for the combined organization.  The HR side of things are easier to manage as everyone is aware of them going into negotiations.  It’s the hidden business philosophies that often get left out and cause the biggest upset of successfully combining the organizations.

 

Valmet and Infor Continue Their Shared Journey to the Cloud

Valmet, a leading global developer and supplier of technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries, has chosen Infor CloudSuite for industrial manufacturers as a next step in the company’s ERP-enabled business transformation, which started in 2016. Per the press release, the company’s ERP renewal will help drive a global, digital transformation of operations. All current on-premises functionalities will be moved to Infor´s multi-tenant cloud, using extensibility capabilities to meet Valmet’s industry requirements while preserving the benefits of continuous upgrades. It will operate on Amazon Web Services (AWS), delivering global scale, performance, and security. Further, the implementation of Infor CloudSuite will not only help retain knowledge across a wide variety of activities based on unified processes throughout these operations, but also will help deliver consistent reporting and “one set of numbers” to help accelerate and improve decision-making.

 

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PDLSET1 error in Lawson

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If you are getting an error message in Lawson Security Administrator that references “No record found for given key PDLSET1 in PRODLINE”, it is possible that your Lawson instance has lost connection from the database and is unable to recover.  This can happen during an unexpected restart of the system, or a network outage.  To resolve the issue, simple stop and restart the Lawson services, including the IBM WebSphere services.  The startup order is:

  • Insight environment
  • IBM WebSphere Cell Manager
  • IBM WebSphere Node
  • IBM WebSphere application server

 

Five Characteristics To Look For In A Highly Effective MES

A manufacturing execution system (MES) is the foundation for just about every smart manufacturing endeavor in the modern digital and industrial age. A MES supports a number of capabilities from data collections to enterprise resource planning (ERP) interfaces and other manufacturing applications. According to Forbes Technology Council Member John Clemons, for any MES to be highly effective, it must have several specific characteristics that will provide both significant capabilities and significant value. When considering different MES options, Clemons suggests you ask potential vendors about key characteristics to understand if the MES can provide the foundation for smart manufacturing.

Database – “A highly effective MES must start with a comprehensive database to capture all the critical information from the shop floor. Essentially, every piece of data related to the manufacturing operations in the four walls of a plant from the receiving dock to the shipping dock needs a place in the database. That includes materials, suppliers, customers, processes, equipment, labor, quality, maintenance, deviations, incidents and everything else that is part of the manufacturing process.”

Functionality – “The execution part of an MES must include orders, production, consumption, scheduling, quality, materials and recipes at a minimum. It also must have built-in capability for ERP integration, plus integration with other information systems, along with the ability to integrate automation and control systems through the IIoT.”

Scalability – “For companies who have multiple facilities, an MES should easily scale up to those facilities with hundreds of workers in them or scale down to those with very few workers. A highly effective MES must work across a variety of physical architectures.”

Configurable – “An MES solution can’t be custom, and it can’t be a toolkit. It must be a configurable solution built on specific out-of-the-box applications and application templates.”

Flexibility – “In a smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 environment, manufacturing facilities change all the time — equipment is moved or added, processes are changed or added, and so on, all the time. The MES must be able to easily handle these changes. Whether it’s changes to the plant model, to the database model, to specific applications or to dashboards or analytics, MES must be flexible enough to handle these types of changes on a routine basis.”

 

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