Technology in Practice

Most organizations apply incredible discipline to their core business practices. For manufacturers, this usually centers on product development, production, distribution, supply management, financial accounting and other operational areas of focus. Every day, every week, key leaders have a tight grasp on the elements of their operation that influence profitability and performance. They look to continuously improve their processes and apply disciplined quantitative analysis, production and performance meetings so that the minute something becomes out of tolerance or calibration they can correct it before everything comes off the rails. In that vein, they focus on tracking inventory of everything from raw materials to finished goods. Warehouse stocking levels are coded at the bin level with specific units in each location controlled for every inventory move. Product being manufactured abroad is tracked for lead time, location, clearance of customs, receipt in the warehouse and ultimately down to unit allocations to end customers. The same is true with the company’s financials. Leaders measure order volume, invoices issued, payments received vs. past due amounts, cash on hand, liabilities for unearned income, etc. It’s because of this disciplined approach, which is continuously improved and measured, that these operations become more efficient, effective and profitable. Yet when it comes to Sales – from prospecting, to pipeline and account development, to closure and ultimately retention, most manufacturing companies fail to apply the same level of disciplined focus on key analytics, activities and processes which ultimately make sales teams more focused, targeted, and effective over time. Why the discrepancy? Stop Viewing Sales as an Art. Sales Is an essential job function that requires the same discipline and controls you apply everywhere else in your business. A common refrain is that the sales team views themselves as artists vs. engineers. Sales isn’t a process, it’s a relationship where results happen because of intangible, sometimes mythical interpersonal qualities and because of personality, bonds formed with clients and in some cases ‘good fortune’ (luck). Now to be fair, personality, the ability to communicate and build a relationship with a client, and the ability to make interpersonal connections are useful and important traits. But they’re not the primary reason a salesperson is effective. Some of the best salespeople, especially with sophisticated products, come from engineering backgrounds. Consistently high performing sales team members and teams are more like their engineering and manufacturing counterparts than they realize. The best individuals are adept at qualifying demand in or out at early stages to avoid losing time on low probability opportunities. They have a consistent, prescriptive approach when assessing client needs and identifying the value they (and the company) can provide. They lead the client through a process or journey that helps identify the appropriate offerings that the client can say yes to which still maximize profitability (and commission). Their process and approach, over time is remarkably consistent. They have key questions and methods they employ and have specific insights and indicators that matter to them. They use key barometers or data points to measure probability and confidence. They identify competition early and consistently assess the influence of the parties they are speaking to accurately and early on in the sales process. They follow a consistent method to ensure they are focusing their time, attention and activities on the opportunities which they have the best chance of winning and which provide the best overall value (commission). While they may treat each client relationship as unique in terms of their interaction, mannerisms and formality of speech, the sales process and methodology they follow is generally far more prescriptive and repetitive than most would admit or even realize. Why CRM? So why does this matter and why does CRM come into play? Won’t the introduction of a tool which tracks, measures and governs these sales processes get in the way of each individuals ‘style’ or ‘approach’. Short answer, no, not at all. The better and more accurate answer though, is that when well-constructed and applied deliberately, CRM helps reinforce the key characteristics and progression of the sales process to make sure your entire sales team is focused on the common behaviors, tactics and steps needed to succeed. It also provides the only forward looking way to assess and forecast potential outcome in a way that allows your team to prioritize collectively where you should invest time, effort, activity and specialized or limited resources in order to influence that potential outcome. CRM allows you to model the approach and best practices of your top performers and apply them to your entire customer facing organization – creating lift throughout the entire team. If you want to start to leverage CRM in a more direct, prescribed way to drive change and results, where do you begin? Stay tuned for my next post: Six Keys to Driving Sales through the Disciplined Use of CRM

Reduce time spent on analysis and reporting, and make faster, better-informed decisions. The tight and secure integration of Sage Enterprise Intelligence (SEI) with Sage X3 ensures the reliability of critical business information, provides business users with coherent insight on real-time enterprise data, supports clear decision-making and fosters continuous cross functional improvement. KEY FEATURES: Installation and Configuration of SEI on the Sage X3 web server Sage Enterprise Intelligence in-place upgrade installation and cube validation Verify connection to 1 live production Sage X3 folder and 1 pilot/test folder Installation and Configuration of the SEI Excel plug-in on 1 workstation 2 seats at one-day training session at Net at Work or remotely 1 half-day remote administrator training session Up to 10 hours of remote consulting for development of company-specific reports SEI User and Administration Guides QUICK START PROCESS: Step 1 – Net at Work installs latest version of SEI Step 2 – Net at Work logs on to 1 user’s workstation to install the SEI Excel plug-in Step 3 – SEI one-day training session at Net at Work or remotely (2 seats) Step 4 – SEI half-day remote SEI administration training session Step 5 – Up to 10 hours remote assistance in creation of SEI reports For pricing information, or any other questions about Sage Enterprise Intelligence In-Place, please contact us. Net at Work and COVID-19: Resources for Sage X3 Users

Sage Data & Analytics (SD&A) is a business intelligence module for Sage X3 from our partners at ZAP. It delivers a robust data warehouse augmented by a full range of analytics, dashboards and reports. ZAP announced a “Do Good with Data” program to provide existing Sage X3 client use of Sage Data & Analytics at No Cost for 60 days. The program is part of a continuing effort to help Sage X3 clients measure and manage their businesses during these challenging times. [blogpromo type=’webinar’ link=’https://www.netatwork.com/resource/sage-data-analytics-do-good-with-data/’ btntext=’Register Now’ iconlabel=’Webinar’] Recorded Webinar: Sage Data & Analytics – Do Good with Data Date: April 9 at 2pm ET[/blogpromo] The Do Good with Data program includes: Use of Sage Data & Analytics (SD&A) software for 60 days – at no cost Two days of ZAP Services to deploy the software (16 hours) Access to all Sage Data & Analytics self-learning materials Access to other resources which ZAP will make available (ex. email alias, open webinars) We hosted a webcast on April 9 at 2PM ET where we gave an overview of this Business Intelligence module for Sage X3, and reviewed all the details of this program, including: What environments are supported for this program. How you will use and learn SD&A during the program. What you should anticipate to invest after the trial. If you have questions about Sage Data & Analytics (SD&A) for Sage X3 or about this program contact us here.

According to experts, 2020 is “the year of the customer,” making customer experience a top concern for any growth-focused organization. For many this means implementing new strategies and adding or upgrading technology solutions in order to remain competitive. To that end, 91% of existing organizations with 10 or more employees already have a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution in place. While this sounds impressive, in many cases it’s not, mainly due to high volumes of CRM platforms that go unused or underused after implementation. In fact, with CRM solutions capable of providing an average ROI of $8.71 for every dollar spent, adoption is arguably one of the largest barriers to growth. Fortunately, it’s also one that can be easily addressed through training programs that hit on key elements. The Right Data Points for Adoption: After implementation and training have taken place, stakeholders are primed and ready to see results. They typically begin by analyzing the most readily available metrics to track platform success such as daily logins or amount of time spent on the platform as a basis to measure adoption. The problem with this approach is that logins and time spent in the system are not indicators of adoption or leveraging the technology effective to improve results. Ask yourself this question, who spends more time in the system: Someone who is well trained, efficient and focused or someone who has to ‘click around’ to find what they need before they can take action? When implemented well, and when team members are well trained, you should see regular logins in CRM, but reduced time in the system. Your team should be spending more time ‘selling’ and engaging with the best candidates within their respective pipelines and less time should be spent making changes within the toolset. CRM Technology by Itself is Worthless – It has to Drive Measurable Change to Matter Logging-in to the CRM doesn’t equate to using the platform to your advantage. Adoption should be viewed as consistency of use for actions that effect outcome which can be shown to have an impact or positive change in results. Therefore, the true indicator of adoption is when each role and its function aligns with platform capabilities and results in a streamlined workload. Take a business development team as an example; tracking how many prospects they speak to and move through the funnel in a given timeframe is the true indicator of their CRM adoption. Similarly, sales and account management teams can be measured on role related tasks such as follow ups, meetings, and other scheduled pipeline activities. Adoption can also be boiled down to a few common KPIs. Here are a few to consider: 1. Pipeline $ added per person in a period of time 2. Prospects, added, qualified and disqualified (an overlooked and important measure) 3. Pipeline valuation by sales stage in a given time period 4. Win Rate – what is actually booked from a sales process vs. just ‘taking an order’ 5. Billings + Committed Pipeline (to close) vs. plan How to Develop Growth Data Points to Measure Key indicators of adoption vary by role which might make finding the right metrics somewhat daunting. If you’re not sure where to begin, start with answering these questions: How is each role measured and compensated? What activities in CRM are leading indicators of success in these measurable areas? What metrics can you define, which come from CRM, that show progress or decline in these leading indicators? For example: new leads, pipeline $ & count growth, closing deals, deals reaching a negotiation stage or other late stage in the sales cycle How does improving measurable results in these leading indicators improve the employee’s measurable success? What can be automated, or streamlined in CRM to make these key indicators more repeatable, more visible, more standardized? For example: compensation, overall revenue growth, certain tasks completed Once the specifics per role are defined, tracking data points that correspond to the growth goals you’re looking for is simplified. In addition, it will become obvious which team members have not yet adopted the platform. This allows sales leadership to tailor their approach, mentoring and governance of each team member uniquely to create ‘lift’ in each person’s individual performance. Why Most CRM Platforms Don’t Give Expected Results A lack of awareness for which roles should use the platform is one of the most commonly overlooked parts of CRM training. While sales is the most obvious user base, every role that touches a customer should be trained to use the platform. This list generally includes customer service, inside and outside sales, business development, and marketing. Needs vary within roles and also organizations; each with a unique mix of requirements, skills, people, products, and services. Each of these groups influences customer experience through their direct engagements. Each represents your brand and each contributes to every customer and prospects view of your organization. They all need to work together, in a collaborative environment where one group naturally supports and enables the others. If the CRM training doesn’t trigger adoption, it’s likely because the training is too generic, your implementation didn’t account for some of these user groups sufficiently, or most likely – both The Foundation of CRM Training is Not the Training A successful CRM training program begins with examining a day or a week in the life of the attendee and teaching them to work smarter, using the tool sets. If executed well, the attendees won’t be aware of the behind-the-scenes alignment that took place to develop the course. All they will experience is a sense of relief and excitement around adopting a platform that makes achieving their personal goals; driving pipeline, awareness, leads, experiences and other metrics, easy. Therefore, the foundation of a successful training course lies in discovery questions, customization, and an experienced facilitator who begins with the end in mind. And to do this, you need to invest some time of subject matter experts in each respective area to influence what the training should focus on. Yes, they’re busy and highly valuable, but if it doesn’t hurt for them to give a little time to define the approach – they’re not the right people to be involved. Align Training for Optimal Learning Ideally CRM training is facilitated onsite, in a lab environment, and over multiple sessions that last no more than two hours each. This allows for hands-on learning with an instructor present for questions and ample time to deliver both role and company-specific curriculums. Those are the mechanics of the training. When it comes to adoption, the win is in aligning a person’s self motivations with outcomes that benefit all. This deliverable that is realized when attendees understand how technology helps achieve personal goals for which they’re already measured. Using the CRM to its Full Capacity CRM solutions have robust toolsets for reporting that handle everything that has been historically accomplished through spreadsheets, including tracking pipeline, leads, and revenue. One of the most important aspects of CRM training is gaining buy-in from the group that the act of entering information tied to reports into the platform drives results that benefit each individual, not just the organization). Doing so serves several purposes; it allows transparency within workgroups that aids in motivating the whole team and saves time which increases productivity. Both of which are critical to driving growth and getting measurable ROI on the CRM technology investment. Most organizational leaders are shocked when they really understand how much time and effort is spent by their sales and customer service teams tracking information, results and progress to goals. Whenever variable compensation measures are in place, those being measured want to be able to see where they are at all times and will go to great lengths to be able to track this. Solving some of these common tasks up front results in your customer facing staff spending more time in customer facing engagements and less time collecting, validating and compiling offline data. Looking for help Delivering World-Class CRM Training to Your Team? Learn more here.

Shift to Subscription This reference guide highlights the differences in capabilities and the benefits of moving from a perpetual Sage 100 license to a subscription license. Expand your Sage 100 software’s capabilities with new and updated modules designed for subscription license holders. Store Your Data in the Cloud or On Premise Subscription license holders can store their data on premise, in Microsoft Azure’s cloud, or any other cloud offering of their choice. Sage offers several bundled offerings to suit your company’s needs and data storage preferences. Updates on your Schedule We have a flexible model for updates. We understand many Sage 100 customers have highly customized instances of Sage 100 and will need time and planning to make big updates. That’s why we give customers 12 months to make an update once a new release is available. Manage Your Budget By making the switch to subscription licenses, Sage 100 customers will have access to new features and annual product updates at a manageable and predictable annual price. Add or remove users as needed at a flat rate price. License Features and Capability Comparisons Differences in Module Offerings Customers who move from perpetual license to subscription license will get access to all of the same modules they know and love. New releases will focus on enhancing or developing new capabilities for subscription licenses, as well as maintenance and compliance updates. Perpetual licenses will be maintained on a maintenance and compliance level only. Differences in Feature Offerings Customers who move from perpetual license to subscription license will get access to all of the same modules they know and love. Included in the Sage Bundles These are items available for purchase. Available Features These items are not available for purchase and are included in the subscription license. Available Add-Ons Available for purchase and is not included in the Sage 100 Bundles.

To defeat the COVID-19 pandemic our nation has to move critical raw materials faster and provide greater visibility and access to finished goods. Net at Work is proud to be associated with EchoSystem who is doing their part to assist in the supply chain during this time of crisis. EchoSystem recently launched its Visibility and Procurement Platform (VAPP) to reduce the fragmentation and inefficiencies of sourcing critical materials needed to combat COVID-19 and to provide visibility and access for the organizations most in need. Sell vital raw materials and goods and ship to the people around the country that need them most Gain access to buyers in need of critical goods across the country Control pricing to ensure fair market value Ensure fast delivery with built-in payment and freight logistics Free, no cost platform for the duration of the pandemic Purchase raw materials and finished goods to battle COVID-19 Gain nationwide access to supply of vital raw materials and critical finished goods 100% turn-key solution with built-in payment and bulk freight logistics Safeguards ensure you are working with accredited suppliers Avoid price-gouging with transaction logging and system-wide monitoring Free, no cost platform for the duration of the pandemic Frequently Asked Questions about VAPP What will VAPP achieve? Provide real time visibility and procurement capabilities of critical raw materials and finished goods necessary to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also assure that only accredited and authorized parties have access to these resources. Lastly it allows local and state governments to post lists of finished goods they need and distributors and producers of raw materials to trade and sell critical items among each other. Who can utilize VAPP? Any accredited trade group, government agency, military, or non-profit focused on COVID-19 relief and support (e.g., No Kid Hungry, American Red Cross, etc.) What products can be sold on VAPP? Any product listed on Schedule A or Schedule B. The updated real-time list can be viewed by clicking here: Schedule A: Raw materials necessary for producing critical items to combat COVID-19 that can be traded between distributors (and eventually producers and manufacturers). Schedule B: Finished goods such as N95 Masks, Gloves, etc. Can I buy finished goods such as N95 masks on VAPP? If you are an approved entity with valid needs, yes. We prioritize hospitals, health care clinics, government agencies, and non-profits. How are payments handled? All payment terms are NET 30 and EchoSystem automates the process via their ACH integration. How are shipments handled? We are fully integrated with a network of 25,000 carriers that can handle any type of goods including hazardous. For more information about VAPP or to sign up, please contact us.

Reduce time spent on analysis and reporting, and make faster, better-informed decisions. The tight and secure integration of Sage Enterprise Intelligence (SEI) with Sage X3 ensures the reliability of critical business information, provides business users with coherent insight on real-time enterprise data, supports clear decision-making and fosters continuous cross functional improvement. KEY FEATURES: Installation and Configuration of SEI in your own private cloud Installation of new templates available with the Universal Data Model (UDM) Migration of any pre-existing cubes and SEI reports Connection to 1 live production Sage X3 folder and 1 pilot/test folder Installation and Configuration of the SEI Excel plug-in on 1 workstation 2 seats for remote training sessions with Net at Work Up to 8 hours of remote consulting for development of company-specific reports SEI User and Administration Guides One SEI upgrade per year and installation of all critical patches QUICK START PROCESS: Step 1 – Net at Work stands up your SEI instance in the cloud and, if required, migrates any pre-existing custom reports/cubes and gives you access to your new version of SEI in the cloud Step 2 – Net at Work logs on to 1 user’s workstation to install the SEI Excel plug-in Step 3 – You attend an SEI one-day training session at Net at Work or remotely (2 seats) Step 4 – Net at Work provides remote assistance in creation of SEI reports Pricing Information: Starting at $515/month or $1,015/month with hosting | Additional software options available For more information, click here or contact us.

As a result of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the widespread discussion of the outbreak in emails and across the web. There continues to be a steady increase in the number of COVID-19-related spear-phishing attacks, up 667% since the end of February. In this post we offer tips that can help secure users against email fraud and attacks. Phishing Related to Coronavirus Coronavirus related attacks use common phishing tactics, but a growing number of phishing campaigns are using the epidemic as a lure to try to trick distracted users and capitalize on the fear and uncertainty of the intended victims.  The FBI recently issued an alert about these types of attacks. While phishing emails leveraging coronavirus are new, the same precautions for email security still apply: Email Security Protection Tips Be aware of emails attempting to get you to open attachments or click links Anti-malware/phishing solutions can prevent malicious emails from reaching intended recipients, but even when in place caution should always be used. Be aware of emails claiming to be from a source you would not normally receive emails from While receiving coronavirus-related emails from legitimate distribution lists to which you belong is becoming common, emails from organizations that you do not regularly receive messages from should be scrutinized. Use caution when receiving emails from organizations you do regularly work with  Brand impersonation is quite prevalent in coronavirus-related email fraud, so caution is needed when opening emails even from organizations you expect to hear from. Source charities on your own and donate directly A common tactic for coronavirus scams is asking for donations. Best practice is not to respond to email requests for donations. Instead, find credible charities helping with coronavirus efforts and donate directly. It’s also highly unlikely that any legitimate charities are taking donations through Bitcoin, so that should be a red flag as well. For more information on protecting against phishing, ransomware and emerging COVID-19 email threats, access the recorded sessions and related posts below. To learn more about solutions that could help immediately, including Phishing Protection, Automated Incident Response, and Employee Security awareness, contact us to speak with a specialist. Information Security Awareness – How to Avoid the Ransomware & Bitcoin Nightmare Cybersecurity Strategies: Preventing, Detecting & Responding to a Digital Attack

H.R. 6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act: How to Implement the Employer Paid Leave Requirements and track Tax Credit Provisions. The Federal Government has passed HR 6201, known as FFCRA, to provide relief to families directly affected by COVID-19. There are two distinct categories of employees who will qualify. These will remain in effect at this time till 12/31/2020. These documents will assist with the creation of codes to track as well as the means to report at the end of the year for Tax Credit purposes. [row][one_third_column][/one_third_column][two_third_column] Download Guides: Sage 300 US Payroll: How to Implement the Employer Paid Leave Requirements and Track Tax Credit Provisions Sage HRMS or Sage Abra and Sage 300 US Payroll: How to Implement the Employer Paid Leave Requirements and Track Tax Credit Provisions [/two_third_column] [/row] [blogpromo type=’webinar’ link=’https://www.netatwork.com/resource/sage-300-payroll-just-released-how-to-setups-codes-associated-with-the-families-first-coronavirus-response-act/’ btntext=’Watch Now’ iconlabel=’Webinar’] Sage 300 Webinar: Enabling Your Team to Work Remotely with the Impact from COVID-19 and FFCRA [/blogpromo] Watch this recorded webinar to learn how to be more efficient working remote with COVID-19 and the recent passing of The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). We will review FFCRA and the best practices for working remotely in Sage 300, including: AP Automation & Document Routing and Workflows Empowering customers to pay with ACH/EFT/Credit Card Processing Customer Payment Portal Payroll – Pay Codes for FFRCA and codes you should adopt even if you do payroll elsewhere BI Reporting Security and Separation of Duties Automation and Integrations for more efficient processing If you have any questions, or if you require assistance, please contact us or call the Net at Work HelpDesk: 888-494-9479.