|
To
view this update as a Web page, copy this link into your
browser:
http://www.qtsnet.com/stayinformed/quiknews/quiknews
october2005.htm.
To
subscribe or unsubscribe, please follow instructions at
the bottom of this page.
Welcome to the October edition of QTS QuikNews, our
monthly e-mail newsletter. In this monthly e-mail, you
will receive an update of what's new at QTS - new
products we support, new patches and upgrades, solution
ideas and promotions to save you money, and information
about our company and our clients.
In this issue:
-
QTS and Partner News
-
Events
-
President's Corner
-
QuikSecure Tip of the Month
-
Patches and Upgrades
-
Product Support Lifecycle Watch
-
Solution Spotlight
-
Special Offers
-
Partner Spotlight
QTS AND
PARTNER NEWS
WELCOME TO NEW CUSTOMERS
QTS offers a �welcome aboard� to the following new
customers:
�
Keyence Corporation of America
�
Princeton Insurance Company
NEW EMPLOYEE WELCOME
Please join us in welcoming Lisa Gilbert to the QTS
team, as a Solutions Consultant responsible for new
business development. Lisa comes to us from
Softmart, where she was
responsible for client development and service for the
New York metro area. With extensive experience in
helping customers apply technology to meet their
business needs, and a strong customer service focus, we
are confident Lisa will be an important addition to QTS.
QTS IS HIRING!
QTS is recruiting for senior level technical personnel,
as well as an entry to mid-level sales/service support
specialist. If you know anyone who might be a good fit,
please have them submit their resume to Liz Meechan, our
Office Manager. Liz can be reached at
lmeechan@QTSnet.com, or (973)984-7600 x223.
PRODUCT NOTICES AND ADVISORIES
TERMINAL SERVICES CAL TRADE-UP ENDING SOON
Due
to a change in the way Microsoft licenses Terminal
Services as of April 2003, customers may be eligible for
free Terminal Services Client Access Licenses (CALs).
With the release of Windows Server 2003, the �built-in�
CALs under Windows 2000 were
eliminated. However, customers owning Windows XP Pro
receive a free Terminal Services CAL for each XP
license. These licenses must be processed by 12/31/05,
however, when the transition program ends. For more
information, visit
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/
howtobuy/licensing/tscaltransfaq.mspx.
QTS
SUCCESS STORIES
LONG BEACH ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
QTS
helped this financial services company migrate from
Windows NT Server to Windows Server 2003 and Active
Directory, then from Exchange 5.5 to Exchange Server
2003, while also assisting with Sarbanes-Oxley
compliance.
http://www.qtsnet.com/about/success stories/Long Beach
success story.pdf
Back
to Top
EVENTS
MICROSOFT SOLUTIONS BRIEFING
QTS
and Microsoft
are hosting an Executive Solutions Briefing for small
and medium business customers (25-500 user
environments). Join
us for this informative, 3 hour event to learn how your
organization can benefit from new Microsoft technologies
and solutions, and what tools and resources are
available to you from Microsoft. Microsoft and QTS will
also review the benefits of Software Assurance, discuss
available promotions that can save you money, and review
the roadmap for upcoming product releases and features.
We will also present on key Microsoft initiatives such
as Trustworthy Computing (Microsoft�s security efforts),
the Dynamic Systems Initiative and the integration of
Microsoft�s Business Solutions offerings. This event
will provide valuable information to any Microsoft
customer! Join us on
Thursday morning, November 10th at
Microsoft�s Iselin NJ office
or on
Thursday morning, December 1st at Microsoft�s
New York City office.
Contact your QTS Account Manager to register for these
events, or follow the web links above. Note that
a signed Microsoft Non-Disclosure Agreement is required
for attendance at these events.
SECURE & WELL-MANAGED INFRASTRUCTURE
QTS,
New Horizons and Microsoft are hosting a half day
seminar on Tuesday, November 15th at New
Horizons in Iselin, NJ on how to implement a Secure and
Well-Managed Infrastructure. In this event, QTS will
present on how Windows Server 2003 and Exchange Server
2003, combined with Microsoft�s management and security
technologies, can help to provide a reliable and secure
platform for employee productivity. Microsoft and New
Horizons will discuss how employee training can enhance
productivity and effectiveness, and how to leverage
Software Assurance benefits, including training
vouchers. For more information or to register, contact
your QTS Account Manager,
click here,
or visit
www.clicktoattend.com
and enter event code 104165.
CXO
SEMINAR: DISASTER RECOVERY SOLUTIONS
On
Thursday, November 17th, join Microsoft,
Citrix, NSI Software and QTS at the Microsoft NJ office
for an informative seminar on how to develop a Disaster
Recovery Plan and build a Hot Site Failover Solution for
your business leveraging technologies from Microsoft,
Citrix and NSI Software. Businesses are challenged more
and more each year with the need to maximize systems
up-time and availability, amidst an ever-increasing
range of threats. IT management is often tasked with
responsibility for developing and implementing Disaster
Recovery Plans to protect the business and ensure
continuous access to key business systems. In this
seminar, we�ll discuss how to build the plan and what
the key elements are, and discuss the various options
for Cold, Warm and Hot Site solutions. We�ll then drill
down into how to cost-effectively build a Hot Site
leveraging technologies from Microsoft, NSI and Citrix
to enable access to your applications and data, and
conclude with tips and best practices.
For
more information or to register, contact your QTS
Account Manager,
click here,
or visit
www.clicktoattend.com
and enter event code 104268.
MICROSOFT SOLUTIONS FOR MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION �
ENHANCING CUSTOMER PROFITABILITY
This
event series will focus on the key topic of Customer
Profitability, including how to measure Customer
Profitability for today�s global marketplace, and how to
improve sales volumes and margins using Microsoft
technologies. Each quarterly session of this ongoing
series will focus on a particular overall
problem/solution theme, with specific presentations on
technology components of that theme, to show how the
pieces of the solution fit together. We will also have
a networking lunch where customers can share ideas and
discuss challenges and possible solutions.
For
more information or to register, contact your QTS
Account Manager,
click here,
or visit
www.clicktoattend.com
and enter event code 104273.
Back
to Top
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
This
month, our President�s Corner column is a collaborative
effort between myself and
Andy Weinstein, the Managing Partner at ISS Group.
ISS Group is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner
focused specifically on delivering CRM solutions to the
manufacturing and distribution community, and in light
of our ongoing seminar series Microsoft Solutions for
Manufacturing and Distribution, we decided to focus
on a key theme this month impacting that community.
What
is the primary objective of a business? Well, unless you
are a not-for-profit organization, the primary objective
of a business is making a profit. Of course there are
other objectives of a business, but they are all
secondary relative to making a profit, since without
making a profit, a business is destined for failure,
negating all of the other secondary objectives a
business wants to achieve.
Assuming that you are in agreement with these comments,
the next question which a CEO should be asking is �How
can I increase my organization�s profit?�.
This is not an easy question to answer as an
organization grows and adds Product lines, Customers,
Suppliers, facilities, staff, management, processes,
service providers, technology, and the list goes on. If
these business areas are not managed properly and
streamlined to operate efficiently, they can and will
negatively impact an organizations
profits.
Many
organizations define Customer Profitability as Customer
Revenue minus Product Costs minus Order Processing Costs
(ie; the operational costs
associated with recording, picking, packing and shipping
a Customer�s order). Unfortunately, many organizations
do not account for Marketing, Sales or Customer Service
costs when they are determining Customer Profitability
and performing segmentation analysis on their Customer
base. It is very typical for an organization to treat
these types of costs as overhead and include them on
their P&L as SG&A expenses.
In
today�s global Manufacturing and Distribution markets
where products are becoming more commoditized causing
pressure on product margins, and where raw material,
packaging and shipping costs are continuously rising,
again causing margins to shrink, it is critical to focus
on the component of the Customer Profitability model
which can provide the greatest opportunity to develop
competitive advantage, increase sales volumes, and
improve shrinking margins. By including Marketing, Sales
and Customer Service costs and activities in the
Customer profitability model, and implementing solutions
to streamline these processes and maximize the benefit
received from technologies, Customer Retention and
Loyalty will be enhanced, as well as Customer related
Employee productivity, leading to increased sales
volumes and improved sales margins, and ultimately
increased Customer Profits.
The
first step in enhancing Customer Retention and Loyalty
is to answer some basic questions about your
organization. Would your Customers say it was easy to do
business with your organization? Would they say that
your shipments are always accurate and on time? Are your
out-of-stock levels acceptable? Do your Sales channels
have the information they need to effectively sell and
service your Customers? Do you have effective Price
Management processes? Is your Sales Quote to Cash cycle
getting longer or shorter? Is the time acceptable that
it takes your Customer Service department to resolve a
Customer complaint or question? Is your Customer Service
department a revenue center? Depending on the answers to
these types of questions, your organization may have the
opportunity to improve Customer Profitability by
implementing the appropriate solutions in the Marketing,
Sales and Customer Service areas of your business.
Once
you have identified the Customer related areas of your
business which present an opportunity for improvement,
potential solutions need to be designed, appropriate
metrics need to be developed, and the organization�s
accounting systems need to be changed to measure
Customer Profitability with these solutions included in
the profitability model.
Most
organizations would agree that their Customers are the
most important asset they have. After all, without
Customers there�s no reason to have products to sell,
employees to work, etc., etc. Why is it that
organizations know this intuitively but historically
have focused on the Supplier side of the Supply Chain
vs. the Customer side of the Supply Chain? The answer is
simple; it is because it is easier to measure the
profitability benefits of Supplier related solutions.
Reduced purchasing costs and inventory levels is a very
tangible measurement which accountants and CFO�s can
translate into profitability formulas. If a �widget� can
be purchased for less money by using the Internet to
find a more competitive Supplier, or shipping costs can
be reduced by consolidating shipments, these savings are
easily measured and translated into increased profits.
Because of this reason, little attention has been paid
to improving Customer related processes and solutions
where tangible benefits may be harder to measure
It
is difficult for an organization to measure how improved
sales quoting processes, or streamlined customer service
processes will impact Customer Profitability. Logically,
everyone in an organization would agree that enhancing
these types of processes, retaining Customers and
improving Customer loyalty will have a positive impact
on an organizations bottom line, but it is more
difficult to measure than �a lower product purchase
price� and therefore has not been the primary focus for
organizations process consultants. Unfortunately, there
is only so much cost which can be �squeezed� out of the
Supplier side of the Supply Chain and eventually
organizations must look to the Growth side of the Supply
Chain, the Customer side, for increasing profits.
QTS
is teaming up with two Microsoft Gold Business Partners,
AKA Enterprise Solutions (AKA) and ISS Group (ISSG), to
deliver a series of seminars focused on this critical
area of business, Customer Profitability to the
manufacturing and distribution communities. AKA is a
leading Microsoft Partner providing mission critical ERP
solutions to mid-market and Enterprise level
organizations throughout the U.S., and ISSG is a top ten
Microsoft CRM solutions provider delivering Customer
Profitability Enhancement Solutions since 1986
specifically for Manufacturers and Distributors.
The
seminars which will be provided by QTS and our Microsoft
Partners will focus on how Microsoft technologies can
help manufacturers and distributors to enhance their
profitability and agility, starting with a discussion of
this very important component of an organizations
business model, Customer Profitability. Topics will be
presented such as �what solutions and technologies are
available to an organization for addressing the
questions posed above�, �how an organizations technology
infrastructure effects Customer profitability�, �how
mobility solutions improve employee productivity and
help increase sales volumes and profit margins�, �how an
organization�s accounting systems need to be structured
to measure Customer Profitability�, and other topics
which will provide ideas for an organization to improve
Customer Profitability.
If
you are a manufacturer or distributor and would like to
attend our event on December 6th at the
Microsoft New Jersey office in Iselin,
click here to register. We will be doing additional
events in this series in 2006.
As
always, feel free to email me your comments or thoughts
at
nrosenberg@QTSnet.com. Thank you.
Neil Rosenberg
President & CEO
Quality Technology Solutions
Back
to Top
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
This
month QTS is spotlighting Enterprise Information
Management International (�EIM International,� formerly
Wertheim Inc.), its partner for document management,
document imaging and document-based solutions. EIM
International is a premier provider of information
management solutions, office automation solutions and a
premier integrator for Hummingbird Software. The result
of implementing these solutions is organizations are
enabled to increase profits and improve work quality,
while enhancing the level of professionalism exhibited
to their customers and partners via delivery of their
electronic documents.
EIM
International is able to assist clients in all areas of
information management, from initial technology planning
through final implementation, including maintenance and
audit services. EIM International�s professionals�
extensive experience provides them with the unique
ability to provide consulting expertise and to speak to
the best practices currently available with regard to
document management, imaging, assembly,
and content management systems.
The
staff at EIM International has honed and refined a style
of interaction which has garnered many accolades up and
down the firm's client list. Put most simply, clients
like them. EIM International has had many successful
engagements with clients ranging from those that are new
to document management, as well as organizations need of
upgrades. Their approach to customers and technology
mirrors that of the outlook and values held by QTS.
EIM
International has developed a proprietary set of
administrative software tools specifically designed to
optimize Hummingbird Solutions. The �Winc�
suite of products works with a Document Management
System that provides tools to:
* Help manage environments with multiple databases
* Assure proper documents security to users
*
Enable business continuity solutions for the DMS
environment,
*
Provide a robust array of DMS administrative
utilities.
These applications are used by clients today throughout
the world.
EIM
International is a leading service provider and clients
benefit from their depth of experience with the product
offerings of Hummingbird (DOCS Open/DM5), PDF
applications from DOCSCorp,
Microsoft Sharepoint
integration with SeeUnity,
and document imaging systems from
Kofax and eCopy.
While QTS continues to build, enhance and support the Microsoft
platform, networks and infrastructure, our partnership
with EIM International significantly extends our
capabilities and the total range of services that we can
offer clients.
For
more information on EIM International, please visit
their web site at
www.eimintl.com, email them at info@eimintl.com,
or call 212-413-8600. Or, contact your QTS Account
Manager.
Back
to Top |
