The Softline Enterprise business partner conference was an international affair this year with an impressive line-up of speakers from Softline's parent company Sage PLC as well as development partner Defacto, and third party product partners Datalinx and Version One.
Held at Sun City, the conference also included business partners from South Africa, Australia, Kenya, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Botswana.
Ashley Ellington, managing director of Softline Enterprise, says: "One of the aims of the conference was to acknowledge the commitment of our business partners to the company and our products: Sage Line 500, SalesLogix and Sage 1000."
Ellington says the company also used the conference to discuss the vision and approach to its flagship CRM product, SalesLogix, as well as the success of its business management solution Sage 1000. "As a result of the focus on customer loyalty and market analytics, CRM is becoming more popular and we predict significant growth opportunities in Africa."
He says Sage 1000 has generated renewed interest in integrated business management solutions. South Africa is viewed as an emerging market by Sage, but Ellington says the functionality introduced in Sage 1000 is exactly what local businesses are looking for and in most cases the customer demands are similar, if not identical to those required by UK-based customers.
Representatives from Sage UK, David Pinches and Jo Fuller provided conference delegates with highlights of Sage 1000's key achievements while also outlining further development plans. Focus areas included customised views, quick quotes, and improved credit management functionality, easier conversions from prospect to customer or quote to order functionality.
"The Sage 1000 integrated business management solution approach works well because it is a one-stop solution for the significant aspects of any business such as sales, marketing and communications, which are critical for business growth and client retention," says Ellington.
"Equally important is proper business management at an operational level such as manufacturing, debtors and creditors, all of which are just as crucial to ensure stability and profitability of the organisation. Sage 1000 provides the ideal platform to facilitate the merging of several of these functions, giving cross-departmental views."
A 2010 roadmap of SalesLogix was also presented outlining the key development focus areas for the product. Driving this evolution are five key CRM elements from Sage PLC: customer and business delight; systems that work the way I do, enable a flexible workforce, systems without borders and systems I can afford and manage.
"There is a distinctive vision for SalesLogix and users will see these five key elements at play now and well into the future product design," says Ellington.
Awards were presented at a gala dinner to the following business partners:
* Business partner of the year 2007 - Antinomy Business Consulting and Jera Consulting
* Salesman of the year 2007 - Raymond de Kock, Jera Consulting
* 12 years of service and dedication - Maryanne Leroy, Business Connexion.
* The extra mile award - Stephen Howe, Business Connexion.
For more information, visit www.softlineenterprise.co.za or call 011 304-2500.
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Softline Enterprise is a leading supplier of business management solutions, delivering performance and Web capability that is essential for success in today's competitive business environment. Addressing finance, construction, distribution, manufacturing, services, retail requirements, CRM and e-business, the product offering also supports and consolidates activity across expanding business needs. Available on a wide range of operating systems and compatible with a host of industry leading databases, it gives mid-range and larger organisations the reliability and scalability required to keep ahead of competitors.
Softline Enterprise products are supported through a network of accredited partners which bring together the individual product and service components to deliver a complete and tailored solution.
Softline Enterprise products include:
Sage 1000 - a new, single business management software application designed to span operations across mid-sized businesses, integrating front office CRM and back-office ERP systems. By sharing information between functional areas, businesses can enjoy greater efficiency, experience fewer errors from re-keying of data, and increase service levels by making it easier to give accurate, timely information from across the business to customers.
Sage Line 500 - offering all the advantages of a traditional ERP solution, Sage Line 500 provides tight financial control with full visibility of costs and powerful reporting tools. In addition, it includes an evaluation of market trends to assist customers to make informed strategic decisions. The product also manages cash flow through close budget control and efficient purchase requisitioning and supports international business with multi-language, multi-currency, multi-company features. It includes vertical solutions such as manufacturing, construction and retail.
Sage SalesLogix - an affordable, fully scaleable and powerful CRM solution that is easily customised for medium sized and divisions of large corporate businesses. Sage SalesLogix is designed to integrate seamlessly with other business software and back office applications, providing businesses with a holistic view of each customer.
Sage Group
The Sage Group plc is a leading global supplier of business management software and related products and services, principally for small to medium-sized enterprises. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs over 13 900 people. Sage has 5.5 million customers worldwide and operations in over 20 countries, covering the UK, Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia, India and China. For more information, please visit www.sage.com.
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