Advanced Business Solutions » Marketing http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog Blogging Closer To Your Business Fri, 18 May 2012 13:26:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Top of the blogs…. http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/2010/10/01/top-of-the-blogs%e2%80%a6/ http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/2010/10/01/top-of-the-blogs%e2%80%a6/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 08:11:28 +0000 Dean Dickinson - Managing Director, Advanced Business Solutions http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/?p=522 Top of the blogs…. is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

]]> The IT and accounting industries are close to Advanced Business Solutions’ heart and there are a number of blogs in the blogosphere that provide unique insights into both these industries. Forthright and engaging, humorous and irreverent, these blogs provide us with a daily perspective on a range of topics and issues of interest to those working in the IT and accounting/finance sectors.

Here we share some of our favourite industry blogs, and explain why.

Taking Stock is a well-read blog from the people over at Accountancy Age. Expect plenty of “Gags and Gossip” from this popular site.

This blog from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and includes comment and analysis on key industry issues. Last month, CIMA also offered members the opportunity to blog on CIMAsphere,

Here, Dennis Howlett, industry veteran and prolific blogger, gives his views on the major issues of the day, providing comment on everything from SAP to Sage. The latest addition to the blog is AccMan TV, live streaming from the man himself – what more could we ask for?

Tracy Corrigan is a columnist and assistant editor of the Daily Telegraph, focussing mainly on business and finance. Her regularly-updated blog takes a thought-provoking stance on interesting stories hitting the headlines in the UK and across the world.

The A-Team Blog is from the team behind AccountingWEB.co.uk, providing topical news and insights on a range of issues relevant to accountants and accounting professionals. Definitely worth a read!

A list of our favourite HR and payroll blogs will follow soon….

Top of the blogs…. is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

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]]> http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/2010/10/01/top-of-the-blogs%e2%80%a6/feed/ 0 Marketing and sales in a recession – stick to the knitting! http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/2008/09/06/marketing-and-sales-in-a-recession-%e2%80%93-stick-to-the-knitting/ http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/2008/09/06/marketing-and-sales-in-a-recession-%e2%80%93-stick-to-the-knitting/#comments Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:55:25 +0000 Richard Anning http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/musings/marketing-and-sales-in-a-recession-%e2%80%93-stick-to-the-knitting/ Marketing and sales in a recession – stick to the knitting! is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

]]> I attended a very useful session yesterday run by the Cranfield University School of Management on ‘Marketing and Sales in a recession’.  I was doubly interested as COA Solutions is running a similar event in September, only this time aimed at financial executives with a slightly more upbeat title, ‘How to prosper in a downturn’.

The expected ‘slash and burn’ tactics were referred to throughout the day, but evidence was presented throughout to suggest this generally is a risky policy (protect and nurture the brand at all times), although one should always review and flex marketing budgets to suit current economic conditions.

The day was introduced and hosted by the marketing guru and Emeritus Professor Malcolm McDonald.  His main theme was one of customer segmentation, which is vital anyway, but especially in a downturn.

Other takeaways for me included:

  • Listen to your customers (and respond to what they say!).  Nurture existing customers before chasing after new ones
  • Remember, customers buy value, not products
  • The best sales people are your customers
  • Seek to reduce risk for your customers
  • Measure customer profitability (and understand why you might sell to unprofitable ones)
  • In a downturn, changes in marketing and sales strategy should be subservient to and driven by changes in business strategy, which should be driven from the top.  Reprioritise marketing spend based on this new strategy and measure effectiveness based on hard facts.

A final thought from Professor McDonald was to go on the offensive in a downturn – generally rates are cheaper and competitors may be engaged elsewhere (panicking). 

Which brings us back nicely to the theme of the COA Solutions briefing later in September – ‘How to prosper in a downturn’.

Marketing and sales in a recession – stick to the knitting! is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

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]]> http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/2008/09/06/marketing-and-sales-in-a-recession-%e2%80%93-stick-to-the-knitting/feed/ 0 The HR Software Show http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/2008/06/11/the-hr-software-show/ http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/2008/06/11/the-hr-software-show/#comments Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:48:20 +0000 Liz Ebbrell http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/marketing/the-hr-software-show/ The HR Software Show is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

]]> COA Solutions is exhibiting its full range of human resource (HR), payroll, time and attendance and HR analytics systems on stand H122 at the HR Software Show (18 – 19 June at Olympia Conference Centre, London).

COA Solutions’ recent acquisition of ASR Computers Ltd. (exhibiting on stand H180) has made the company a leading player in the UK human capital management (HCM) software space and can now boast more than a 5% share of this market.

The HR Software Show is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

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]]> http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/2008/06/11/the-hr-software-show/feed/ 0 Credit Team of the Year and Business Brand of the Year 2008! http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/2008/05/12/credit-team-of-the-year-and-business-brand-of-the-year-2008/ http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/2008/05/12/credit-team-of-the-year-and-business-brand-of-the-year-2008/#comments Mon, 12 May 2008 15:04:33 +0000 Richard Anning http://www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs/blog/marketing/credit-team-of-the-year-and-business-brand-of-the-year-2008/ Credit Team of the Year and Business Brand of the Year 2008! is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

]]> With regard to the award for Credit Team of the Year, Di Donnelly, Credit Manager, put down the success to setting up and driving through process automation improvements in the credit control department alongside the implementation of the OpenAccounts credit suite, including accounts receivable and credit control modules.  TSL Education has around 20,000 sales ledger accounts and process around 80,000 sales invoices per annum.

TSL Education used to have credit control outsourced to another company when the DSO (days sales outstanding) was around 50 – 55 (the industry standard is 50).  They have now achieved a DSO of 35, in Di’s words ‘an amazing achievement and with half the staff.’ 

All invoices are printed from OpenAccounts from files sent from their advertising system.  Printing is outsourced, but all processing is within OpenAccounts.  Cheques are ‘read’ by a cheque print machine and posted to OpenAccounts and automatically posted and reconciled.  Due to the automation implemented she believes she has saved at least 2 staff.

In an environment where benefits from process automation are often talked about but rarely calculated, we send our congratulations for an award well deserved.

Details of the award winners can be found here: http://www.magazines2008.com/Excellence_awards.aspx 

Credit Team of the Year and Business Brand of the Year 2008! is a post from Advanced Business Solutions - Supplier of accounting software, business intelligence and document managment

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