Newsletter October 2013

Not only do users learn a lot at the SedonaOffice Users Conference, the Co-Founders do as well.  The time we spend talking with customers and understanding your needs allows us to continually improve and deliver a best in class product.  We invite you to join us January 27-29, 2014 in Marco Island, Florida to learn how to maximize SedonaOffice, network with other users and achieve more after you leave.

 

We understand that the time away from the office and travel expenses are a significant investment and that is why we have loaded a lot into this year's event.  While many things will stay the same, we have added a few new things in response to your feedback including sessions featuring SedonaOffice users.

 

On Monday the following sessions will be featured to the entire audience:

  • State of SedonaOffice
  • 2014 SDM Forecast
  • How Technology will Change the Business Landscape
  • Presentation from our Users Advisory Group
Tuesday and Wednesday will be full of diverse educational sessions for all users of SedonaOffice.  Throughout the conference you will have many opportunities to explore and ask questions about our add on products and integration partners in the SedonaLab.

 

And yes, of course, there will plenty of time to talk with other attendees and SedonaOffice employees during meals and networking receptions.

 

Join us!  We have worked hard to find the right balance of learning and networking to make your time worthwhile.  We are confident that your decision to attend will not be one that you regret.

 

   

 

 

 

Michael Marks and Don Faybrick

Co-Founders

SedonaOffice  

Customer Highlight
AT A GLANCE
Founded: 1973
Location: Green Bay, WI
Area served: Wisconsin
Employees: 40 

OVERVIEW

Martin Security Systems, Inc. is an independent and locally owned family business providing office security and alarm systems for homes since 1973. Now in its Second Generation, Martin Security Systems has grown to become one of the largest independent security alarm companies in Wisconsin with over 5,000 home security and business alarm customers.

 

We, at Martin Security Systems, are determined to give our customers a unique experience.  We build a relationship with our customer(s) to understand and listen to their needs. We exceed expectations by researching and providing them with a customized system that provides both affordability and peace of mind.


ACCOMPLISHMENT

In recent years, Martin Security Systems has grown exponentially in the home automation industry.  We've discovered that our customers prefer to have the integration with the subsystems of their home (security, audio, thermostats, lighting, cameras, etc.) from one user interface. This area has increased in sales of basic to advanced automated systems by approximately 25% in the last five years.  Over the last 10 years, we have watched technology evolve and the price of home automation components drop drastically.  The goal that security manufacturers have is to make home automation affordable for the average person.   Many customers don't realize that they have the ability to eventually grow into a full home automation system.  Our goal as a business is to make our customers' dreams a reality by providing them the benefits of a home automation system at an affordable cost.  Our unique sales approach gives us the edge over our competitors by listening to the needs and understanding the lifestyle of each homeowner, instead of just quoting them a standard security system.  Typically, this request is a need for conventional security, but our approach gives the customer a unique buying experience.  The customer learns through our sales approach that they can afford a home automation system when we provide the opportunity to add options to their system as they see fit.  In turn, we establish a loyal customer and business for the future.

Management Angle

Controlling Your Inventory to Achieve Better Financial Results

 

Inventory has the distinction of being the one asset that, if not carefully managed, can cause your month to month operating results to swing all over the map while becoming a cash drain at the same time. In fact, if you are frustrated by unreliable financial statements or cash is getting tighter when it seems you are making money on installations, odds are you have an inventory control problem.

 

Achieving good inventory control can often be a situation of taking two steps forward and one step back, particularly when key employees change positions or leave your employment. However, here are the processes and procedures to consider:

  • Maintain an orderly stock room (which typically means using row, shelf and bin information)
  • Limit physical access to your warehouses
  • Establish standard inventory quantities for each vehicle
  • Take a physical inventory count every month until you are comfortable that processes are being followed
  • Review discrepancies between standard costs and vendor prices on a weekly basis
  • Reconcile open inventory receipts/returns on a weekly or monthly basis
  • Reconcile accounts payable to supplier statements every month
  • Receive and break out kits in a timely manner
  • Keep your inventory levels to a minimum (every dollar in parts sitting on a shelf is a dollar not in your bank account)

Good inventory control will give you reliable, consistent financial statements and more cash in the bank. There's no better time than the present to get a handle on this critical asset.

 

For assistance please contact Jim Lee, President, Astute Financial (970) 223-2382 or jim@astutefinancial.biz.

October Tip
Removing Former Technicians from the Technician Scheduling Board
  1. Ensure that the technician's names is not on any open service or inspection tickets. 
  2. Ensure that the technician is marked as active in the Employee Setup table in SedonaSetup.
  3. Remove the checkmark next to the technician's name in all Display Groups in the SedonaService application.
  4. Inactivate the technician in the Employee Setup table within SedonaSetup
Partners in Sales
SedonaOffice and WeSuite

Grow your business with WeSuite's highly scalable products for companies of 3 to 3,000.  Named as a Top 30 Technology Innovator, WeSuite is all about sales estimating software from contact to contract. Key to proactive business improvement, WeSuite pays for itself, continually returning profit to your organization.

 

Mountain Alarm's Journey

In 2008 Mountain Alarm made the business decision to move their organization to current industry accepted software solutions.  Their existing sales software did not integrate into their CRM and Inventory Systems resulting in the duplication of customer related information, as well as salespeople quoting parts using outdated pricing and cost information.  After an exhaustive search process Mountain Alarm chose WeSuite and was confident that they had the technical skills to assist with integrating with any CRM solution.

 

Being one of WeSuite's first customers, I was able to analyze how solid the architecture was being built and how easily the software could scale to the meet our needs as well as any other small or large customer. It has been no surprise to see the amount of success WeSuite is achieving in a relative short amount of time and how easily adopted the software is becoming in the security and integration industry.

Aaron Allen, Chief Technical Officer - Mountain Alarm

 

SedonaOffice Integration

"It has been great to see the partnership between [WeSuite and SedonaOffice] grow over the past few years and to see how they have solved some of the larger integration issues facing many security dealers," commented Allen.

 

WeSuite and SedonaOffice have developed the SedonaOffice Integration Module to enable customer information, parts, invoice items and RMR items to be searchable and selectable as estimates are created, and to seamlessly import new sales job information from WeEstimate to SedonaOffice for work order creation. 

 

Proposal and contracts in WeSuite software are produced automatically, eliminating costly mistakes, saving time and presenting professional, uniform and consistent documents.  Winning jobs are transferred to SedonaOffice in under a minute.  Imagine not having to re-enter job information again!

 

When you team up with WeSuite and SedonaOffice, we have you covered!

 

Table of Contents
Current Release:
5.6.0.191
Voting Closes Oct. 30th
The first round of voting for SedonaEnhancement is closing on October 30th.  If you have not already done so be sure to both submit your enhancement requests and vote for your favorite.
Upcoming Webinar
October 30th at 2 PM ET
 
Learn how WeSuite can vastly improve the delivery of sales prospecting efforts, sales estimating, reporting and automating creation of proposal and contract agreements.
Meet Anne Terwilliger
Support Specialist
Since July 2011
What do you like best about your job?

I love working with our customers, analyzing the problems, and finding solutions.


Words to live by:

At the end of the day, I need to know that I made a difference to someone whether it was teaching a new concept, solving a problem, or just putting a smile on someone's face.

 

Words to our customers:
When in doubt - ask.

Did you know?

Anne is a former New Yorker with a passion for ballroom dancing.  While in New York, she participated in Arthur Murray dance competitions in the US and Cancun.

WARNING!

Please ensure that the word 'Sandbox' is part of the name of your test database.  In a future release, the word "Sandbox" will tell SedonaOffice not to send files to Forte from a test database.

Early Registration 
Expires 10/31/2013
2014 SedonaOffice
Users Conference

LEARN,
NETWORK &
ACHIEVE

January 27-29
Marco Island, FL

Register by 10/31/2013 and save two ways:
1. $100 off registration 
2. Receive $500 SedonaDollars

View more details here.
Suggestions or Comments?
Let us know if there is anything you would like to see included in our monthly newsletter.  Email rebeccah@SedonaOffice.com
SedonaOffice | 440-247-5602 | rebeccah@sedonaoffice.com | www.sedonaoffice.com
549 East Washington St.  Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

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