Infor Delivers Major Enhancement To Configure Price Quote

Infor, an industry cloud company, has announced significant enhancements to the user interface of Infor Configure Price Quote (CPQ) to help customers increase sales, reduce costs and differentiate their brand. The new personalization capability allows organizations to differentiate themselves quickly and easily in their markets with visual layout design and custom style functionality. The ability for customers to personalize the configuration and quoting experience themselves allows for tailored content and presentation of the CPQ process to the specific needs of a sales channel, distributor or end user. Infor CPQ is designed to provide a seamless, customized experience for the end user to encourage repeat use for future business needs.

Formerly known as Infor Product Configuration Management (PCM), Infor CPQ is a visual product configurator solution that is specifically designed to help manufacturers and distributors that design, sell and market configured products and/or services through distribution channels. The product is created to meet the unique business challenges of various industries with greater speed and accuracy. Infor CPQ provides an easy to use, image-driven solution to help users track processes in a unified format, from quotation through order delivery.

"Configure, price and quote (CPQ) tools have historically been deployed with a focus on internal sales efficiency. However, organizations started opening up their sales environment, providing CPQ tools to partners and customers. The ability of customers to personalize their experience, with greater transparency, helps them to better engage with organizations," said Praveen Sengar, Gartner.

There are two major components of the user experience. The first is the ability to establish custom layouts that can vary by role and device and apply them to a rule set for creating a compelling experience. The second aspect of this personalized interface is to incorporate an organization's themes and styles sheets within the layout for enhanced branding consistent with the organization's go-to-market channels.

"By enabling the guided selling and visualization experience to be tailored to the context needed by the end user, through new rules and custom layouts, organizations can drive adoption while improving their bottom line", said David Cahn, director, CPQ Product Management, Infor. "The ability to personalize the configuration user experience is about making a relevant connection to an individual."

Inventory Optimization and Maximizing Profitability

Please attend the Business Improvement Webcast Series for distributors on May 28, 2015:

Epicor welcomes Jon Schreibfeder, president of Effective Inventory Management, for an educational and informative discussion on how distributors can overcome four major challenges:

• Increased competition
• Lower margins
• Product proliferation
• Demanding customers

Jon will discuss useful strategies for managing your inventory investment to maximize net profits, including valuable tips on:

• Accurate forecasting
• Using adjusted margin to access profitability
• Ensuring your inventory is accurate
• Meeting customer expectations

Click here to register.

In addition, you'll learn about some powerful tools for helping you effectively manage your inventory.  Epicor will demonstrate how you can identify buying trends and unique demand patterns, apply the best forecasting methods, eliminate excessive stock, manage VMI, and improve processes for better inventory control. 

You’ll walk away with an even better understanding of how to exceed customers’ expectations of product availability and maximize net profits. 

 

NetSuite will acquire email service provider Bronto Software

The deal will combine a major B2B and B2C e-commerce platform and business software provider with an email marketing company that works with more than 100 Top 1000 online merchants. NetSuite will pay $200 million for Bronto.

In a deal that will combine the resources of a major supplier of e-commerce software with those of an online marketing firm, NetSuite Inc. signed an agreement to purchase Bronto Software for $200 million.

NetSuite provides order management software to 15 merchants ranked in the new Internet Retailer 2015 Top 500 Guide, including Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (ranked No. 80), Groupon Goods (No. 30) and PureFormulas.com (No. 401). It also supplies customer relationship management (CRM) and fulfillment services to many of those retailers, and 27 e-retailers in the 2014 Second 500 Guide use NetSuite’s order management system and other services.

In total, the company says more than 3,000 business-to-business and business-to-consumer companies use its SuiteCommerce e-commerce platform. More than half of those customers are B2B, and last year it launched a new set of B2B software tools for its SuiteCommerce e-commerce platform.

In combining the marketing capabilities of Bronto with the e-commerce platform, order management and inventory visibility of NetSuite, the companies believe they have a unique opportunity to enable retailers to market to customers more effectively, Bronto CEO Joe Colopy and NetSuite general manager of commerce products Andy Lloyd said.

“Going forward, think about a retailer that’s sending out email marketing to their customer list,” Lloyd says. “They have specific items they want to market to that customer. If they send out the exact same email to all clients, they may be promoting an item that’s not in stock in the store a mile down the road from some customers. Now you’ll be able to do things like send email to consumers that takes into account not only their purchase history, but also things like what’s in stock in a local store.”

The companies will operate separately, and both are planning major hires. NetSuite plans to add 1,000 employees this year, Lloyd says, and Bronto is on track for an additional 100 hires, mostly at its headquarters in Raleigh-Durham, N.C.

Thirty-seven merchants in the 2015 Top 500 Guide, including JustFab Inc. (No. 98), Nasty Gal Inc. (No. 112) and CafePress.com (No. 140), and 67 merchants in the 2014 Second 500 Guide name Bronto as their email marketing provider. (The 2015 edition of the Second 500 Guide will be released in mid-May.)

NetSuite and Bronto say they will be able to supply retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors with NetSuite’s e-commerce and accounting software integrated with Bronto’s marketing tools.

“This combination, for the first time ever, ties a rich marketing automation system with a cloud-based omnichannel commerce platform.  The capabilities this solution will deliver are transformational,” says NetSuite CEO Zach Nelson. “Just as customers demand seamless cross-channel shopping experiences, they increasingly expect companies to communicate consistently through all of their digital experiences – on site, at stores, in email or through social or mobile.  By combining the two companies’ offerings and technology, we can help merchants deliver relevant and consistent digital commerce experiences throughout the customer journey.”

The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2015, subject to certain closing conditions and regulatory clearance.

STAFDA - Evaluating E-Commerce Software Webinar

Tue, Apr 21, 2015 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CDT

What You Will Learn
E-commerce has become a must-have for distributors. Customers expect to place an order via any sales channel: direct rep, catalog, branch, phone, web, or mobile device. To successfully deploy an e-commerce site, significant thought must be given to how the four key functional areas support your strategy. Even then, many e-commerce sites have a short life because they don’t deliver the desired results. Other qualitative factors must be considered to deliver a satisfying customer experience. This webinar will review the key components of implementing an e-commerce site and the top qualitative factors to make it a success.

This free program will cover:
* The four key functional areas of any e-commerce suite
* Critical features that every e-commerce solution should contain
* A review of the most important qualitative attributes (usability, navigation, security) that result in better customer experiences.

This will be a fast-paced 45 minute, content rich session followed by a 15 minute question and answer session.

About Jeff Gusdorf
Jeff Gusdorf, a Principal for BSW Consulting, is the company’s managing consultant and responsible for Enterprise Software consulting services and Enterprise Software research and evaluation. Jeff is STAFDA’s Technology Consultant who writes our quarterly Technology Advisory and publishes the Distribution and Manufacturers Software Guides. 

Register for Free at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7972793373798153474

Women In Manufacturing Files As Trade Association

National networking group Women in Manufacturing this week announced its reorganization as a trade association.

The group, founded in 2011 with help from the Precision Metalforming Association, officially filed as a 501(c)6 national trade association as of April 1. The WiM board held a meeting late last month to establish appointments of officers, executive and nominating committees and its annual budget.

READ MORE: The State Of Women In The Supply Chain

Gretchen Zierick, president of Zierick Manufacturing Corp., was elected to serve as the group's first chair. Other board members include Karla Aaron of Hialeah Metal Spinning, Elizabeth Engels of rp+m, Lisa Habe of Interlake Industries, Sheila LaMothe of TRUMPF, Una Lauricia of Eaton Corp., Diana Perreiah of Alcoa, Anne Ross of Foley & Lardner LLP and Catherine Werner of GE.

"Now, more than ever, the American manufacturing sector needs strong and creative leadership to overcome obstacles and continue on the path toward growth and prosperity," said WiM President Allison Grealis. "With the help of our newly constituted board, we will continue to demonstrate that not only are women great for manufacturing, but that manufacturing is great for women."

Epicor Eclipse Distribution ERP Introduces New Levels Of Efficiency

Epicor Software Corporation, a provider of business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, recently announced the general availability of the latest version of Epicor Eclipse, its wholesale distribution enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for distributors in the electrical, plumbing and HVAC sectors. Eclipse v.9.0 features a refreshed user interface (UI) and technical innovations that foster business efficiency and productivity.

This version of Epicor Eclipse delivers a new user experience with a completely new main window, menu structures and navigation panels; a new Web widget to view other Web sites in the main window; and new "Metro-style" widgets with configurable widget size, color and notification method. The visually appealing, task-focused and user-friendly graphic interface of Eclipse v.9.0 will help employees accomplish more in their daily work and provide better customer service.

In addition, a number of innovations have been introduced to support increased business efficiency for distributors. These include a new volume rebate tracking system for vendor purchases, an eBulletin Board for critical announcements, an all-new chat-format messaging system, an improved central purchasing process, faster material returns, and new optional integration to Avalara for tax calculation and filing services.

For more information on the new release of Epicor Eclipse, call 1.800.776.7438 to speak with an Epicor solutions specialist, or email info@epicor.com.

Epicor Eclipse version 9.0 home screen 
 

Tour de Force Rebrands

Tour de Force CRM, Inc., a provider of enterprise customer relationship management, business intelligence, sales force automation, and business process optimization software solutions, has changed its name Tour de Force, Inc. In addition to the corporate name change, the company has also unveiled a new logo and a new website at www.TourdeForceInc.com.

“Tour de Force is much more than CRM”, remarked Matt Hartman, President, CEO, and founder of Tour de Force, Inc. “The foundation of Tour de Force is customer relationship management (CRM) and sales force automation (SFA), however, the depth and breadth of the Tour de Force solution has grown immensely over the last several years."

“In 2014, we began referring to the Tour de Force solution as a business process optimization (BPO) tool”, continued Hartman. “While BPO has several different meanings throughout the space, to us, Business Process Optimization refers to our ability to touch all facets of our clients’ organizations in order to streamline processes and increase profitability."

The corporate name change was driven by a desire to better align the company’s image with the products and services it provides. Over the past 2 years, Tour de Force, Inc. has rolled out subscription pricing and multiple versions of Tour de Force in order to provide scalable solutions that allow an organization to start with basic features and grow into the more advanced features over time. Tour de Force BI, released in 2014, is a streamlined business intelligence software solution that provides analytics, reporting, and dashboards, along with basic CRM features, at the low price of $25 per user per month. To better meet the needs of organizations that do not have the infrastructure to support an on-premise solution, Tour de Force will be rolling out a cloud/SaaS solution in late 2015.