|
        
|
|
Market Report: Software Solutions Latest products Stability from MCS MCS has developed software solutions for hire organisations for more than 25 years which, the company claims, has given it a reputation for reliability and stability. Four years ago it decided to develop a Windows-based product, and more than £650,000 per annum was allocated to research. The result, MCS-rm, supports all hire markets and can be purchased or rented for use in single or multi-location sites. It handles day-to-day aspects of hire and sales management, service and maintenance schedules and intranet/extranet services. Open architecture facilitates integration of new technologies such as PDA/mobile computing, business intelligence and CRM. These can be purchased with the core application or at any time in the future. MCS manages all aspects of a contract from hardware installation to software implementation, project management and on-going support. T
01628
491000 inspHire weaves its web inspHire offers three editions of its software: Office for hire companies with 1-20 users; Business for 10-50 users in organisations seeking greater functionality derived from incorporating Microsoft’s SQL Database; and Corporate for as many as 1,000 users. An Express version is offered for single users. The company’s new e-business web portal will be highlighted at this month’s Hire Show. It enables customers to place orders securely on-line, view contract information and print hire management reports. “Hire company sales staff can also use it to check fleet availability and rates, even when on a customer’s building site, so that they have all the information needed to clinch a deal,” contends Sales Director Graham Dobbs. inspHire will also promote the software’s ability to manage transport and delivery logistics. T
0870
013
0030 Orogeny fills the gap Believing there was a gap in the market for a reasonably priced, comprehensive extranet system, Orogeny has spent six months developing BlueRidge. This web module extracts data from a hire company’s database and makes it available on-line to customers, enabling them to view equipment on hire, contracts, outstanding invoices and copies of original documents. Details of equipment and hire rates can also be obtained. By mid-2006, BlueRidge will be upgraded to enable online hire and sale of equipment, plus the capture of delivery note signatures via PDA. Orogeny offers a range of Sage solutions, including Sage Line 50 and Sage MMS, as well as ACT!, a CRM package, and CreditHound for credit control management. The company is holding a hire product presentation at Sage’s Winnersh offices on 17 January. T 01865 893208 Hewden chooses Intentia Intentia, a global supplier of software services, has introduced a product service management (PSM) solution for the hire industry. It is aimed at eliminating information 'blind spots' that hinder day-to-day management efficiency, and is designed to generate additional revenue opportunities. The package provides support for equipment hire, sales, asset maintenance and management, logistics, purchasing, financial management and business intelligence. It details the utilisation and profitability of each item in a fleet. Intentia customers are typically medium to large companies. Hewden is to implement the PSM system at 360 locations throughout the UK. Colin Hotchkiss, the hirer's Systems and Process Development Manager, states it was chosen "because it offered the best all round capability as a supplier to our market and because of its breadth of functionality covering both rental and service areas." Intentia is to merge with the US-based Lawson organisation. One-source Solution from Rentwhere Rentwhere Logistic Solutions (RLS) is a complete and ready to use enterprise management software (EMS) suite, tailor made for the equipment hire industry. Clients include Potain, Hertz Tooling, Honda, Europcar and Linde, and the company says the program can be used by virtually any hire business. All applications, from RLS Enterprise, the group's flagship enterprise management solution, to RLS Mobile, its hand-held application designed to link a mobile workforce with back office staff in real time, are Windows-based, multi-lingual solutions. Managing Director George Thompstone contends, "All modern equipment hire businesses share a common goal of improving service levels and reducing overheads. RLS allows its clients to do exactly that and to drive down operating costs and improve customer service by providing employees, from all divisions of the company, with up-to-the-minute client data at the touch of a button." The software's Invoicing & Stock Control module produces automated documents such as invoices and delivery notes. Other modules include CRM, equipment management, direct debit and analytic solutions. T
00
33
6
70
13
15
02 Software for Nimble management Nimble is a business management package available through Software Southwest of Melksham. It is aimed at companies of all sizes in tool hire, event hire, marquee hire, scaffold hire and other markets. The software is based on a comprehensive accounts package, which is said to do away with the need for an additional financial program and extra product support. It can handle day-to-day record keeping such as customer details, quotations, bookings and fleet availability, and can print invoices and statements. Nimble can generate management reports such as hire transactions, hire gross and net profits, equipment service reminders and VAT reports. T
01225
899280 Integrated technology with Result Result Group says that its rentalresult software gives control and visibility of asset costs, revenue and utilisation, with integrated financials, CRM and reporting capabilities. Implemented across 15 countries, it supports multi-company, multi-branch and multi-lingual transactions. The software is designed to integrate with new and emerging technologies. The use of touch-screens enables operation without using a mouse or keyboard, and PDAs enable mobile staff to remain in touch. GPS capability provides real-time tracking of assets with integrated mapping technology for route planning, and secure extranet facilities allow customers to access information regarding available equipment and past transactions. T
01422
327000 Altis impressed by Higher Concept Syrinx, from Higher Concept Software, is a Windows-based system that is currently used by more than 300 plant and tool hire organisations and has ease of use as one of its main features. Sales invoices and new customer details can be transferred to Sage at the click of a button. The customer credit limit and aged balance information can be pulled back into Syrinx, alerting hire desk staff if necessary. Charlie Kemp, Managing Director of Altis Tool Hire in Bordon, Hampshire (profiled in EHN's January 2004 issue), switched to Syrinx 12 months ago after problems with a non Windows-based system. "On-site training was excellent and after the first week our staff found more shortcuts to use the system than there are tools on a Swiss army knife!" he states. He has been impressed by the system's fast and accurate invoicing and tracking of stock. "We are able to track every move of the equipment in the fleet, and there is no need to store paperwork." T
0118
947
6669 Simplicity from asp HIRE asp
HIRE
is
a
web-based
system
for
companies
seeking
a
simple
solution,
particularly
single-depot
independents
that
may
consider
opening
other
branches.
Developed
for
a
powered
access
hire
company
with
limited
IT
resources,
it
is
now
being
offered
to
businesses
operating
in
other
markets.
"If an organisation expands, it simply needs another computer at the new location with internet access, rather than a new IT system. As well as handling invoicing, the software will set up and manage customer accounts.” T
01773
768845 Touchstone for full functionality Touchstone, an IT services group, offers the Enterprise system, which is based on the Microsoft Axapta platform and typically targeted at companies with a turnover of £20m or greater. As mentioned briefly in the introductory article to this Market Report, Speedy Hire has selected Enterprise to reduce transaction costs and improve access to information. Speedy has approximately 2,700 staff at more than 300 UK-wide depots, serving 60,000 customers. The system will enable on-line ordering as well as giving detailed financial management information. "It also provides a single interface for staff to check equipment availability across the depot network, allowing the organisation to have a more accurate view of stock requirements," contends Phil Stride, Managing Director of Touchstone's Global IT Group. For hire companies of lesser proportions, Touchstone is launching EQM, based on Microsoft's Navision and offering similar functionality. T
0800
0345
424 Executive Hire News › Archives › January 2006 › Market Report › Latest products
|
