Member Article

Financial services sector increases investment in CRM software to reflect renewed optimism

Financial services sector increases investment in CRM software to reflect renewed optimism

Advanced ConsultCRM reports 57% increase in financial services sector clients during 2014

8 January 2015 – Advanced ConsultCRM (Advanced), part of Advanced Business Solutions, a leading provider of business applications and services, is seeing a surge in demand for CRM solutions within the financial services sector. This has been reflected by Advanced’s new client wins in 2014, including hedge funds, private banking and corporate finance firms. These include First Capital and The Bank of London and Middle East.

Advanced provides customised Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, user training and technical support to financial services companies.

The new business wins demonstrate the Group’s renewed focus on business development, customer retention and compliance in the financial services industry as it enters a new phase in recovery. The CBI recently reported that the sector is growing at its fastest rate since 2007, with 60% of companies reporting an increase in business since the beginning of the year.

Simon Fowler, Managing Director, Advanced Business Solutions (Commercial Division) comments: “The financial services sector is thriving once again and companies are focusing on growing new business and working closely with existing investors. CRM software is key to business development as it combines marketing, sales cycle management and client services to drive customer engagement and retention levels.

“CRM is also essential to helping firms achieve compliancy with financial regulations. All firms must maintain full audit-trails of client interactions and our CRM solutions enable them to achieve this. Without a CRM solution that centralises all client information, firms run a substantial risk of fines by the Financial Conduct Authority.”

Advanced has developed customised solutions on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM platform for hedge funds, private equity and corporate finance companies which are tailored to their needs. The solutions consolidate sales, marketing and client services, enabling multiple teams within an organisation to collaborate effectively. Dispersed teams and remote workers can access the solution via smartphones, tablets and virtual private networks to increase productivity.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM supports every stage of marketing including prospect analysis and campaign management. The solution includes email marketing functionality that automatically records responses and triggers follow up activities. The solution can be configured with sales pipeline workflow processes which ensure that sales staff follow correct procedures.

CRM is central to tracking client and partners relationships and includes reporting functionality that provides complete visibility of every area of sales, marketing and client services. The solution can be integrated with document management solutions including Microsoft SharePoint.

Advanced provides a range of training and support programs that ensure users are confident and fluent in their use of the system before it is rolled out.

“The training and on-going support we provide is key to the success of every project. Our consultants have extensive experience and knowledge of the challenges faced by financial sector personnel – we talk the same language – and this facilitates user adoption. This ensures that a new system is used as effectively as possible from day one,” concludes Fowler.

In July 2014, Advanced ConsultCRM joined the prestigious Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle following outstanding performance. The Inner Circle is an elite group of Dynamics experts with sales achievements that rank them in the highest echelon of the Microsoft’s global partner network.

-ENDS-

Note to editors

About ConsultCRM www.consultcrm.co.uk

ConsultCRM, part of Advanced Business Solutions, is positioned in the top 5% of all Microsoft partners globally and specialises in helping organisations implement, integrate and optimise Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

As a Tier One, Gold Certified, Strategic Microsoft Partner, ConsultCRM’s pedigree in CRM spans a decade working with Microsoft CRM since the first version came to market in 2004. The business is professionally managed, and has shown consistent growth every year since its inception, reinforcing the trust placed in ConsultCRM by both Microsoft and its clients.

Advanced Business Solutions (Advanced) provides leading integrated business applications and services that enable public, private and third sector organisations to retain control, improve visibility and gain efficiencies whilst continually improving corporate performance. Advanced prides itself on getting close to its customers by understanding their businesses and responding to their evolving needs.

Advanced Business Solutions is a division of Advanced Computer Software Group plc, a leading supplier of software and IT services to the health, care and business services sectors. In 2014, the Group won Tech Company of the Year in PwC’s UK Tech Awards. Advanced was also ranked in the Deloitte UK Fast 50, which recognises the 50 fastest growing technology companies in the UK and ranked in the top 300 technology companies in Deloitte’s EMEA rankings.

Press contacts

Angela Mycock & Nick Hardy, Advanced Computer Software Group

pr@advancedcomputersoftware.com

+44(0)1625 856 513

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Advanced .