http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/ Centennial Software develops audit software, IT asset management and endpoint security solutions. Centennial Discovery & Centennial DeviceWall help organizations manage their software audit, PC inventory and portable storage device security. Centennial Software was founded in 1997 and has offices in the USA, UK, Germany, South Africa and Australia. Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:45:00 GMT Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:45:00 GMT http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/ http://www.centennial-software.com/images/logo.gif http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/ http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1026/outsourcing-is-nearly-always-effective/ http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1026/outsourcing-is-nearly-always-effective/
Dave Baldwin, the managing director of Getronics, told CRN that many businesses are worried that by outsourcing, they will be damaging their effectiveness due to the switch which will take place, though this will likely not be the case.

He explained that many also worry about losing control, when in reality the IT department will operate much more effectively if not on par with the system which was previously implemented.

Mr Baldwin added that outsourcers of such things as customer relationship management and software asset management aim to be a simple extension of the consumer's IT team, making sure they complement any existing infrastructure.

He concluded: "Customers may be nervous about handing a part of their business over to a third party but they can quickly gain tangible efficiencies quickly."

Before outsourcing anything, a company ought to look at in-house systems' efficiency first, according to Euan Davis, a leading technology analyst who made his comments to Computing at the recent Forrester IT Forum in Berlin.

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]]> Tue, 9 Jun 2009 11:24:57 PST info@centennial-software.com (Matt Fisher) http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1027/ford-outsources-software-for-cost-control/ http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1027/ford-outsources-software-for-cost-control/
Ford, the world's largest car maker after Toyota, General Motors and Volkswagen, is adopting a pay-as-you-go model for its payroll as well as its time and attendance system in order to cut in-house costs on servers, software and staff, Computing recently revealed.

The new secure hosting environment it has agreed to will remove the need to manage software licences in these departments too, though software asset management will undoubtedly be used to oversee other programs to ensure the company does not face difficulty in the event of an IT audit.

Ford hopes it will cut down on costs through increased efficiency via automation across the business, aiming to free payroll staff from administrative tasks and allow for more "value-added activities", the news resource added.

The report follows trends in the automotive industry which has highlighted the need for organisations in the sector to slash expenditure, with General Motors being faced with bankruptcy and offering early retirement to many of its workers.

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]]> Tue, 9 Jun 2009 11:23:55 PST info@centennial-software.com (Matt Fisher) http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1028/software-licences-must-be-observed-by-small-businesses/ http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1028/software-licences-must-be-observed-by-small-businesses/
Julian Swan, the director of compliance marketing for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at the Business Software Alliance (BSA), said that many of these organisations are particularly susceptible to using software without the necessary documentation due to small or inexperienced IT departments.

He explained that many companies, particularly in London, may only employ ten to 20 people and many will not prioritise what is necessary for a business to function.

Mr Swan added: "It's quite clear that not everyone who has unlicensed software … it's not necessarily a deliberate act by any means. The trouble is that doesn't mean that it's not illegal."

The BSA is a non-profit trade association created to advance the software industry and promote a safe and legal digital environment.

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]]> Tue, 9 Jun 2009 11:23:08 PST info@centennial-software.com (Matt Fisher) http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1025/lack-of-investment-in-saas-could-prolong-downturn/ http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1025/lack-of-investment-in-saas-could-prolong-downturn/
Ardent Solutions, a consultancy looking into the IT-related issues now affecting companies in the current climate, found many have budget limitations which are restricting their long-term performance, Computing reported.

Andrew Watkinson, the managing director of Ardent, said that small and medium-sized enterprises "cannot afford to be left behind".

He explained that many are moving towards external sources for IT expertise in maintenance, support, advice and outsourcing - something the expert agrees with.

Mr Watkinson continued: "Making the move to SaaS is the logical next step: in addition to the cost arguments, this model provides organisations with guaranteed access to the latest technologies and up to date expertise."

Last week, research by recruitment company Harvey Nash highlighted the need for chief information officers to fight for a bigger budget in order to secure a better quality of technology, so long as they explained its usefulness to investors and board members.

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]]> Mon, 8 Jun 2009 14:01:45 PST info@centennial-software.com (Matt Fisher) http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1023/it-governance-must-be-prioritised-before-offshoring/ http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1023/it-governance-must-be-prioritised-before-offshoring/ IT governance may lead to a number of companies looking to offshore providers, and in effect losing more money instead of saving valuable assets during the recession, an expert has said.

Making his comments to Computing at the Forrester IT Forum in Berlin, technology analyst Euan Davis explained that chief information officers are happy to pass off IT operations to a foreign provider before looking at the inner efficiencies of their own operations.

He explained that if internal processes are weak, such as the lack of adoption of software asset management or customer relationship management (CRM), a business may be inadvertently haemorrhaging their allocated IT budget.

Mr Davis told the news provider: "If businesses can't specify what they want or craft service level agreements effectively, they will lose the savings they were intending to achieve in the first place."

One organisation reforming its inner systems is the North East Chamber of Commerce, which agreed terms to improve its CRM technology to deal with more customers in an efficient manner.

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]]> Mon, 8 Jun 2009 12:06:02 PST info@centennial-software.com (Matt Fisher) http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1024/necc-upgrades-services-to-help-members/ http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1024/necc-upgrades-services-to-help-members/
In agreeing to the deal with a local company, the NECC will have its customer relationship management (CRM) strategy overhauled, making it easier for individuals using the organisation's website to sign up for training, events and other goings-on, the Journal revealed.

It followed an intense set of sessions with IT, marketing and trade sectors of the NECC to ensure that users would be happy with the implementation of the system.

Commenting on the decision to use CRM, NECC head of systems Michael Dawson said: "Collaboration was the key to really delivering a product that was polished, refined and fit for purpose.

"We look forward to commencement of the next phase of our project where we start adding the extras."

The NECC was established in 1995 but was informally launched as far back as 1815 shortly after the Battle of Waterloo.

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]]> Mon, 8 Jun 2009 12:05:03 PST info@centennial-software.com (Matt Fisher) http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1020/twitter-is-valuable-addition-to-crm-policy/ http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1020/twitter-is-valuable-addition-to-crm-policy/
Rick Cook of Inside CRM explained that Twitter is essentially social networking whichever way it is looked at and must be accepted as such if the project is to work properly.

For it to be a success, he said, businesses must ensure they are relaxed and focused on having a real conversation, as over-emphasising the social aspect can be unhelpful in times when customers simply want appropriate solutions to their issues.

Mr Cook continued: "Tweeting for business is an art and it takes some study and practice to get it right. However, it can be an extremely powerful tool once you get it right."

Twitter started as a small side-project in March 2006 in San Francisco, California and has since become the fastest-growing social networking service online in the last year.

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]]> Fri, 5 Jun 2009 11:52:03 PST info@centennial-software.com (Matt Fisher) http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1021/it-managers-must-fight-for-improved-systems/ http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1021/it-managers-must-fight-for-improved-systems/
Research by recruitment consultancy Harvey Nash found that while the recession has heavily contributed to a change in attitudes towards IT in the office, only six per cent of CIOs interviewed said they had made changes to their brief as a result of it, Computing reported.

A transparent strategy for IT is thus needed for companies perhaps wanting to adopt such systems as customer relationship management (CRM) in the future, as this will develop trust on board level.

Such strategies can galvanise the performance of a brand, it was added, with business change worries needing to be overcome by people further up a company for success, particularly with outsourced software.

Harvey Nash is a global leader in providing clients with specialised IT experts to enhance their company's standing in the market.

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]]> Fri, 5 Jun 2009 11:46:08 PST info@centennial-software.com (Matt Fisher) http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1022/online-presence-needs-hosted-applications/ http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1022/online-presence-needs-hosted-applications/
Data centre specialist iomart Group revealed that cloud computing applications such as software asset management (SAM) can provide so many benefits, particularly in the current economic climate.

Angus MacSween, the chief executive of the company, continued: "For today's business, the benefits of cloud computing, of a centralised computing infrastructure that can be easily accessed via the internet, are just too compelling to ignore."

Another application which can be accessed through this way is customer relationship management, which allows companies to target consumers through methods which appeal to them the most, creating a better and more accurate interaction between both parties.

Additionally, cloud computing is also easy to understand, with many providers mimicking the likes of Hotmail and Amazon in the way they can be accessed, said Dean Miles, the general manager of Gooroo Software in a piece for Fresh Business Thinking.

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]]> Fri, 5 Jun 2009 11:45:24 PST info@centennial-software.com (Matt Fisher) http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1017/cloud-computing-is-easy-to-understand-and-functional/ http://www.centennial-software.com/company/news/id/1017/cloud-computing-is-easy-to-understand-and-functional/
Dean Miles, the general manager of Gooroo Software, explained to Fresh Business Thinking that the programs provided by cloud computing - such as software asset management (SAM) and customer relationship management (SAM) - are accessible via "familiar web-based services" similar to Hotmail or Amazon.

Anything is available to consumers in cloud computing, from basic office software such as word processing and spreadsheets to "sophisticated accounting and financial" programs and other specialised options relating to stock management and e-commerce, he added.

Minimal upfront costs also make it a wise investment for many, Mr Miles emphasised, noting they are paid for simply, in a manner similar to electricity or water, with other bills reduced to the lack of on-site hardware.

Recently, Patrick Barnard, the senior web editor of TMCnet, explained there are too many benefits associated with software-as-a-service to completely disregard it, encouraging people to do research into the asset.

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]]> Thu, 4 Jun 2009 11:26:42 PST info@centennial-software.com (Matt Fisher)