RENSSELAER, NY Sept. 9, 2005 SinglePoint Consulting, an IT and business systems consultant based in San Jose, CA, is enjoying newfound efficiency and building greater profits thanks to Autotask Professional Services Automation Software http://itservices.autotask.com/request_info.htm?source=11.
Early in the history of SinglePoint Consulting Group, Chris Jones, Owner and CEO, was on the hunt for a project management tool that SinglePoint could offer clients. He found Autotask, decided that it met his criteria, and began providing it to clients. It wasnt long, however, before Jones came to rely on Autotask to run SinglePoint Consulting Group better.
Autotask delivers more efficiency for running any business because it is integrated, Jones says. Its a lot easier to manage relationships and make sure that things get done when you dont have to use a lot of different systems to manage things.
He adds, I recommend Autotask to 90 percent of my clients because generally there is some component of Autotask that will fulfill their immediate need.
As a user of Autotask, SinglePoint relies on Autotask for improved business efficiency. When lead comes into SinglePoint, all the relevant contact information is entered into Autotask. Autotask is then used to manage the process of wooing the potential client, including scheduling phone calls and follow-ups, taking notes, and so on. SinglePoint also uses Autotask for opportunity management to answer questions such as What deals are in the pipeline? Whats the margin? When will it close? When the prospect becomes client, Autotask is used to manage the relationship, to make sure that deadlines are met, and to manage projects that are underway for that client. Jones had tried separate applications to manage different aspects of the business (such as Outlook for contact management) and finds that Autotask is significantly more efficient.
Autotask also provides a number of benefits to SinglePoint as a reseller. Potential clients usually come to SinglePoint with a specific business problem they want to resolve. For example, it might be that they want to handle their service desk more efficiently and effectively. When Jones shows the client how Autotask can meet their need and signs them to use Autotask, SinglePoint receives a continuing revenue stream from each Autotask seat for as long as it is used. As Jones shows the client that Autotask can produce additional efficiency in other aspects of their business CRM, project management, contract management and time capture it is typical that more seats are added, providing an expanded revenue stream to SinglePoint for as long as the client uses Autotask.
Here are a couple of examples:
A national outdoor media advertising company needed a project management tool for managing their outdoor installation projects. They use Autotask to manage the tasks required to install and maintain the advertising using contractors in different markets. What they have also found is that by integrating CRM with project management they can better manage their accounts across these different markets. They have some very large clients like Nike, Colgate, Coke, and Anheuser-Busch. They were better able to manage these large accounts across multiple markets, territories and sales people more efficiently. And they use the Autotask Outlook integration so the change management problems were greatly reduced.
A regional landscape architecture firm was looking to automate their project management practice. Using Autotask they have greatly increased their billing accuracy by using both the contracts module as well as the project module. By automating one function they found it easy and more profitable to automate the other function as well.
Jones says, Businesses are a lot leaner these days. They dont throw five bodies at a problem anymore. They have to achieve the same or better results with fewer people. Autotask helps them and SinglePoint -- do that.
About Autotask Corporation Autotask http://itservices.autotask.com is an innovative, web-based business platform that automates the key functions of any professional services organization. While Autotask is used in a wide range of industries, it has become the #1 business productivity package for IT Service Providers. Autotask helps companies to run their business better by integrating customer data, project information, and service tickets all in a single database that is used for time capture, billing, reporting, and business management.
A recent survey of Autotask customers revealed an average increase of 15% in captured billable time, and an 85% reduction in paperwork and data entry associated with time-tracking and billing. Autotask is web-based, accessible via any PC, anywhere, at any time, and integrates seamlessly with MS Outlook, QuickBooks, and a number of Managed Services software applications.
