MHR announces strategic partnership with HFX

Posted on June 21, 2018 by - News

devil_514MHR said it will work with HFX to extend its  flexible working and staff time management.

HFX, a provider of SaaS flexitime and workforce management solutions, has signed a Partnership Agreement with MHR.  The agreement lets MHR (formerly MidlandHR) offer the entire suite of HFX’s Imperago cloud-based workforce management solutions which include Time & Attendance (T&A), Access Control and Flexitime Management.

Anton Roe, Chief Executive Officer at MHR, said: “HFX’s range of products perfectly complement those of MHR, enabling us to extend our proposition to our client base. We can now offer our customers HFX’s full Cloud solution range, from shift pattern design to T&A. This is an important addition to our fully integrated HR solutions.”

Nicola Smart Chief Operating Officer at HFX said: “We are delighted to be working with MHR to introduce the HFX range of products to their existing and future customers. Our products are a natural fit with MHR’s enterprise, commercial and public sector HR and payroll solutions and customers will have access to a powerful SaaS Cloud workforce solution for every staffing group.”

As part of the deal, MHR gets its paws on Imperago’s Time & Attendance all-in-one Service-as-a-Solution package that covers software, hardware, support and maintenance and its Flexitime Management software which is used in the public sector and local government organisations.

It also will use EveryOneCloud which logs time, supporting workforce planning and Time & Attendance solutions, enabling organisations of all sizes to monitor their staff and productivity. EveryOneCloud is a ready-to-go cloud which does not need for servers, software installation or massive up-front costs. It integrates with and sends data to T&A, Payroll, Student Attendance and Workforce Management solutions (including rostering & shift management).

 

BT partners with Comm365 on 4G project

Posted on June 20, 2018 by - News

btlogoBT  has recently partnered with  network services outfit  Comms365 to provide contingency 4G connectivity to BT Exchanges in outlying areas, such as Shetland and the Orkney Islands, so the company can resolve any connection issues remotely.

Previously, if the connection went down at a BT Exchange, the company would have to send specialist engineers out to the islands to fix the fault, which could take up to a week depending on travel logistics and potentially inclement weather. Not only did this result in unnecessary downtime, but also required engineers to be away from the Network Centre for a significant amount of time, resulting in needless expense for the business. To address the problem, BT was looking for a way to deploy 4G access services to interface to its equipment as a disaster recovery solution, in the event that the broadband connection was lost at the site.

The company turned to Comms365 to deploy its 4G solution at the outlying BT Exchanges so that in the case of a connection issue, engineers at the Network Centre in Manchester could connect remotely to the equipment in order to diagnose the fault and quickly make any necessary changes. One of the primary challenges was that the different locations vary in terms of 4G coverage levels, but with the Comms365 fixed IP Multinet service roaming across all UK networks, the solution easily overcame any issues of coverage or network outages.

BT has deployed the Comms365 solution in two remote Exchanges in Scotland, with plans to roll out into two further locations in summer 2018. The company’s long term plan is to roll out the solution to several other Exchanges across the country, such as Cambridge, Cardiff and London, but the outer regions, including Stornoway and Skye, are being considered first due to their locations and the challenge involved in resolving connection issues.

Phyl Jewkes, 20C Core Transmission Manager at BT said: “It’s imperative that all of our customers receive as reliable a connection as possible, so in the event that a connection goes down we do everything we can to ensure that the connection is restored quickly, no matter how distant the location. With the solution from Comms365 in place, we can rapidly identify and fix any issues remotely without having to send an engineer to the site. Not only does this save us valuable time, but is also a cost-saving solution too. It’s been a really successful partnership and we’re looking forward to working with the team to roll it out to further sites in the future.”

Daisy snaps up VAR Voice Mobile

Posted on June 20, 2018 by - News

DaisyIn a move to get closer to its EE network provider Daisy has written a £10 million cheque for VAR Voice Mobile.

Voice Mobile is an EE partner and will be used to create an EE centre of excellence.  The Birmingham-based VAR filed abbreviated accounts with Companies House for the full year ending 31 December 2016, but in the previous two years reported revenues of £11.3 million and £10.7 million.

This happens a month after TalkTalk revealed plans to offload its B2B business to Daisy, and comes during a time when Daisy is reportedly up for sale.

Daisy said that Voice Mobile will retain its sales and operations teams in order to continue selling EE products and services.

Daisy’s managing director of SMB services and distribution Dave McGinn said Voice Mobile was its distribution partner for more than 14 years.

“This is a brilliant example of how an indirect partner business can develop and thrive, all the time having a shared interest with us, culminating in us ultimately acquiring them.

“Our strategy remains an acquisitive one and through announcements such as this shows a blueprint for other partners who may be seeking to pursue their own exit strategy. I now look forward to serving and growing our new EE customer base.”

Voice Mobile’s managing director Ian Watson said: “Voice Mobile has been a massive part of my life and now with Daisy at the helm there is an even brighter future ahead for it under new ownership, while I take the opportunity to explore new avenues and ventures.

 

Avaya introduces a new workforce optimisation suite

Posted on June 20, 2018 by - Products

avaya logoAvaya has introduced a new version of the Avaya Workforce Optimisation suite, which improves service quality, operational and employee productivity and data privacy with a series of new features and tools.

The major software release should help customer engagement and comply with existing and emerging industry regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

IDC research commissioned by Avaya found that employee productivity is a key driver of digital transformation – a necessary step that sets the groundwork through which enterprises are better prepared to achieve the higher revenue growth associated with better customer experience.1 While optimising the customer experience and service delivery is critical to winning and keeping business, only 28 percent of companies believe they integrate customer communications with fulfilment and distribution extremely well.

Chris McGugan, Avaya SVP, Solutions and Technologies said that while more and more companies understand that providing a great customer experience is good business, many have a long way to go to bring all the parts together that make that a reality.

“Customer experience is a function of fully integrated, customer-facing, efficient and effective workforce support and back office processes. Avaya Workforce Optimisation helps ensure that the employees engaged in service delivery meet the standard of excellence that customers expect and deserve, and helps drive business profitability and growth.”

Avaya Workforce Optimisation also addresses a key concern of enterprises and customers around the world today: securing personal data and keeping it private. Driven by the European GDPR requirements, Avaya strengthened data privacy with the newest features to help securely record, process, archive, and protect customers’ data to reach compliance goals.

Other features included in the latest Avaya Workforce Optimisation release enable enterprises to:

· Improve operational effectiveness and accuracy with real-time speech analytics – Calls can be monitored in real-time to detect words and phrases of interest and to drive interactions to better outcomes.

· Improve customer and employee satisfaction – Supervisors and quality managers become better coaches and improve employee engagement through automated quality management, speeding scoring for some or all questions on evaluation forms.

·  Improve data privacy and regulatory compliance – Enterprises can safely record, archive and protect personal data through advanced, 256-compliant encryption, Payment Card Industry Security (PCI), data identification and tagging and identify consent/no consent situations to help ensure GDPR compliance.

Michael Lazarus, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Manager at HomeChoice said his outfit’s quality assurance staff can now quickly adjust to customer needs.

“If people struggle to access something on our website or think that a feature is not user-friendly, we hear about it immediately from calls, surveys, and quality assurance scores, and can start to implement the desired changes straightaway. Because we can provide better service, our customers are even more satisfied than before.”

Sarah Shields promoted to Europe

Posted on June 19, 2018 by - News

sarah-shields-new-620x350Sarah Shields is to become Dell EMC’s new VP of enterprise channel, Europe, and the outfit now needs someone to fill her current UK role.

Shields will now work with partners targeting large enterprise accounts across Europe. Large deals are very much outcome orientated and she thinks they are a great opportunity for partners that want to hit that large base of enterprise customers.

Shields said she is currently in the process of putting together a team to work with her in her new role, but said she will not transition until a replacement for her current role (VP and GM of Dell EMC UKI channels) has been found. The move will see Dell EMC without a heavy weight leader in the UK.

A shortlist of potential candidates has been drawn up, but Shields encouraged people to apply for the role. She stressed that the UK will remain important to her in her new position.

In the new role Shields will report into Dell EMC’s senior VP for EMEA Michael Collins, as she does  now.

Tintri looks for a buyer to save it

Posted on June 19, 2018 by - News

tintri1Tintri is exploring the possibility of a takeover as its financial situation is “likely” to kill it off.

The storage vendor has suffered since it listed on the NASDAQ market last year. It announced a wave of job cuts in September. Things have not got much better, and Tintri is in breach of covenants relating to its credit facilities with lenders. Tintri is currently $15.4 million in debt with the banks and owes $50 million to TriplePoint Capital.

Tintri said it is not in a position to repay the money it owes if its lenders declare an event of default.

In a statement to shareholders Tintri said: “Based on the company’s current cash projections, and regardless of whether its lenders were to choose to accelerate the repayment of the company’s indebtedness under its credit facilities, the company likely does not have sufficient liquidity to continue its operations beyond 30 June 2018.

“The company continues to evaluate its strategic options, including a sale of the company.

“Even if the company is able to secure a strategic transaction, there is a significant possibility that the company may file for bankruptcy protection, which could result in a complete loss of shareholders’ investment.”

The vendor’s revenue in Q1 was $22 million, alongside a loss of $1.14 per share.

Tintri could not publish the usual depth of information seen in quarterly results because some people involved in preparing the report have left the organisation, it said.

The vendor’s share price has been at under $1 since 22 May. If a company’s share price has been under this value for 30 consecutive days the shares can be de-listed from the NASDAQ market.

 

Customers still cloudy about clouds

Posted on June 19, 2018 by - News

lightning-cloudRackspace research shows that clients have significant problems with their cloud plans and identifies the critical role that the channel can play.

Rackspace’s report “Maintaining Momentum: Cloud Migration Learnings” found that indicated that 71 percent of businesses said that they were about two years into their public cloud journey and putting more workloads into a hosted environment was seen by many as a high priority.

But lots of customers are still to get genuinely into the cloud citing all sorts of problems, including costs and complexity.

The channel can help is with helping them scope out the costs properly and provide help with migration, the report said.

The report commissioned by Rackspace and conducted by Forrester Consulting surveyed the landscape across the UK, Germany, France and the US had some words of warning for those firms looking to try and do it all on their own.

The research found that 78 percent of users did recognise the role of a service partner and many said they were looking for experienced cloud providers that could help with migration issues.

Adam Evans, director of Professional Services at Rackspace said: “Cloud is the engine of digital transformation and a critical enablement factor for innovation, cost reduction and CX initiatives. But while most organisations we meet have started on their cloud journey, I would say the majority did not expect the scale of the ongoing challenge,” said A

“As a business generation, we are getting faster at new technology adoption, but we still seem to stumble when it comes to an understanding of the requirements (and limitations) of the business consuming it. Introducing new cloud-based operating practices across an entire organisation is rarely straightforward, as with anything involving people, processes and their relationship with technology,” he added.

 

Redstoneconnect boss moves on after sell off

Posted on June 18, 2018 by - Moving People, News

markbraundredstoneceo-580x358Redstoneconnect’s CEO has decided it is time to move on after finishing off the sales of the outfit’s managed services and SI units.

Mark Braund is standing down and from Monday chairman Frank Beechinor would take over the CEO role in a move which is part of a management reshuffle.

Braund will stay around for several months to ensure there is a smooth transition and current director Guy van Zwanenberg will become chairman.

Braund has been with the firm for three years during which he had to redefine the company’s strategy and re-position and further develop the Company.

The result was the disposal of the Systems Integration and Managed Services divisions for £21.6 million, in addition to other restructuring activities.

He said that RedstoneConnect was now in an excellent position to build-upon its growing solutions offering and to further capitalise on the opportunity that exists for workspace management software.

His successor Beechinor said that the business had been left in a strong position thanks to Braund’s stewardship and it was determined to grow the firm as a software specialist.

 

Shopping is too stressful

Posted on June 18, 2018 by - News

smartphone-shoppingA fifth of US consumers find that going shopping makes them feel stressed, while more than one in 10 experience high stress levels while buying online.

That’s according to a new Stress Shopping report from experience analytics firm Clicktale, which examines the role of emotions in shaping consumer experiences both online and in-store.

The report, which incorporates analysis from Clicktale psychologists, retail experts and a survey of over 2000 US and UK consumers, found that – despite finding offline shopping the most stressful experience – many consumers still feel high levels of stress when navigating ecommerce websites and apps. While 12 percent feel stressed when buying online, 15 percent go as far as to say they have ‘lost their temper’ when shopping online or on a mobile app.

Clicktale’s research also reveals that these stress levels rise as shoppers navigate through the customer journey, reaching a peak during the checkout process. In reporting their most stressful digital shopping experiences, 88 percent of shoppers feel stressed when a voucher code fails at the checkout, while 75 percent get agitated when mobile apps freeze at the point of payment. 83 percent are also stressed by slow loading times online.

Commenting on the new research, Geoff Galat, CMO at Clicktale said: “Despite a growing focus on customer experience across the retail industry, it’s a shame to see so many consumers frustrated and stressed out by online shopping experiences. It’s long been assumed that, because consumers are able to shop from the comfort of their homes, the stressful elements of the shopping experience have been removed. Clearly this isn’t the case.

“To overcome this fact, brands need to think much more carefully about the role of customer emotions throughout the shopping experience. By using experience analytics to examine mouse-movements, taps, swipes, and ‘rage clicks’, brands can understand where the frustration occurs and where the path to purchase is being disrupted. Even seemingly insignificant stimuli can have a strong impact on customer emotions, especially when it comes to irritation over poor page layouts and slow search speeds. While previously overlooked by brands, these seemingly minor stressors can significantly impact the customer experience, digital conversion rates and, ultimately, the business’ bottom line.”

 

Rimilia signs up for Microsoft’s Scale-up

Posted on June 18, 2018 by - News

satanic pactGlobal intelligent financial automation software provider Rimilia  has teamed up with Microsoft after being accepted onto Vole’s ScaleUp programme.

For those who came in late, the ScaleUp programme is part of the Microsoft for Startups initiative and connects companies with new customers and channel partners and is underpinned by a $500 million investment to drive innovation and growth.

The Rimilia solution automates the complete account receivables process, enabling organisations to control their cash flow and cash collection in real-time, using sophisticated analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to predict customer payment behaviour and easily match and reconcile payments, removing the uncertainty of cash collection.

Rimilia already has a number of customers on the Microsoft Azure platform including Interserve, Speedy Hire, Securitas and Rentokil. Rimilia has commenced migrating its global blue chip customer base onto Azure, and recent customer wins are being deployed onto the Microsoft Azure application service, delivering enhanced security, resilience, scalability and responsiveness.

MD Microsoft for Startups, Warwick Hill, said: “We were struck by Rimilia’s solution. We constantly look to drive value for both Microsoft Clients and the companies being supported in our ScaleUp program – Rimilia is a perfect example of that sweet spot. The ability for our clients to leverage Rimilia’s solution to automate and digitally transform their accounts receivable and audit processes will drive the co-sell partnership for years to come. The power of Microsoft Azure and Dynamics365, coupled with Rimilia’s specific industry and software expertise is a powerful combination.”

Steve Richardson, CCO and co-founder of Rimilia, said: “We are delighted to be working on the Microsoft Startups programme. Microsoft has been tremendously supportive and professional throughout the whole onboarding process. Having never lost a customer to a competitor the extra “stickiness” of working with Microsoft will consolidate that position as well as create a base to support our ambitious expansion plans.”

Eurostop heads into Saudi Arabia with IMCC

Posted on June 15, 2018 by - News

IkhwanEurostop has announced a new partnership with IMCC Group, an engineering and construction services provider in Saudi Arabia, to widen distribution of Eurostop’s Tenant Management System (TMS) in the area.

As an appointed reseller, IMCC will be licensed to provide Eurostop’s retail management solution for shopping mall landlords in the Middle East. Eurostop already has clients using the solution in Singapore and throughout Asia. IMCC Group was established to accommodate the increased demand in construction services in Saudi Arabia, with a portfolio including Sephora, Saudi Post and Pepsi. The strategic alliance will enable shopping mall enterprises and other revenue-based leased properties to deploy Eurostop’s TMS, supported by local and established expertise.

TMS  enables mall owners and landlords to collect sales data from tenants in order to calculate the rental due, based on a percentage gross turnover (GTO) model. The solution operates seamlessly for the retailer, providing instant, up-to-date information to the landlord. It is provided as a fully hosted and serviced product.

Dr Halawani, Founder and CEO of IMCC Group, said: “We are pleased to have secured this partnership with Eurostop. Our focus will be to achieve the best results for our clients, implementing this innovative technology quickly and efficiently and driving maximum return on investment for the leaseholders.”

Richard Loh, CEO of Eurostop, said: “The retail landscape in Saudi Arabia is developing at a rapid pace and is an exciting opportunity. TMS will enable landlords to maximise leased space and will be particularly useful in the retail market in Saudi Arabia, where the number of sophisticated mega malls is increasing rapidly. We wanted a partner that could help us to deliver our technology to the region with a professional and quality approach, and I am delighted to be working with Dr. Abdulatef Halawani and his team.”

Eurostop’s current clients in Singapore using TMS include Frasers Centrepoint and Tanjong Pagar Centre (GuocoLand), Katong Square and SingPost. Eurostop provides sales and support to customers across Asia from its offices in Shanghai and Xiamen in China, Kowloon, Hong Kong and Singapore.

PCM open doors in Wellingborough

Posted on June 15, 2018 by - News

1280px-Wellingborough_whitworth_fc_welcome_car_park_signagePCM has opened its first fully branded UK office in Wellingborough.

The logic behind Wellingborough’s selection was the town’s labour pool with the necessary skills.

PCM has a UK headcount of 187 and plans to recruit significantly more with the Wellingborough office, which is big enough to accommodate 30 to 40 new employees, according to Hutchinson.

Its in-house engineers and technicians installed the office’s IT infrastructure. This was to show customers the companies’ abilities to create an infrastructure from scratch, as well as using its partner network for the build-out and cosmetic features in the building, according to PCM.

The outfit might be planning on making some more UK acquisitions. So far PCM has snapped up Provista UK and Stack Holdings Technology but said the primary focus is on integrating the new businesses.

Rimilia scales up

Posted on June 15, 2018 by - News

12561291953Financial automation software provider Rimilia has announced a collaboration with Microsoft after being accepted onto the current cohort of the select Microsoft ScaleUp programme.

The Microsoft ScaleUp programme, part of the Microsoft for Startups initiative, connects companies with new customers and channel partners and is underpinned by a $500 million investment to drive innovation and growth. Through a rigorous assessment, Rimilia beat hundreds of entrants to secure a place on the programme, as one of only 12 organisations accepted.

The Rimilia solution automates the account receivables process, enabling organisations to control their cash flow and cash collection in real-time, using sophisticated analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to predict customer payment behaviour and easily match and reconcile payments, removing the uncertainty of cash collection.

While the Rimilia solution integrates with any ERP system, Rimilia already has a number customers on the Microsoft Azure platform including Interserve, Speedy Hire, Securitas and Rentokil. Rimilia has commenced migrating its global blue chip customer base onto Azure, and recent customer wins are being deployed on the Microsoft Azure application service, delivering enhanced security, resilience, scalability and responsiveness.

MD Microsoft for Startups, Warwick Hill, said: “We were struck by Rimilia’s solution. We constantly look to drive value for both Microsoft Clients and the companies being supported in our ScaleUp program – Rimilia is a perfect example of that sweet spot. The ability for our clients to leverage Rimilia’s solution to automate and digitally transform their accounts receivable and audit processes will drive the co-sell partnership for years to come. The power of Microsoft Azure and Dynamics365, coupled with Rimilia’s specific industry and software expertise is a powerful combination.”

Steve Richardson, CCO and co-founder of Rimilia, said: “We are delighted to be working on the Microsoft Startups programme. Microsoft has been tremendously supportive and professional throughout the whole onboarding process. Having never lost a customer to a competitor the extra ‘stickiness’ of working with Microsoft will consolidate that position as well as create a base to support our ambitious expansion plans.”

Salesforce starts UK expansion

Posted on June 14, 2018 by - News

Salesforce logoSalesforce will invest $2 billion in the UK over the next five years.

The cunning plan is to bolster its UK business – with the vendor’s second UK datacentre set to open next year.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said: “The UK is Salesforce’s largest market in Europe and our commitment to driving growth, innovation and customer success in the region has never been stronger.

“With this significant investment, we are well positioned to pursue the incredible opportunity for Salesforce, our customers and partners in the British market.”

Current Prime Minister Theresa May  said the investment cements the UK’s status as a country at the forefront of innovation.

“Salesforce offers a wonderful example of the benefits a successful technology company can bring to the UK economy, and I welcome their continued investment which will create interesting and high-skilled jobs for our workforce”, she said.

“The UK is already home to some of the world’s most innovative technology companies, and we will continue to drive investment in the sector through our modern industrial strategy.”

The vendor claims that, along with its partners, it will generate $65 billion of net new business in the UK by 2022.

Salesforce also expects to create more than 329,000 “direct and indirect” jobs over the same period.

RepKnight signs darkweb monitoring deal with StarLink

Posted on June 14, 2018 by - News

Repknight_GOPDark web monitoring outfit RepKnight has entered into an EMEA distribution agreement with StarLink, a $200 million value added distie.

StarLink will add RepKnight’s dark web monitoring tool, BreachAlert, to its portfolio of IT security offerings. BreachAlert looks for corporate data being posted on the dark web, and many other paste and dump sites used by cybercriminals. The platform works like a burglar alarm — alerting customers in real time as soon as their data appears on the dark web.

BreachAlert lets security teams configure searches around specific keywords, domains, and IP addresses, providing instant alerts if cybercriminals are discussing the customer’s applications, infrastructure or data on the dark web, or if compromised staff credentials appear in paste, dump and bin sites.

Commenting on the partnership, RepKnight’s Channel Director, Michael Koufopoulos, said: “We are building significant momentum around our BreachAlert platform as more and more enterprises wake up to the challenge of dark web monitoring. This makes scaling our channel operation a key priority for the business. StarLink’s True VAD approach, combined with their focus on security platforms and pan-European footprint makes them a natural partner for RepKnight.”

Avinash Advani, SVP Business Development & Alliances at StarLink, added: “The dark web is a key threat for enterprises across the world and organisations need to prioritise enhancing their capabilities when it comes to dark web monitoring. We were highly impressed with RepKnight’s focus on ease of use, and fast configuration. Simplicity is key for our customer base, so the fact that users can be up and running in minutes makes BreachAlert an ideal addition to any organisation’s cybersecurity measures.”