CRM Software

Following the announcement of several key customer wins for its OpenAir Inc. subsidiary in the Asia-Pacific region, CRM software provider NetSuite recently announced that Australia-based technology consultancy AIPEX will now resell and support OpenAir’s cloud computing professional services automation (PSA) and services resource planning (SRP) software in the land down under.

 

The deal gives AIPEX, which is also an OpenAir customer, the opportunity to profit by providing the industry's leading PSA/SRP solution to small to medium sized businesses in Australia -- and OpenAir the opportunity to greatly expand its presence in the region.

 

AIPEX happens to be one of the four new customers that OpenAir is supplying its solutions to in the APAC region -- the others being Waugh Infrastructure Management, Fronde and Matsco Solutions. Thus it has first-hand product knowledge of the OpenAir suite, which means it is better positioned to help businesses improve their operations and reduce overhead costs using OpenAir’s cloud-based PSA/SRP solution.

 

AIPEX uses OpenAir as the core component of its SRP solutions. With NetSuite (News - Alert) CRM integrated on the front end, and NetSuite Financials on the back end, AIPEX runs its core business in the cloud, leveraging automated workflows to reduce errors and manual processes.

OpenAir’s PSA/SRP software suite lets project-based businesses efficiently manage their projects, resources, time and expense tracking, and billing and invoicing processes in the cloud. This comprehensive solution enables companies to convert more prospects into clients by allowing them to more effectively manage the prospect pipeline and utilize relevant historical data to optimize revenue and margins on future projects.

"The partnership between AIPEX and OpenAir has a great deal of synergy," said Morris Panner, CEO at OpenAir, in a release. "By bringing together two companies with proven expertise in the enterprise market, the power of PSA and SRP can now be extended even further into the Australian services industry. I am excited to see what we are able to accomplish together."

 

"AIPEX has worked on many projects in major enterprises in Australia and we see a great need for better visibility, transparency and control of project resources and costs," added Trevor Townsend, director at AIPEX. "OpenAir allows companies to gain a firm grasp of their resource planning and forecast needs; leading to higher utilization rates, reduced costs, and ultimately, more effective outcomes for their projects.”

 

The OpenAir PSA/SRP solution is actually a suite of solutions including business development, resource management, project management, knowledge management and project accounting software. It also sports numerous reporting tools.

The solution comes in three editions:

--OpenAir Team Edition: The basic "out-of-the-box" version featuring automated time and expense tracking and billing; robust reporting; basic project management and work breakdown structures; QuickBooks and salesforce.com connectors; and free NetSuite connector.

 

--OpenAir Professional Edition: A more full featured version of the solution geared for mid-sized organizations, possibly with some international business. This version helps companies decrease non-billable bench time, improve project management, automate billing and invoicing processes, and optimize revenue and profitability reporting. It sports all the features of OpenAir Team edition plus: full project management and earned value management; premier billing rules engine; resource management and leave accrual; revenue recognition; multi-currency and multiple schedules; and “disconnected” access via iPhone (News - Alert), BlackBerry, pocketPC and desktop application. In addition to the NetSuite Connector it also offers general ledger and CRM connectors including Salesforce.com (News - Alert), Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft CRM, MAS90, Sage, Solomon, Peachtree and Quickbooks.

--OpenAir Enterprise Edition: This is the most full featured version and is geared for enterprises. It offers all the features of OpenAir Professional Edition plus: dedicated client manager; 24/7 customer support; unlimited integration points; free API access; and all available connectors.

 

Within the software suite there are numerous additional software modules for timesheets, expenses, projects, resources, workspaces and invoices. In addition the software can be delivered to each user on a controlled access/permissions basis, as defined by each employee’s role – whether they are a team member, project manager, resource manager, financial manager or executive. This way, security is enhanced, as individual employees can only access those applications, features and functionalities that are germane to their unique position.

OpenAir claims the solution helps businesses increase profits by helping professionals perform their jobs more effectively and by providing managers and executives with clearer, more immediate visibility into the key operational and financial metrics. It helps companies improve their operations by providing tools that improve the way service organizations perform the most critical functions, including staffing resources, managing projects and accounting for project time and expenses.

What’s more it provides managers and executives with precise, quantifiable, real-time insights into the critical business metrics. All key data is centralized in one easily accessed system, so managers have instant answers to difficult business questions. In addition companies can optimize their profits by streamlining operations and improving management visibility. The software ultimately drives increased profits by helping companies increase resource utilization, accelerate billing and invoicing and reduce administrative costs.