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CRM and Custom Pricing

Posted on October 24, 2011 by The RangerMSP Team

Whether you’re new to the IT services business or a veteran of the trade, we’re sure that you’ve already learned that, sometimes, both you and your customers benefit from custom pricing arrangements.

And there are a variety of customized pricing options that you can provide your customers, such as a global discounts, markups, or unique rates or pricing for a particular item or technician. For some customers, you might want to extend these special prices to all services or items, while, for others, you might want to reserve these special pricing options for a particular job or contract.

Even though applying these customized pricing options would benefit you, the idea of managing customized prices and rates probably seems awfully daunting, possibly even daunting enough to discourage you from offering your customers unique pricing. Instead of limiting yourself to standard prices and rates in order to make your workload more bearable however, we’d like to offer you an easy alternative: Our PSA’s Custom Pricing feature.

Available in both the Accounts and Contracts windows, the Custom Pricing feature enables you to set global discounts/mark ups, unique hourly rates for specific employees or items, and to create exceptions for each customized pricing agreement. With this feature, you can customize pricing and rates in as many ways you want and the PSA does the hard work of applying the unique pricing and rates for you.

In other words, after you give the custom pricing feature instructions for either a specific Account or Contract, you and other users never again have to worry about the pricing arrangements for these Accounts or Contracts. No matter how complicated or tailored the pricing is, the app will automatically adjust Charges entered by you or other users to meet the Custom Pricing criteria you set. With custom pricing, your technicians merely need to log their hours (labor), parts and expenses, and the PSA software does the complicated math.

So, how does this work?

Well, let’s start by taking a look at Custom Employee Rates. These customized rates can apply to either labor items using hourly rates by an employee or an expense item using hourly rates by an employee. Moreover, these customized rates can apply to a single employee or to all employees.

To customize employee rates, go to either the Accounts or Contracts window. If you set the custom pricing in the Accounts window, it will apply to all charges to the specific customer; if you set the custom pricing in the Contracts window, the custom pricing will only apply to the specific Contract you select.

Once you have selected the window’s Custom Pricing tab, you can customize rates for all employees (Global Employee Rate Settings) and create exceptions for the custom hourly rates using the tools on the left hand side of the screen, under Employee Hourly Rates.

By clicking “Edit” alongside the Employee Hourly Rates, you will be taken to the Global Setting for Employee Hourly Rates window, in which you can set customized, global employee rates.

In this window, you can choose to use standard rates for all employees (as set in the Employee window), use fixed rates for all employees, adjust the standard rate for all employees by a percent (either discount or markup), and select the degree to which the adjusted rates should be rounded.

To create exceptions for specific employees, click the “New” icon to the right of the Employee Exceptions area. This will open an the Employee Rate Exception Window.

In this window, you can set special rates for a selected employee that will override any other employee rates that have been set in the system. The rate you enter under Custom Rate will be the fixed rate used whenever a charge for this employee is added under either the Contract or Account, depending on how you setup the custom pricing.

Like with customized employee rates, you can also create customized pricing for products, labor and expense items that have a price based on units or hours. To customize these prices, you would need to go to either the Accounts or Contracts window and select the Custom Pricing tab.

This time, focus on the right hand side of the screen, under Fixed Price Items.

By clicking “Edit” alongside the Stand Item Prices box, you are taken to a Global Setting for Fixed Priced Items window in which you can customize pricing rules for all items, including labor, parts and expenses.

Like the Global Settings for Employee Hourly Rates window, in this window, you can choose to use standard prices for all items, adjust prices for all items based on a percentage (discount or markup), select the degree to which you want the software to round the customized pricing, and whether you want the customized pricing to apply to parts, expenses, labor, or any combination thereof.

If you want to create an exception for a specific item for which you do not want to apply a standard or customized rate, you can override the item’s pricing by creating a new Fixed Price Item exception.

In the Add/Update Item Price Exception Rule window, you can select an item, see its standard price, and enter in the custom price at which you want to create charges for either the Account or Contract.

By giving you the power to create customized pricing for your customers and for particular contracts without the headache of applying the unique prices, the app helps you tailor not only your service, but also your prices to your customers. In the end, that means happier customers and a healthier business.

Enjoy harnessing the power of customized pricing!

Until next time,
Success Team

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Tips for Managing Stress

Posted on October 20, 2011 by The RangerMSP Team

Running a small to medium-size IT business has its benefits. You get to build solid relationships with your customers; you define your business’ culture; you get to watch your business develop and attain a reputation for excellence, and you, sometimes, you can even set you own working hours.

At the same time however, running your own IT business is complicated by a litany of stresses, including the difficulties of amassing a customer base, developing a reputations, building a strong enough financial and managerial infrastructure to bring on additional technicians, and being able to balance a private life with the all-consuming nature of running your own business.

Trying to juggle the myriad of workflow and business development tasks leaves even the most superhuman individuals belabored with stress and worry.

In order to to have the energy to persevere, retain your sanity, and see to the continued success of your business, it is crucial that you implement productive stress-busting techniques.

From our own experience, we know that keeping stress in check when you work tirelessly, find yourself in a near chronic state of worry, and are overextended is near impossible, but we have found a few productive ways to keep stress at bay.

Here are some of our most effective stress-busting tips:

● Cut yourself some slack! Business isn’t easy. It is useless and counterproductive to hold yourself and your company to impossible standards. Recognize that building a business takes time and is a product of trial and error. So, give yourself space to learn, grow and evolve. Mistakes are life’s best teachers. Cut yourself some slack and give yourself room to grow.
● Think Positively! You’d be surprised how much perspective affects you work ethic and your ability to motivate yourself and others. Stress and anxiety generally cause us to accentuate all the negative things around us. Take control over your outlook and choose to address the negative behaviors and business practices around you while accentuating the positives. Acknowledge your successes, no matter how small. The more you encourage yourself to think positively and optimistically, the better you will be able to facilitate positive changes and growth.
● Exercise, Eat Healthy and Relax! No matter how busy you are, and we are sure you are plenty busy, don’t forget to set aside time for you. If you are not healthy, if you don’t care for your mind, body and spirit, stress will break you. By exercising to stay in shape, you reverse the negative effects of stress. By eating healthfully, you give your body the nutrients and energy it needs to be productive and intelligent. Lastly, by giving your mind time to decompress, refocus, and recharge via various relaxation techniques, such as meditation and stretching, you will maintain the stamina you need to run your business successfully.
● Prioritize! As a small business owner, you wear multiple hats. You might be everything from the business manager, the technician and the bookkeeper, to the secretary. In addition to your business-related occupations, you are also a combination of friend, spouse, child, and homemaker. We don’t know about you, but just typing this list of titles has us tired. Learn how to prioritize your various responsibilities. You cannot be everything all the time. Learn how to schedule your time so that you have time to be successful in both your business and personal lives.
● Automate! Take advantage of the many business automation tools on the market, such as our fully functional professional services automation (PSA) solution, to help you manage your time, workflow, and workplace. By streamlining your workflow, you’ll reduce your workload, save yourself time and cut back on stress.

Most importantly however, you need to remember that you are building a business. Like building any structure, such an undertaking requires patience, time, effort and money. By staying focused and controlling your stress levels, you will position yourself in place where you stand the best chance of being successful and building the business of your dreams.

The best of luck. We are rooting for you!

Success Team

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Are Managed Services for You?

Posted on October 17, 2011 by The RangerMSP Team

From providing on-site services, to creating, managing and implementing IT systems and providing proactive monitoring and support, there are so many types of services you, as an IT professional, can offer your customers.

As you work to ensure that your IT business is both stable and profitable, you are probably assessing the various services you offer your customers to determine the most effective and time conscious means of turning a profit.

As you evaluate your company and the services you provide, we’d like to encourage you to take a look at managed services.

According to global IT small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) research and analyst company, Techaisle, SMBs will spend upwards of $7 billion dollars on managed services in 2011, with an expected shift into double digits over the next few years. That’s huge growth in a relatively short time!

Especially in today’s unstable market, it is rare to come across a services niche that is experiencing a boom in spite of various economic challenges. Breaking the mold however, managed services have been relatively impervious to the dangers of today’s economic instability, as managed services providers (MSPs) continue to see growth in their companies.

Techaisle’s recent study also revealed that more than 1 of every 5 SMBs in the United States (companies from 1 to 100 employees) use managed services to bolster their systems, reflecting the fact that MSPs are increasingly in demand. Moreover, as an increasing number of companies transition to cloud-based systems, managed service providers are also going be increasingly in demand.

Keeping this in mind, it is probably worth it for you to consider whether or not transitioning, either in part or in full, to a managed services business is right for you.

As you contemplate this option, here are some other pros and cons worth your consideration:

Pros:

  • Fixed Payments. As an MSP, your revenue is more secure. Instead of getting paid per job, MSPs are generally paid on a recurring basis, according to contracts (monthly, quarterly, annually).
  • Increase in Sales Opportunities. When managed customers add new equipment or are looking to select or provide care for new equipment, they generally turn to their managed services providers because they already have a relationship with them. Not only do MSPs get to increase profits by helping their customers select equipment, but they also get to add recurring fees to their contract for monitoring additional equipment.
  • Working Remotely. MSPs are in the unique and enviable position of providing proactive support and monitoring to their clients remotely. As such, MSPs can work from their kitchens, some island resort, or while dressed in pajamas.
  • Happier Customers. By providing customers with proactive services, MSPs protect their customers from cataustraphic and disruptive problems, thereby keeping their customers happy and worry free.
  • An Additional Revenue Source. By adding managed services to the assortment of services you provide, you are opening up your business to an additional revenue source.
  • and many more.

While there are a number of enticing benefits to transitioning to an MSP, there are also some cons worth considering.

Cons:

  • Marketing and Sales. MSPs face fierce competition and an arduous processes of promoting their services, attracting perspective customers and signing clients. Until MSPs have signed a number of customers, they face the financial burden of having a lackluster clientele.
  • Ensuring Profitability. In spite of managed services being a less risky business venture because of recurring contracts, MSPs face the challenge of knowing how to define their pricing to ensure their businesses’ profitability. It is difficult to know how much to charge for your services without knowing how much time and energy it will take to provide the agreed upon remote monitoring and management (RMM) services.
  • Start-up Costs. Like all business start-ups, MSPs face the costs of RMM tools, licenses, monthly fees, and additional training.
  • Change. Whether you are considering converting to a managed services business or adding managed services to your current IT business, you any change to your business structure requires a lot of work. To accommodate your managed services, you would need to make changes to your workflow, time management and billing system – all of which are doable but time and work intensive.
  • and additional risks and difficulties involved with such a transition.

While you consider the advantages and disadvantages of offering managed services, it is important to remember that even though MSPs are currently in demand, services providers across the IT industry, not just MSPs, can secure for themselves a returning and satisfied client base and a lucrative business. The biggest keys to success, more than industry trends and forecasts, are being good at what you do, doing your job well, and getting enjoyment from your work.

As long as you take pride in your work, greet your customers with a smile, and do your job well, your customers will appreciate you, the services you provide, and the business you represent.

So whether or not you decide to incorporate managed services in your business, remember to do what you do well, and enjoy what it is you do.

In the long run, this is the most reliable path to success. However, it is important to remember that we live in an ever changing world. While potentially intimidating, it is always worth it to recognize the changes happening around us and figure out how to make our work contemporary and beneficial to us and the customers we serve.

Maybe managed services is the gateway to your future role in the IT services industry?

Until next time,
Success Team

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The World Without Steve Jobs: What’s Next?

Posted on October 6, 2011 by The RangerMSP Team

By now, the entire world as heard about the passing of Steve Jobs.

More than just influencing technology, techies, and business people, Steve Jobs influenced the entire world with his vision. Throughout his career, Jobs redefined the technologies we use, their functionality and their aesthetic. His originality and ingenuity gave him the Midas touch — the ability to bring success to every one of his endeavours. No matter how outrageous his ideas, like introducing a mobile device without a keyboard when it was the keyboard that brought success to the Blackberry, or eliminating removable laptop batteries when they were the accepted norm, Jobs was never afraid to be bold and to be different.

In addition to paying attention to the quality and uniqueness of the technologies he oversaw, Jobs also cared about all of the other elements of his products, including their look (matte or glossy?), the service in the Apple stores (yes, they are the coolest store in the mall!), and the color of the packaging (yes, we care about what’s on the outside too).

Jobs understood that part of creating stand-apart products was creating stand-apart packing to go with them.

So, with his attention to detail and his ability to see beyond the status quo, Steve Jobs changed the way we embrace mobile technologies; he transformed our use of information systems, and encouraged all of us to ask “what’s next?”

We could always count on Steve Jobs to bring us technologies that reinvented the wheel and exceeded our expectations.

So now, without being able to direct our question to Steve Jobs, we still have to ask: what’s next?

If we are to take away a lesson from Steve Jobs, let it be that anything is possible. What lies ahead is a potential ripe with possibilities, both for Apple, for the world of technology, and for visionaries who have yet to tap into their potential.

Anything is possible, and the force responsible for reinventing the wheel might just be you.

From Steve Jobs we learned that it’s not just okay to dream, it’s an imperative part of success. So, dare to dream, dream to innovate, and innovate to succeed. The power to affect the future lies in you.

So, while Steve Jobs has been lost to this world, his legacy is as present as ever before. Let us all learn from his example and be inspired to reinvent the wheel and succeed.

As a final note, we would like to share with you a Facebook status from earlier today found by a member of our team which stated the following:

“Three apples changed the world: the one that Eve ate, the one that fell on Newton’s head and the one that Steve built.”

Thank you for changing the world, Steve. It won’t be the same without you!

-Success Team

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A Winning Strategy

Posted on October 4, 2011 by The RangerMSP Team

If the United States is any indication of industry trends in the Western world, IT services providers, managed services providers (MSPs), VARs, and other IT professionals should take note. According to a survey conducted by the American Express® Global Service Barometer, 7 in 10 (70%) Americans are willing to pay an average of 13% more on goods and services for excellent customer service. When asked the same question last year, 58% of polled US consumers responded that they would be willing to pay more for excellent customer service. Moreover, instead of being willing to pay an average of 13% more, as they responded this year, in 2010, consumers were willing to pay 9% more for the quality customer service.

If nothing else, this trend shows that in today’s more competitive economy, a majority of consumers are using the caliber of customer service to select their service or good providers, even if the goods and services come with a higher price tag.

In the same survey, the results also substantiated that most business (60%) are not focusing on improving customer service. Today, running a successful business poses all sorts of challenges; a number of the hardships faced by business are outside their loci of control. Customer service however, is both something that can make or break a business AND is something over which every employee and employer has control.

Whether you’re a technician, a business owner, a contractor or a consultant, the solvency of the business entity for which you work is directly tied to your own financial security. By improving the service you provide to your customers, you are not only benefiting the business, but you are benefiting yourself.

It is important to remember that consumers tell others about their experiences – both the good and the bad, so every client you service is another referral, another non-returning customer, or bad publicity. The consequence of the service you provide to them is largely in your hands.

Adding veracity to this statement is Cone Communication’s 2011 Cone’s Online Influence Trends Study that stated that 80% of consumers change their purchasing based on bad reviews.

http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2011/08/80-percent-of-shoppers-change-purchase-decision-based-on-negative-reviews-research.html

Consumers listen to each other, so being proactive about creating and protecting a business name synonymous with customer satisfaction is crucial to continued success.

We have thought about what quality customer service entails because, like you, our aim is to perpetuate a reputation of providing quality products and service to our customers.

Based on our own experience, we believe that good customer service stems from being able to provide customers with what they want when they want it. Without being a mind reader, you can predict your customers’ needs by doing some of the following:

  • Be Observant. Don’t shy away from paying attention to your customer’s tones, body language, etc. These things provide insight into your customer’s experience. By being aware of your customers’ experiences, you can alter your responses to ensure a positive experience for your customer.
  • Add value to your customer relationships by keeping track of information outside from name, phone number and address. For example, send them a discount card valid for the month of their birthday. Supply your customer with information they might find interesting based on previous discussions with them. Arming yourself with data (which can be stored in the Accounts window in CRM) enables you to personalizing your customer relationship
  • Survey.If you are an employer, provide your customers with the option to review your technicians’ service. Not only will this help you improve your customer service, but your customers will also receive better care, you will receive more business, and if you provide incentives to your technicians, you entire team benefits from the improved customer service (Tip: if you’re using the Alerts to Customers feature to automatically send an email to the customer when the Ticket been closed, you can customize the email being sent and include a link to a service satisfaction survey you’ve prepared using the many free and paid services available.)
  • Evaluate. Establish a way to measure the service you or you technicians are providing to your customers. Whether your are self-employed, part of a team or an employee, there should be a rubric you use to make sure you efforts are paying off.
  • Stay informed. At the end of the day, the thing your customers desire most is expedited resolution of their problem. The more you know and the more skilled you are, the better and faster you will be able to resolve their issue. So, whether you read blogs regularly, sign up for a class, etc., remember that investing in your knowledge is investing in your future and in your future success.

So, while the majority of companies fail to monetize on the customer service driven market, don’t be afraid to improve the way you service your customers. You should stand out for being a service and quality IT services professional. By doing so, both you and your customers will benefit.

A win-win for all.

Until next time,
Success Team

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Professional Pursuits and Your PSA

Posted on September 29, 2011 by The RangerMSP Team

Athletes, business owners, and all other aspiring professionals share a common vision of achieving success. Whether on the field, on a balance sheet, or by measuring customer satisfaction, all ambitions and conscientious professionals are in pursuit of perfecting their craft in order to reach their goals.

For IT services providers and managed services providers (MSPs), such as yourself, a key element of mapping out a business philosophy to help you improve the strength of your IT services business is to continuously improve your business’ processes.

From improving customer satisfaction, to strengthening relationships with your suppliers, by constantly augmenting working relationships and other elements of your IT business, you can transform your business into something even more accomplished.

Starting with improving customer satisfaction, it is important to remember that customers come first because, if your paying customers are happy, your bottom line will be happy. Satisfied customers repay you for your quality service by providing you with repeat business and referrals.

In order to cultivate a more rewarding relationship with your customers, you should evaluate the services you provide to them. Are you tracking all elements of your working relationship with your customers? The time it takes for you to respond to their service call inquiries? Repeat technical issues they face? Discounts on warranties, licenses, etc. for which they might qualify? Are you managing your customers’ assets, including hardware and software products, licenses and subscriptions, so that your customers don’t have to?

By keeping track of and measuring the comprehensiveness and quality of the service you provide to your customers, you can identify ways in which you can improve your service, and consistently strengthen your relationships with your customers.

While there are a variety of ways in which you can measure these performance indicators, our PSA software for IT providers and MSPs offers you detailed statistics on the quality of service you are providing. With the new Statistics Board and Reports window, you can measure technician response times, charge histories, and track warranty expiration dates. By utilizing the options in the Accounts and Assets windows, you can always access a full picture of your interactions with your customers, including the problems you have resolved for them and the assets you manage for them. Furthermore, you can also use the software to maintain a history of all time you have dedicated to your customers, including non-Billable time. By tracking items, such as these, you can evaluate the current services you provide to your customers, and determine how to foster an improved relationship with them.

Similarly, you can also get better deals and services from your external suppliers by improving your relationships with your vendors. You can manage your supplier relationships with the some of the CRM tools, such as being able to log any conversation you have with your suppliers under their vendor account and being able to file email conversations you have with them. Moreover, by becoming a regular and dependable customer, you encourage your suppliers to provide you with good services, goods, and prices. Moreover, by using the CRM’s feature – Sales Opportunities – to track times in which you have referred third-parties to your suppliers, you can also boost your relationship with your suppliers. Just as you benefit from your customers’ referrals, so do your suppliers. By helping to strengthen their businesses, they will reward you by improved service and/or pricing.

The principle of continuous improvement however, is not limited to customer and supplier relationships. You can always improve upon every element of your business. As such, your aim should not be to try to improve all aspects of your business at once. Concentrate your efforts on a particular aspect of your business, and use the tools you already have, such as those found in our CRM software, to improve.

By strengthening one element of your business at a time, you will succeed in your professional quest to see you and your IT business reach higher rates of success.

The best of luck in your professional pursuits!

Success Team

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New Years and New Goals

Posted on September 27, 2011 by The RangerMSP Team

The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, is right around the corner. Along with preparing the festival’s classic culinary food items like honey cake, fish, apples and honey, and brisket, it’s a good time to take stock of our lives: What have we accomplished in the last year? What do we hope to achieve in the year to come? In what ways do we intend to change ourselves?

Reflection and self-evaluation prompted by the upcoming Rosh Hashanah holiday is especially pervasive in Israel. Like the plethora of Rosh Hashanah observers, we are also caught up in the spirit of the holiday. Inspired by the impending New Year’s celebration, we have compiled a list of goals we have set for both our staff and company for this upcoming year. Even though individuals on our team might have more exciting lists of goals for the upcoming year than ours, including items such as “scale Kilimanjaro,” “learn how to juggle,” and “spend more time with my spouse,” we are, nonetheless, excited to be able to share our list of goals with you.

For starters, we are very excited to be servicing and working with a group of talented, accomplished and hard working IT professionals. In our forums and on Twitter, etc, we have the opportunity to increase our community’s involvement even more, so, this upcoming year, we plan on being a catalyst for community participation.

There are so many insightful observations, worthwhile lessons, and entertaining anecdotes that our PSA IT users have to offer each other. We want to help foster an increasingly interactive community that enables our users to communicate with and benefit from each other.

While we are working toward enhancing our users’ online experience on the Our website, we are also planning steps to improve our perspective customers’ online experiences. We want potential customers to be able to grasp the benefits provided by the software with ease. We also want to make sure that perspective customers can guide themselves through the website, so that they can benefit from our software solution without difficulty.

And on a more personal note, a goal we have for our office is to increase our staff’s philanthropic contributions. We are fortunate to have a highly skilled and committed team here at our company. We want to be able to use this next year to explore ways in which our team can take their strengths, capabilities and interests and make a difference in the world around us.

We already know that we can be proud of the work we are doing and the software we are producing. Simultaneously, we know that we need to continue improving our PSA and our company’s online presence. But, just as it is important to aspire to be better in the workplace, we recognize that we should aspire to be better in the world at large. So, the last item on our list of goals for the Jewish year 5772 is to encourage our staff to give back to the community and to make the world a better place.

We look forward to being able to share with you ways in which we are converting these goals into actualities, and, in the meantime, we encourage you to compile your own list of goals for your future. Whether you are Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Atheists, or another religious group, it is always worthwhile to reflect on where you are, where you’ve been, where you want to be, and figure out a plan to get there.

May we all get to where we want to be.

Shana Tova (Happy New Year)!

Success Team

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What’s It Really Worth: Transparency and Commerce

Posted on September 22, 2011 by The RangerMSP Team

If you have ever been an infomercial junkie or have just been up in the wee hours in the morning flipping through channels, you’re probably well versed in infomercial pricing. The magic kitchen appliance that slices, dices, cubes, chops, blends and irons usually sells for $299, but in honor of today’s infomercial, they will take $100 off of the asking price, giving you a $299 product for only $199. AND, if you call in the next 20 minutes, they’ll slash the prices further, selling you the magic kitchen appliance for the low price of $99. But, wait! There’s more! For some reason, they have decided that you NEED this magic kitchen appliance, so, by calling the number on your screen right away, you can have not one, but two magic kitchen appliances for the low price of $99. That’s $598 worth of merchandise for only $99. A $499 savings!

The creators of the infomercial and its pricing structure know what they’re doing. They know how to make the deal look too good to be true. Generally, it is just that.

When you call to order your two magic kitchen appliances at the incredibly discounted price, you find out that they are going to be charging you $49.99 for shipping, $29.99 for credit card processing, and $9.99 as a service fee. Now, your $99 deal turns out to be $188.97. So, instead of paying $99 for one magic kitchen appliance and getting the second free, you’re actually paying $99 for one and $89.97 for the second appliance. Moreover, had you only wanted one appliance, you’re not getting a discount much greater than the original discounted price of $199 per magic kitchen appliance.

Without doing the math or maybe just because of the persuasiveness of the infomercial’s salesmen, you might still decide to purchase the exciting magic kitchen appliance. Unfortunately, the magic kitchen appliance probably brakes after a use or two. It’s a good thing they threw in the second appliance for free! Combined however, you probably will only get 4 uses out of the magic kitchen appliance. So, you actually paid about $47.24 per use. Looks like the magic kitchen appliance wasn’t such a great deal after all.

If infomercials have taught us anything, its the importance of transparency when purchasing a product. We deserve to know the true value, capabilities, and dependability of the product we are considering to purchase. Similarly, we also deserve to know the exact cost of the product. Are there hidden fee? Recurring fees? One-time only, set up fees? Instructional fees? Support fees? And so on.

Because we expect pricing and product information to be made clear and transparent to us, we try to do the same thing for you, our current and potential customers.

We don’t exaggerate the capabilities of our professional service automation (PSA) software solution. The solution offers the exact features we promote, which is why we offer all visitors to our site the opportunity to download a free, 30 day, fully functional trial. This enables potential customers to verify the usability and functionality of the app before placing their order or paying us.

Similarly, all of our pricing information is clearly displayed in pages of our eStore. There are no hidden fees, no recurring fees for software licenses, and no addition support or one-time only fees, such as setup fees, registration fees, etc.

Our pricing is fully disclosed to all potential customers because it is not contingent on factors, such as the number of computers in your LAN, the size of your customer base, access to customer support, etc. In fact, our licenses are perpetual, so there are no recurring fees for the licenses you buy. One purchase, and the system lasts you a lifetime!

We are also committed to a policy of complete transparency. Because of this doctrine, we want potential customers to be able to evaluate the pricing of our PSA solution without having to speak to our staff. You should be able to stay anonymous when researching various PSA solutions, and should not feel like you’re being pressured into purchasing our PSA. Because of this belief, we welcome inquiries if potential customers need help selecting or verifying pricing or product information, but our website is built to provide potential customers with all of the information upfront.

So, while we can’t offer you something as unbelievable as a magic kitchen appliance that does just about everything imaginable plus more at an unbeatable price, we can offer you something a lot more real and dependable: a real, comprehensive PSA solution, at an affordable price, that helps you manage your IT businesses better.

How’s that for transparent?

Until next time,
Success Team

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If the Emmy’s Were for Techies…

Posted on September 20, 2011 by The RangerMSP Team

The Emmy’s aired on Sunday night, and as all Hollywood hooplas do, the awards show captured some bling, some comedy, and some enchanting ensembles, but, most of all, the awards show showcased acting talent.

Whether its the Emmy’s, the Oscar’s, the Tony’s, the Grammy’s, or any of the other mega-spectacular awards shows, the amount of attention and buzz surrounding these events and Hollywood’s talent surprises us every time.

We love watching the red carpet, envying the aesthetic of some and mocking the fashion faux pas of others, of that there is no doubt. Similarly, as much as we hate to admit it, we get the chills when actors like Melissa McCarthy and Kyle Chandler finally get recognized for their acting prowess.

So, in honor of Sunday night’s Emmy Awards, we would like to recognize some of our favorite tech visions and achievements, starting with:

Best Vision for the Future of Smartphones

Nominees:

Mashable – If Moore’s Law is correct, technology will continue to evolve and improve, giving us the ability to shrink the size of our computers while increasing their speed, performance and overall capabilities. The future of the smartphone? A watch-like PMC (personal mobile computer) that will simultaneously influence your decisions while giving you constant access to both your digital and physical worlds.

Human Media Lab – A group of researchers from the Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada just released a prototype for a paper-thin smartphone with the same capabilities as an Apple iPhone! Head researcher, Roel Vertegaal, hypothesizes that within 5-10 years, all smartphones will be paper-thin, bendable appliances that will also enable people to draw and write directly on their surfaces. With their Paperphone prototype, maybe the researchers at Human Media Lab are right!

IDC Mobile Devices Technology and Trends – Smartphones won’t change all that much in the next 5-10 years. While smartphones might be thinner and lighter, they will maintain their 3.7 – 4.3 inch display size, but, in order to maximize the screen’s real estate, both sides of the phone will be functional. One possible vision is that one side of the phone will be a LCD or OLED display while the other side will be an electronic ink display.

Best Mobile Payment Option

Nominees:

Visa’s Digital Wallet System – Scheduled to be released Fall, 2011, Visa’s digital wallet system will use NFC, a short range wireless technology to complete transactions using smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. Instead of swiping a credit or debit card, consumes can use their smartphones, or other mobile devices instead. Visa’s end goal is for their technology to be open to all credit cards, not solely Visa cards, and to give consumers one place in which to store all sorts of personal information, including frequent-flier accounts, medical benefits, and even appliance warranty information.

Google Wallet – Also scheduled to be released in the near future, Google Wallet uses NFC technology to enable consumers to tap and pay with their smartphones instead of with credit or debit cards. As a mobile app, Google Wallet will also enable consumers to manage and utilize loyalty cards, gift cards, special offers, and Google Offers. in addition to standard credit cards. Initially, Google Wallet will support Citi MasterCards and Google prepaid cards

Paypal Mobile – Is introducing a new mobile payment option that does not use NFC (a
technology used by MasterCard and Visa’s digital payment options). Instead, Paypals system will enable smartphones to scan product bar codes and authorize payments through users’ Paypal accounts. As an alternative, users will also be able to input their phone numbers and Paylpal pin numbers on a terminal keypad instead of using a credit or debit card.

Best App Still Gaining in Popularity

Nominees:

Bump – Having just crossed the 50 million download barrier, Bump is a burgeoning application that makes it simple for users to share and exchange information. The app’s technology enables two users to “bump” phones (iPhones and Andriods) and immediately exchange information, such as songs, contact information, and games. Friends can also follow each other on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter using Bump.

Instagram – With Instagram, “photo sharing is reinvented!” This app has been downloaded over 10 million times, and has been used to capture over 150 million photos. This app makes it quick and easy to improve and customize the look of photos taken with mobile devices. Instagram also makes photo sharing a faster process and the distributing of photos across various platforms easy. Also, while only currently available for iPhones, there has been talk about Instagram for Androids being released in the very near future.

Angry Birds – Since Angry Birds was first introduced to the public, this game has gone viral! With an approximate 108 million users and counting, there seems to be no end to the growth and popularity of this pig fighting game. Considered by some to the the Solitaire of the mobile era, the popularity of Angry Birds does not seem to be abating. Guessing that means the next edition will be more exciting as a way of keeping us all coming back for more!

Best Space App

Nominees:

Eye on the Solar System – Created by NASA, this app enables Web users to explore the cosmos with a real-time, 3D application that lets users explore our solar system and the spacecrafts in it. With Eye on the Solar System, space travel is no longer out of reach!

Starmap – This mobile app lets iPhone users navigate space by providing users with access to our universe and enabling users to travel through our solar system, exploring the a various planets, galaxies, nebulae , comets and asteroids in a full 3D view.

StarWalk – Starwalk helps users discover what celestial bodies they are looking at by providing information on over 20,000 bodies in the night sky. Equipped with satellite tracking and a calender of celestial events, this app is build to educate the public about space, and the constellations, planets, starts and satellites within it.

With the myriad of technological developments that have been unveiled at a rapid pace, it would be impossible to rate, compare and cover the full scope of the industry’s accomplishments and advancements.

Keeping this in mind, we hope that you have enjoyed exploring some of the industry’s leading contributions. After you have had the chance to take a minute to review the nominees in the various categories, please feel free to weigh in on which nominees you think deserve to win in each category. You can share your feedback with a comment below or email us directly at Support @ .

Until next time!

Success Team

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CRM and The Rewarding Right Click

Posted on September 15, 2011 by The RangerMSP Team

It seems like all of the important people these days get a right hand man or woman: The President gets a Chief of Staff. The Queen gets her ladies in waiting. The master chef gets a sous chef. The Oscar winner get his or her personal assistant. And, while we know that we aren’t quite as important as world leaders or Oscar winners, here, we believe you deserve a right hand man too. Only, in our case, your right hand man looks a little less like a man, and a lot more like a right mouse click.

So, today we would like to explore with you the virtues of our software right mouse click. With a mere click of a mouse, you can save time and further increase your efficiency as your manage your business with our professional service automation solution (PSA) as though you, yourself, have your own right hand man.

To help you start benefiting from the right click resource, below is an outline of some of the ways in which you can use the basic, and often overlooked, right mouse click to expedite your business management activities. Moreover, with this tool, you can maximize this IT business management software solution even more fully than you have up until now.

In the Accounts window –

By right clicking a specific Account, you can choose to email the contact details of that Account to another party or open the specific Account information in a new window. If you randomly right click anywhere on your list of Accounts, you will not only have the options to share contact details or add contact details, but you will also have the option to create a new Account or Employee to be managed within the CRM, and you will also have the option to adjust the Account table by selecting Table Options, a right click tool that is available in all windows.

If you choose to adjust the table, you will be able to add or remove columns and rows for the Accounts table (or any other table within the software), search the text in the Accounts table, export table data to other software, such as Excel, and enable an auto count of the number of rows of contacts you manage at this time.

In each of the Account window’s various tabs, you can utilize the right click to accomplish various goals. In the Pending tab, for example, you can create new Appointments, Tasks, Opportunities, or Tickets without switching in between windows, searching for relevant icons or wasting your valuable time.

In the Tickets window-

By right clicking a specific Ticket, you have the option to copy the selected Ticket, email the Ticket, open the Ticket in a new window, or move the Ticket to this CRM and help desk software Inbox without having to search for these options in the menu. Similarly, you can also easily sort the contents of your Ticket window by right clicking anywhere or your list of Tickets.

As with the Accounts window, each of the Tickets window’s tabs offer their own specific right click features. By right clicking the Contracts field within the Tickets window’s Contracts/Assets tab, for example, you are able to immediately select a contract, show a contract or create a new contract, enabling you to manage contracts for the specific Ticket without having to switch to a different window. Likewise, by right clicking on the Assets field in the same tab, you are able to select Assets, show Assets, or add a new Asset without having to go into the Assets window.

In the Dispatcher window –

Right clicking within the Dispatcher window gives you the time saving option to create a new Ticket, print the contents of a given ticket, and to sort through the list of Tickets in the Dispatcher by various criteria, such as Ticket priority, status, due date, and area code. This helpful sorting feature can assist you in prioritizing your service call management activities so that you can be efficient and provide your customers with higher levels of service.

In the Charges window –

Similarly, if you utilize the right click tool in the Charges window, you will be given the opportunity to create new labor, expense or part charges without having to click any other icons or menu options. Having immediate access to these tools can help you save time and increase your efficiency.

More than just offering basic time saving features, using the right click tool within the Charges window enables you to mark a charge as Billed, thereby saving you many steps and a lot of time, and gives you the opportunity to create a new Asset from a Charge, thereby offering you a time saving tool that lets you tie Charges, which are already linked to an Account and a Ticket, to a newly created Asset without requiring you leave a single window!

In the Items window –

By the time you start right clicking in the Items window, you will have gotten the hang of right clicking, and will have started to realize how much fun it is to cut out steps of your workflow management by simply right clicking to cut corners.

In the Items window, right clicking will provide you with the instant ability to create new labor, expense, or part item, to copy and add new charges and items. In this window,the right click gives you the option to add new charges for a given item, to sort the list of items, such as you sorted Ticket, and to print Items and their respective details.

In the Documents window –

Really incorporating the befits of the Documents window into your workflow becomes a lot easier with the right click tool. Using the right click within the Documents’ window, you can create new Documents, copy and print selected documents, send a selected document via email, and make documents Public so they will be accessible to customers using the Customer Web Portal.

In the Opportunities window –

Like the rest of the right click benefits we have brought to your attention so far, right clicking within the Opportunities window prompts you to create a new Opportunity, copy a selected Opportunity, open a new window, email the Opportunity details, and change the status of a selected Opportunity.

In the Assets window –

Similar to the Items window, using the helpful right click in the Assets window enables you to create new Assets, copy the details of an already existing Asset, email the details of a selected asset, open the details of the selected Asset in a new window, and sort the list of Assets by various criterion.

In the Knowledge Base window –

Updating and managing your Knowledge Base is also made easier with the handy right click by giving you instant access to creating new articles, copying a selected article, opening a selected article in a new window, and emailing the contents of a selected article.

In the Employee window –

From within the Employee window, you can use the right click to expedite the creation of new employee Accounts, to copy existing employee Accounts, and add contact information to a selected Employee Account.

A comprehensive list of the app right click benefits would be an incredibly lengthy list, so we have shared with you only some of the many expediting shortcuts that the handy right click tool offers you as you try to save time while managing your IT business with our professional services automation (PSA) software.

We encourage you to explore the software with fresh eyes after learning about the right click tool. Try using the right click on various selected and window items to discover new and beneficial ways to save yourself additional time as you use the software to manage your IT business and continue to develop a successful business.

The best of luck with your exploration, and please share your favorite right click shortcuts with us and other users of the app in a comment on this blog piece.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time!
Success Team

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