Epicor Delivers Major Boost to Collaborative Enterprise Service Automation Solution

Epicor for Service Enterprises Adds CRM, Broad Support for Industry Best Practices and Microsoft Office Integration to Maximize Opportunity for Fee-for Service Firms

Epicor Software Corporation, a leading provider of enterprise business software solutions for the midmarket and divisions of the Global 1000, today announced significant enhancements to its Enterprise Service Automation (ESA) solution, Epicor for Service Enterprises, that promote stronger client relationships, support industry best practices and business agility, and drive bottom-line productivity.

Epicor for Service Enterprises, the first ESA solution with a completely service-oriented architecture (SOA) built using Microsoft .NET and Web services technology, now includes extended service-specific customer relationship management (CRM) functionality for managing the entire client lifecycle from marketing and bid management, through on-going care and client portfolio management.  A new Account Management facility provides a comprehensive picture of all current and historical activity such as active opportunities, open and completed projects and, consolidated contact and call information, all in a single view. 

For todays service organizations, faced with increasingly savvy buyers and demands for operational transparency, the quality and value-added nature of the client relationship can be a standout differentiator, said James Norwood, vice president of product marketing for Epicor.  Epicor for Service Enterprises delivers tightly embedded and extensive client-focused capabilities for establishing and maintaining long-term client relationships that are mutually profitable.

Enhanced Integration with Microsoft Office

Epicor for Service Enterprises now offers advanced integration with Microsoft Exchange Server, enabling increased efficiency for information workers and empowering the dispersed workforce by delivering the information they need within familiar desktop productivity environments like Microsoft Office.  E-mail messages created in Microsoft Outlook create call records within the application; contacts are synchronized, and events scheduled within Epicor for Service Enterprises are automatically pushed to the Calendar within Outlook for straightforward time management.

Industry-Specific Best Practices

Epicor worked closely with end-user design partners to further enhance target industry capabilities within the latest release of Epicor for Service Enterprises.  For Audit and Accountancy firms, the solution includes functionality for partner based operations, and rapid repeat projects, such as annual income tax preparation.  For Software and Computer Services organizations, the solution delivers enhanced resource management and revenue recognition capabilities.  For Architecture, Engineering and Construction companies theres streamlined management of project related materials and contract planning.

Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, one of the largest networks of public accountants and management consultants and a member of Grant Thornton International, acknowledges the strengths of utilizing a project and client-focused solution that truly supports its industries needs.  Epicor for Service Enterprises aligns with our business culture by managing projects, time and expenses within a partner-based environment, said M. Marcoux, General Manager at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton.

Dennis Harris, General Manager of IT and Communications at SMEC, a global leader in high quality engineering consulting and infrastructure development, said, We are pleased that the functionality offered within Epicor for Service Enterprises is moving to enhance usability and efficiency, and that will have a positive a effect on our engineers as it is getting even easier to record time and set up projects. We see real developments in project planner which will improve the robustness of our planning and the effectiveness of estimate to complete (ETC) management. We believe in the principle of Epicor for Service Enterprises design manage projects and profitability through good planning. As we move to integrate our marketing practices with Epicor for Service Enterprises AEC-specific tools for forecasting and bid management, we expect the ROI to really begin to show.