SIS Presents: Better Customer Relationship Management with Microsoft Dynamics

Learn about Microsoft Dynamics CRM - the only customer relationship management software solution that works the way your people do. Managing multiple opportunities and juggling priorities are easier for your team, with full visibility on the projects you’re bidding, total backlog, and activities to be done to win more business.

• Connects estimating, sales, and operations
• Offers complete customer and prospect histories in one place
• Provides seamless native integration to Outlook, Word, and Excel
• Includes a new Backlog Indicator module based on one of FMI Corporation’s nine

Key Performance Indicators for Construction
You can get more information about Microsoft Dynamics CRM and register for one of our upcoming live software demonstrations at www.sisn.com/crm, or follow the links below:

Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 11:00 am EDT. Click here to register.
Thursday, September 20, 2007 at 11:00 am EDT. Click here to register.

Click here to join our mailing list and get an email reminder!
 

BP Air Conditioning is a mechanical contracting firm operating in the in the demanding and fast-paced environment of Manhattan. The company was growing but still using an outdated system that restricted their operations in several ways. Access to data was limited. It was difficult to utilize newer technology and tools to improve productivity. They lacked the flexibility needed to support a changing and growing operation. BP Air executives set out to find a fully integrated system that would meet their complex project, service, and financial management needs.

Atlantic United Construction is a rapidly growing general Contractor who, in addition to providing construction services, performs other activities such as project administration, field inspections, budget analysis, site selection and space planning. Management at Atlantic was frustrated by the lack of information that they could provide to their project managers in order to properly and profitably execute their projects.

Feyen-Zylstra Limitations with their business software sent Feyen-Zylstra searching for an integrated and comprehensive solution that could provide key performance measures at every level of the organization.

McKenney’s Inc , is one of ENR’s Top 20 Mechanical Contractors, has always used technology as an enabler to improve their competitive position in the market. Deploying Microsoft® Business Solutions – Solomon, McKenney’s now has the foundation to continue their strong heritage of leveraging technology to improve their business performance.

Special Projects Group Seeking a trusted advisor that would respond to their specific needs, Special Projects Group contacted Microsoft® Business Solutions – Solomon® directly for a referral and were introduced to SIS. Through the resulting collaboration, SIS was able to tailor software to provide this supply chain company with custom financial and inventory management tools.

Locus Technologies Locus Technologies specializes in solving design and construction problems associated with hazardous materials handling. Locus needed solutions to allow the firm to grow without an increase in accounting staff by eliminating redundant data entry, reducing the need for reports and automatically allocating indirect costs to the general ledger.
 

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY NEWS

New Electrical Wire Almost Doubles Power - A new hotwire that is almost twice as powerful as conventional electrical wires is now available. The high-temperature superconductor (HTS) delivers 150 times more power and has the potential to increase the efficiency of power lines, generators, and industrial motors, according to Electrical Contractor. Only a dozen firms in the world produce HTS wires, including American Superconductor Corp, which predicts its second-generation wire will approximate copper wire’s price/performance by 2010.

US Construction Declines - US total construction put in place fell 1.2 percent in January 2007 compared to the same month the previous year. Residential construction fell 12.7 percent during the period, while nonresidential construction rose 13.5 percent. Lodging construction rose 65.5 percent, and office construction rose 28.4 percent.

Commercial Construction Spending Increases - Public and private sector commercial construction projects are growing in value, despite an overall decrease in total US construction spending. Commercial construction increased 6.9 percent in the public sector in January 2007, compared to a year earlier, but rose 8 percent in the private sector. In contrast, total national construction spending fell 1.5 percent.

Housing Starts Down - US housing starts fell 32.4 percent in the first two months of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006. Rising inventories of unsold homes are expected to keep housing starts down through much of 2007. Housing starts fell 50.1 percent in the Midwest, 35 percent in the West, 29 percent in the South, and 20.2 percent in the Northeast.

Remodeling Activity Steady - Remodeling activity was unchanged in the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to the prior quarter, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ Remodeling Market Index (RMI). The RMI of future business expectations rose 1.3 percent.

Mortgage Lender Problems May Hurt Industry - Rising numbers of defaults on mortgages by borrowers with poor credit histories may further weaken the US residential construction market. The high number of defaults is causing financial difficulties for sub-prime mortgage lenders such as New Century Financial Corporation, which was forced to stop issuing new mortgages in March 2007 after it defaulted on a loan agreement with Barclays Bank.

Concrete, Brick Prices Rise Rapidly - Material costs have been increasing rapidly for concrete and masonry contractors in recent years. Manufacturers’ average annual prices for ready-mix concrete have increased 25 percent in only three years and brick has risen almost 16 percent, representing significant cost increases for contractors. Price increases continue: ready-mix concrete increased 5.5 percent in January 2007, compared to a year earlier, and brick and structural clay tile rose 3.4 percent.

Cost of Metal Material Rises; Plastic, Lumber Declines - Commercial construction contractors are paying more for steel and metal products and less for lumber and plastic than a year ago. US wholesale prices for steel pipe and tube increased 4.7 percent in January 2007, compared to a year earlier, and fabricated structural metal for buildings rose 3 percent. Positive news for contractors’ expenses: Construction products made from plastics fell 3.4 percent and lumber declined 11.3 percent.

SIS IN THE NEWS

SIS was selected as one of three worldwide finalists for the 2007 Microsoft Dynamics SL Partner of the Year. The awards recognize Microsoft partners that developed exemplary solutions for their customers during the past year. “The Partner Program Awards gives Microsoft the distinct pleasure of recognizing Registered, Certified and Gold Certified partners that have demonstrated exceptional levels of innovation and value to customers,” said Allison L. Watson, corporate vice president of the Worldwide Partner Group at Microsoft. “The finalists announced today demonstrate our diverse and talented partner ecosystem that continues to raise the bar in the design and deployment of customer solutions built on Microsoft technologies.” See the list of finalists: 2007 Microsoft Partner Program Awards

SIS is ranked at #60 in the “VAR 100 List” for 2007 by Accounting Technology magazine. This is a yearly listing of the top accounting software resellers in the U.S. Read the article: The VAR 100 2007

One of SIS’s customers is quoted in the latest issue of Professional Builder magazine. Mr. Robert Kohl, IT Director for Atlanta home builder Monte Hewett Homes, contributed his expertise to an article on successful implementation of integrated technology systems. Read the article: Change Order

SIS, LLC managing partner Steven Mulka is quoted in an article from WebCPA, outlining ways that construction companies are beginning to demand more function and flexibility from their software. Read the article: Driving a Nail into the Construction Market

Mr. Mulka also co-authored an article for TechLinks, an award-winning media company that focuses on new technology. Read the article: Building an IT Foundation for a Sustainable Future