Insight eNews
A Monthly Newsletter from AVF Consulting, Inc.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Solution Center &
Microsoft Gold Certified Partner
January 2007
- In
this edition:
From the President: Tips for Getting Answers to Your Navision Questions More Quickly
Microsoft Partner News: AVF is Awarded Microsoft Gold Certified Status for 2007
Microsoft Dynamics NAV: Compatibility with Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista
Microsoft Convergence: Register to Attend Convergence Today!
AVF News & Events: Discount on Additional Modules, Microsoft Convergence 2007.
From the President: Andrew Fass
Tips for Getting Answers to Your Navision Questions More Quickly
I am always getting positive feedback from AVF customers about their experience with our customer support team, but even still, I occasionally hear complaints from customers regarding slow response to support issues. To solve these issues, I’ve been working with the members of our team including Marcy, Melissa and Steve, and I’ve discovered a few ways that our customers can work within the system to get their questions answered more quickly. I'd like to walk you through a few scenarios I recently witnessed at AVF.
Why hasn’t anyone returned my phone call or email?
Early on a Friday morning, an AVF customer is confronted with a
difficult Navision question and writes an e-mail to Melissa, the AVF
support representative they usually work with. The customer does not
hear a response for several hours, so they decide to give Melissa a
call. Melissa is not in the office, but the customer decides to leave a
message anyway. By Tuesday, the customer has written another e-mail and
made three more phone calls with still no response. On Wednesday, the
customer’s efforts are finally rewarded when Melissa returns the call.
The question is answered, but because Melissa was out sick for several
days, the customer had to wait far too long for a resolution.
The best way to ensure you get a quick response to your issues is to log all support requests on AVF’s HelpDesk at www.avfconsulting.com/helpdesk. AVF makes sure that the HelpDesk is staffed during business hours, so the fastest way to get assistance is to use the HelpDesk. I also encourage customers to take control of the situation and ask the operator where the support representative is and if there is another means in which they can get immediate support if needed.
I solved my own HelpDesk ticket!
It's 6am on a Tuesday morning and Marcy, one of AVF's HelpDesk support
team, is just arriving at work. When she logs on to the HelpDesk, she
notices that there has been a helpdesk ticket entered overnight. Marcy
does not have a solution to the issue, so she e-mails several colleagues
about the problem. By noon she has left follow-up voice messages for her
colleagues and has updated the HelpDesk ticket to let the customer know
she is on the job. Finally, she starts getting some responses. Brad
Winslow, one of AVF’s consultants, is working at a customer site and
takes time during lunch to solve the issue. By 1pm Marcy has finally
received the solution and calls the customer to let them know the good
news. To her surprise, she discovers that the client had solved the
problem hours ago but failed to update the ticket. Updating HelpDesk
tickets and closing them when an issue is resolved allows us to better
manage our time and ensures better service for all our customers.
Every Organization Should Have a Navision Super User
An AVF customer comes across an error message they have never received
before. They first contact their organization’s Super User for help.
The Super User runs through several different trouble shooting
strategies but is not able to solve the problem. The Super User then
enters an AVF HelpDesk ticket asking for assistance. Through the
HelpDesk ticket system, AVF and the Super User are able to exchange
information until a final solution is found. Having a Super User
empowers the customer to be able to resolve issues on their own and
reduces the confusion of having multiple company contacts.
There are several things we can all learn from these scenarios.
- No one is perfect and we all make mistakes. The important thing is to keep our lines of communication open.
- When the HelpDesk system is used properly, i.e. tickets are updated regularly, closed when the issue is resolved, and reviewed regularly by the AVF Staff, the HelpDesk is the ideal way to get solutions to customer support needs.
- All AVF Customers should appoint a company Super User. This individual should be working with Navision on a regular basis and have a strong comfort level with the software. Having a Super User empowers an organization, because that person understands the needs of the organization and can accurately communicate those needs with AVF. A Super User can also eliminate unnecessary support and consulting costs with AVF because they can often address basic questions.
For more information about building a Super Users for your organization or how to maximize your Customer Service experience with AVF, please contact our customer support at 410-296-5100. Have a happy and prosperous New Year!
AVF is Awarded Gold Certified Partner Status for 2007
AVF Consulting is pleased to announce the successful renewal of our status as a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for the second year in a row. AVF Consulting has achieved Gold Certified status with competencies in Microsoft Dynamics, for our expertise in Microsoft Dynamics NAV and in ISV Solutions, for our experience developing quality add-on solutions for Dynamics technology.
The Microsoft Gold Certified Partner status is awarded to only those partners with superior levels of successful implementations, capabilities and certification. Microsoft requires that Gold Certified Partners not only prove expertise but also experience in a broad range of Microsoft technologies. To prove both of these elements, AVF employees were asked to take variety of rigorous exams testing their competence in a several Microsoft technology related fields as well as provide references of successful implementations to be verified through Microsoft.
Microsoft Gold Certified Partners gain several advantages through our engagement with Microsoft, such as in-depth access to a variety of exclusive resources and early product information. Many of these resources prove beneficial to our customers including our priority access to a support team of Microsoft certified systems engineers, non-disclosure evaluation of new products and technologies, as well as planning tools and events to keep us up to speed on the latest Microsoft product developments and future direction.
Our status as a Gold Certified Partner proves our commitment to providing a superior end product to our customers and enables us to provide those customers with the highest quality of ongoing support. For more information about the customer benefits of working with a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, follow this link.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV Compatibility with Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista
AVF recommends that our Microsoft Dynamics NAV customers hold off a few weeks before installing Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista. In Microsoft’s desire to get Vista and Office 2007 released on time, they did not work out all of the compatibility issues with NAV. These compatibility issues are expected to be fixed within the next few weeks, with the greatest issues occurring with the integration between NAV and Office 2007.
AVF will continue to pass on any information we receive regarding Dynamics NAV compatibility with Office 2007 and Windows Vista, please stay tuned.
Join us at Convergence 2007 and Increase your Knowledge, Skills, and Business Opportunities
Convergence is the premier Microsoft event
to learn about Microsoft Dynamics business management solutions and how
you can use the Dynamics solution you already own to continue improving
your business results. At Convergence 2007, you can meet, mingle, talk,
and learn how Microsoft Dynamics solutions can further benefit your
business. This year’s event will be held March 11–14, 2007 in San
Diego, California.
Convergence 2007 is more than an event. It’s your chance to join others
in the Microsoft Dynamics community for developing knowledge and
increasing skills. Here, you will gain an up-close, hands-on
experience with Microsoft Dynamics solutions. Plus, you’ll meet and
learn from other Microsoft Dynamics customers who face the same
challenges as you.
Convergence 2007 offers:
• 247 Breakout Sessions—Build your skill set on Microsoft
Dynamics products.
• User Experience Lounge—See new technologies in action and talk
directly to developers.
• Structured Networking—Schedule meetings with peers and
Microsoft team members.
• The Microsoft Learning Center—Train one-on-one with Microsoft
experts.
• Chalk and Talk—Share your experience and hear from others on
Microsoft Dynamics products.
For a complete list of Convergence 2007 events, visit
http://www.msconvergence.com.
Don't forget, if you register between January 10, 2007 and February
9, 2007, you can still save $100 on registration. Contact
Meredith Mitchell at 443-279-1028 or send an e-mail to
mmitchell@avfconsulting.com
today for more information.
LAST CHANCE!! Microsoft's Module Sale: Existing customers are eligible to receive a discount when they add additional modules/granules. Buy any 2 modules/granules and receive the 3rd at 50%. Buy any 3 modules/granules and receive the 4th for FREE. This offer is only valid from November 1, 2006 to January 31, 2007. Please do not wait to take advantage of this offer. Contact Jeremy Fass for details, 443-279-1019 or jfass@avfconsulting.com.