Friday, August 28, 2015

Healthcare seems to be a pretty good business..

Image result for stocks market upFor a while there the threats of obamacare and the changing role of health care and the health care supply chain were all we heard at trade shows, Industry briefings and in many cases internal sales meetings.

"It's going to be tough", 
"its going to be bad!" , 
"Things won't be like they used to be." 

Well the health care distribution space seems to be doing fine. 

Owens & Minor Inc. year over year sales increase,  
Cardinal Health profit, sales rise above forecasts

Pharmaceutical Distribution seems to holding it's own 

AmerisourceBergen swings to profit, raises outlook



Image result for sales pieAll of this leads to one thing, the market is growing so now is the time to expand, spend some capital and take the time to grab your piece of the sales pie. 

If you are in the medical and surgical market want to look at pharmaceutical distribution it makes sense to partner with and use a software solution tailored for that industry , so you can learn from others without having to make the same mistakes. 


Worried about DSCSA compliance and serialization, not a problem the MDS-Nx system has you covered. 
Image result for dscsaWorried about getting update product descriptions and detailed information about all these drugs? the MDS-Nx system has technology integration with MediSpan - a Wolters Kluwer company, for product images, descriptions and categorization. 
In addition we can also into the FDA drug database on a monthly subscription basis. 
allowing your to order from a national wholesaler or manufacturer direct take advantage of the higher margins generics and other pharmaceutical sales can provide. 





On the Supply side, are you working with physicians and want break into the Acute care or hospital market , but they need EDI? - MDS-Nx offers a full EDI integration suite allowing you to accept purchase orders and send confirmations, invoices and advanced ship notices seamlessly.


Sound to good to be true? Ask our clients. 
A comprehensive solution is not built overnight but rather  gathered from years of customer feedback , ongoing enhancement and a commitment to an industry needs. 

So what's holding you back? 

For more information on TSH or MDS call The Systems House, Inc. at 1-800- MDS-5556. Or send a message to sales@tshinc.com
Click here and tell us how we can help you with your business solutions.



Friday, August 21, 2015

Hitting the Trifecta has never been easier..

Image result for trifecta horse racingFor those who are not familiar with horse racing the trifecta is a bet in which you must predict which horses will finish first, second, and third in exact order. It's typically a long shot but when you do hit it the odds make it very worthwhile. 

For today hitting the trifecta might be about hitting three winning technologies that can help your company outperform it's competitors and hit that seemingly impossible bet, "The Trifecta". 

Even though cloud-based solutions, social media and mobile technologies are now the norm among many Supply chain members,  there are still a number of risk-averse companies that are lagging behind. Tech advances that once seemed risky are now becoming trusted, mainstream capabilities that can help companies transform their business and improve their bottom line.

One proof point for the shift in attitude: 
A recent INTTRA survey shows that nearly half of the shippers and ocean carriers now characterize the need to invest in technology as “very urgent.”
Their technology roadmaps now include new tools based on open standards and interfaces, which can help them collaborate across enterprise systems to engage in faster, more efficient ways of conducting business and improving customer satisfaction. As companies that are engaged in the supply chain make their tech decisions, it's become clear that the time to adopt new technology is now. 

Image result for trifecta winningHere are three key technology trends you need to look at now:

1. Mobility Will Disrupt Office-Based Systems
According to industry analysts at Gartner, mobile tablet sales are expected to hit $320 million by the end of 2015—outstripping personal computer (PC) sales. What’s more, our always connected population is armed with 2.4 billion mobile phones. Employees relying on these devices at home are now insisting on the same convenient tools in the workplace for real-time information access.

Asia is leading the way in making a mobility-enabled supply chain a reality, with tablets as the workplace tool of choice. Expect more companies in global shipping to follow suit, and invest in mobile devices, applications, and system capabilities like alerts and analytics that are better suited to their business needs. Once freed from desktop constraints, employees will be able to work more flexibly and manage all aspects of their workday more effectively from any location. Make your warehouse part of the solution using our MDS-WMS System  or update your website to allow customers and salesman access to dedicated content while away from the office. Remote Access is just a click away. 

2. Data Analytics and Predictive Insights Will Drive Better Contingency Planning

Information is power and that’s especially true in the supply chain. Rather than simply reacting as circumstances unfold, reliable information gives both shippers and carriers the ability to predict and plan for optimal results, regardless of the barriers they encounter. More companies can benefit from real-time and machine-generated data collected by high-tech sensors, processed with predictive analytics and shared over open technology platforms. Historical trend analyses and current status information will become a powerful resource for tracking, responding and forecasting future impacts to a shipment—from potential weather events to labor strikes that may cause costly supply chain disruptions. Expect the industry to become quicker and nimbler as technology enables companies to use the data they collect to make better-informed decisions and contingency plans. Winners in this space will be able to anticipate change, while those on the losing end will continue to be reactive.
TSH Newsroom: Should your data be a balance sheet asset?
TSH Newsroom: Does your company have a data scientist?

Technology today, particularly big data and analytics, are changing roles throughout the enterprise, whether it's the CIO constantly faced with decisions about technology, or supply chain members that can make the sales team aware of any data related issues. Analytics are now part of the day to day operations. 

3. Cloud-Based Solutions Will Enable Faster, Easier Integration of New Tools

Using industry-standard connectors and open application protocol interfaces (APIs), integration becomes far simpler and cost effective. Rather than complicated, months-long rollouts, companies can easily transform their critical business functions by incorporating powerful plug-and-play capabilities—including scheduling, booking tools and e-invoicing—all hosted online. 
With this far more efficient approach, they won’t need to adopt large platforms using more horsepower than required.
Expect this trend to push the supply chain into a new  era in the  the post-enterprise resource planning (ERP) era, with fewer companies relying on all-encompassing suites of on-site ERP business management software.
Image result for trifecta winningOpen, cloud-based software capabilities will displace costly and complex, premises-based solutions, and simplify the way companies build and add new applications. Integration partners will allow you to build the best of breed solution while maintaining a 360 degree view of your business.  The MDS-SasS- ASP (Application Service Provider)  is the perfect extensible platform to allow you to integrate your technology solutions under a single umbrella.


When planning your investments, it’s critical to consider these technologies as part of your game plan. Those who lag behind could risk losing their competitive advantage, along with the measurable benefits that mobility innovations, predictive insights, and industry-standard tools and processes can deliver to a company’s customers and bottom line.


For more information on TSH or MDS call The Systems House, Inc. at 1-800- MDS-5556. Or send a message to sales@tshinc.com
Click here and tell us how we can help you with your business solutio

Friday, August 7, 2015

Motivate sales with better software

Image result for happy salespeopleMotivate your team to get the most from your CRM and sales department by understanding that it’s about the process as much as the product. It’s hard to recruit great salespeople. Harder still to keep them great. It’s important that you get the most out of your CRM and sales team. While CRM can do it, the product is only half the story.

To get the most from Customer Relationship Management, you have to get your salespeople not just using it, but liking it. Liking the way it delivers sales targets. Liking how it helps them succeed.

But how you ask? 

The MDS-Nx CRM module is unique in it's semi-custom nature. You get the core product and functionality and can add a business specific process layer to help move your own business and sales models along. 

Here are just some idea's that other have implemented into the MDS-CRM System.
Show them that not all old leads are cold leads when it comes to CRM and sales.

Cold doesn’t mean dead. It just means someone wasn’t ready to buy yet. 
What if:

  • You know which “cold leads” still click every newsletter?
  • You know it takes 21 calls to get an appointment – and 500 cold leads are on twenty?
  • You know cold leads warm up after their annual trade show?


The MDS-CRM System can provide such out-of-the-box insights. 
They’ll get your salespeople warmed up as fast as those unexpected prospects.
Remember KISS – Keep It Simple, Sales.

Complexity gets in the way. 

There’s no surer way to hamper adoption than to make users think the old way was easier. 
With MDS-CRM: 


  • Sales Pipeline charts and KPI are easily viewed on the MDS Dashboard and can easily be customized by user and company.
  • Task integration with Email software such as Microsoft’s Outlook  or Google Mail (Gmail) for easy followup and scheduling.


Today, some of the best lessons in ease-of-use within CRM and sales come from mobile app design. Get that data to go with mobile access using the latest MDS-Nx RemoteNet Salesman Tablet Portal to view key information on all prospects such as: 

  • Net Sales$ Month to Date
  • Gross Profit %
  • Last time they ordered
  • Last time they paid an invoice
  • Last amount paid
  • Total open amount of invoices
  • Total of Invoices over 60 Days
  • Total number of pending orders and lines on back order


Salespeople are big mobile users. So a CRM application that plays well with their phones and tablets – especially those they own at home – will see greater use. It enables:
A sense of ownership. Mobile devices are all about the personal. More work hours to be put in as staff can now log in from anywhere. A sense of empowerment – you’re letting them do things their way. And maybe, just maybe, all that leads to greater sales numbers. Make sure your CRM is mobile.

A powerful application makes it easy to load up on menial tasks too. So actively look for things to automate. Here are some ideas:

Keep in touch. Set follow-up calls automatically. - The MDS-NX System allow you to batch update call days or easily view a call calendar by followup date. 

Event dates. Find the big trade days in each sector and automatically schedule appointment-setting calls a few days before. A great deal of sales can seem quite time consuming. The best CRM practices will save you a vast amount of time.

Show them opportunities in social media.


The formula for happy, successful salespeople is simple: keep them supplied with quality leads that you have found from various places. There are many opportunities for this, such as:

    Image result for happy salespeople social media
  • Connecting to your your prospects’ with social media .
  • Connecting not just to prospects, but prospects’ customers and peers.
  • Looking for common denominators in what they click, post, share and follow.



Create Simple Charts and Graphs 
Image result for simple sales charts
A good chart or graph can foster understanding in CRM and sales that drives double-digit jumps in conversions. Ask your people what information from the weekly report they use most and give it to them on-demand, in real time. Choose graphics that can be used by easily by both Team Leaders and Sales Executives. Don’t limit yourself to pie charts and bar charts – Trend lines and Line graphs clinched many a consultant’s sale too. When you need to present data, do as much as possible in graphics. A good CRM setup will give you the tools.

Demonstrate the power of all in CRM and sales.

Imagine you have ten salespeople:
If two are using CRM, those two will find it hard. Usage will drop to zero.
If five are using CRM, that five won’t get full value. They’ll use it under duress.
Once six are using CRM, it’ll persuade those who aren’t to get on board.
The outputs of a CRM system – ideas, insights, opportunities, conversions, closes – are only as good as the data you put into it. So take care to get every lead and every action where it belongs and make it easy to do so.
It’s the process, not the product.

Above all, remember CRM isn’t a product.
For the people who use it – nurturing leads, chasing closes, maxing-out conversions – CRM is a process. So when you choose your CRM partner, make sure they focus on how things are done within your organization. Match product with process and your results from CRM will be sky-high. 

Ready to look up?

For more information on TSH or MDS call The Systems House, Inc. at 1-800- MDS-5556. Or send a message to sales@tshinc.com
Click here and tell us how we can help you with your business solutions.