April 29, 2009

Swine Flu Update – April 29

For the first time since the advent of the rating system, the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the pandemic alert phase to Phase 5.

According to the WHO, Phase 5 is characterized by “widespread human infection” and is described as a “strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.”

With worldwide travel significantly more common than it was in 1968, the date of the last worldwide influenza pandemic, this pandemic may spread across the globe more quickly than ever before.  However, as the WHO’s director-general pointed out, the world is more prepared for a flu pandemic than ever before due to medical technology and rapid electronic communication so that more information is readily available about the pandemic situation.

In the last two days, GraVoc has made an attempt to reach out to customers and the public to alert them about taking appropriate measures in accordance to pandemic event response policies.  With the alert level raised to Phase 5, the urgency of pandemic planning becomes more critical.

Organizations must plan very quickly how to cope with public fear, how to assist customers prevent the spread of influenza by offering services and products in locations, and means of communication without face-to-face contact.  Plans should be in place for communication with public officials, service providers, the media, employees, and customers so that business can continue interrupted despite a crisis that could result in a significant economic impact.

Furthermore, organizations should be in the process of finalizing their pandemic response plans, because the threats are no longer theoretical, but very real.  Avenues should be in place for immediate activation of a pandemic response procedure, and organizations should consider the costs and benefits of whether the procedures should indeed be activated.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based in Peabody, MA, has substantial experience in helping organizations design business continuity and pandemic event response planning.  In this time of crisis, we are frequently updating the GraVoc News Blog (http://gravoc.blogspot.com) as we aim to help.  If you would like further assistance in preventing business disruption in the event of a disaster or a pandemic event, we strongly encourage you to contact GraVoc’s information security team at 978-538-9055.  We are committed to helping our customers’ bottom lines, and making sure businesses continue their processes as normally as possible is a crucial part of enhancing long-term profitability.

April 28, 2009

Swine Flu Blog

Regina Phelps of Emergency Management and Safety Solutions, has set up a blog specifically addressing the current swine flu crisis and how companies should plan accordingly to maintain business continuity.

The blog is available at http://emssolutionsinc.wordpress.com.

Swine Flu Update – April 28

In an emergency meeting Monday, the World Health Organization upgraded the influenza pandemic alert phase to a Phase 4.  Phase 4 is defined as a phase of sustained human-to-human transmission that can cause “community-level outbreaks,” so after the last few days, this came as no surprise.  Though a full-blown pandemic is not yet inevitable, the upgrade from Phase 3 to Phase 4 represents a significantly heightened likelihood of such an event.

As addressed in emails to be sent out to GraVoc business continuity and information security customers, it is recommended that organizations such as banks and credit unions start taking significant precautions immediately in response to the upgrade from Phase 3 to Phase 4.  As many cases of the pandemic event have already taken place in North America and specifically the United States, taking the following actions is a high priority:

  • Amid employees’ pandemic fears, your organization should take appropriate measures to cope with employee absenteeism, such as considering a skeleton crew roster and changes to telecommuting and sick leave policy.
  • Provide customers and employees with flu prevention/hygiene-related products in each location.
  • Consider the consequences of public panic, such as increased demand for products and services and potential interrupted service from vendors, and make plans accordingly.
  • Review plans and procedures for closing a location should the pandemic event strike the workplace.
  • Remain aware of the current developments of swine flu through news sources or other organizations.
  • Inform customers about ways they can conduct business with the organization electronically.

For more information or advice on how to maintain business continuity, please do not hesitate to contact the GraVoc Associates Information Security team at 978-538-9055.  GraVoc, based in Peabody, MA is celebrating fifteen years of business in the Boston area, and has many years’ experience helping clients design business continuity plans and pandemic event policies that have gained the strong approval of regulatory agencies such as the FDIC and NCUA.  For more information on the company, please visit www.gravoc.com, and for continued updates on the swine flu situation with specific attention to business continuity efforts, please consult the GraVoc News Blog at http://gravoc.blogspot.com.

April 27, 2009

Swine Flu and Business Continuity

In the wake of the swine flu outbreak in the Mexico City area and the scattered cases of human swine flu infections in the United States, pandemic fears are certainly on the forefront of many people’s minds.

While the World Health Organization (WHO) has called this a “public health emergency of national concern,” they have not yet upgraded the situation from Pandemic Phase 3.  The definition of each phase is available here.

This news is extremely relevant to many GraVoc business continuity clients.  In a response to a FFIEC guideline from December 2007, GraVoc developed a pandemic event policy to add to business continuity plans.  Many bank and credit union clients have engaged GraVoc for pandemic planning procedures, and these efforts have gained approval from our clients’ regulatory examiners, including the NCUA and FDIC.

Pandemic readiness involves an organization taking the proper precautions to make sure that business can continue as close as possible to normal, likely through the use of telecommunication.  The pandemic procedures prepare organizations for responding to public fear, preventing the spread of illness throughout the workplace, and coping with widespread employee absenteeism.

It is also notable to add that the WHO commended the efforts of the last five years by the world community regarding pandemic preparedness in response to the potential of an avian flu outbreak.  According to the WHO’s Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the world is “much, much better prepared than we've ever been” for a pandemic event.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based outside of Boston in Peabody, MA, is strongly committed to its business continuity customers, and looks to ensure that business continuity efforts continue to work for the client beyond the point of sale.  For existing clients and new clients alike, we strongly urge you to contact us at 978-538-9055 if you need any assistance with business continuity and pandemic planning efforts.

April 23, 2009

Microsoft Offers Business Ready Flexible Pay

To respond to a high volume of potential customers balking at the up-front investment of an enterprise resource planning system, Microsoft has announced the Business Ready Flexible Pay offer, which enables ERP customers to purchase a Microsoft Dynamics ERP system without the daunting up-front costs and to drive a rapid ROI.

The software giant has begun marketing this attractive offer in several publications, and briefed Microsoft partners (including GraVoc) on the details of the plan during a Wednesday afternoon webinar.  More details regarding this offer are available on this Microsoft Dynamics blog.

The highlights of the offer include the following:

  • U.S. firms with capital constraints or firms who want to “wait and see” what will happen in the economy before undertaking a large investment in an ERP project will be able to pay for Microsoft Dynamics ERP licenses, including Dynamics CRM, in three annual installments over the next three years.
  • Companies taking advantage of this payment plan will have more cash ready up-front so that they can keep it aside for financial emergencies or for implementation and customization services.
  • This is NOT a financing offer.  Unlike competitors offering 0% financing for ERP solutions only to certain qualified customers working with certain partners, Microsoft is just offering a different payment plan, more similar to buying a product on an infomercial for “two easy payments of $19.99.”  There is no lending involved, and there is no interest involved.
  • The licenses will be considered temporary licenses with full functionality for the three-year payment period.  They will become perpetual licenses once the payment is complete.
  • The Business Ready Flexible Pay plan is available until December 23, 2009.

The Microsoft representatives presenting at the Wednesday webinar said that there is an overwhelming trend of prospective ERP customers deferring the decision of whether to invest in an ERP solution.  Citing a poor economy, a large number of potential customers industry-wide want to hold on to their capital until finding out what is going to happen with the U.S. and global economy.  While Microsoft is relieved that they are not losing these customers to competing ERP providers, they are willing to soften the blow so that customers will indeed make the decision (and, of course, make it in Microsoft’s favor).

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based near Boston in Peabody, MA, is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner with several years’ experience outfitting clients in New England and beyond with the most appropriate ERP solutions.  Celebrating 15 years of business, GraVoc recently climbed from the 15th to the 2nd best-selling Microsoft Business Solutions re-seller in New England.  If your business has been considering an enterprise resource planning solution and the Business Ready Flexible Pay option fits well into your financial plans, you are encouraged to visit GraVoc.com to learn more information about the GraVoc business or to contact GraVoc at 978-538-9055 to see what the company can do to help your business ultimately save time and money.

April 22, 2009

Curious About Field Service Software?

Today, GraVoc Associates, Inc. is proud to release a video about the GraVoc Field Service Application.  This versatile application, one of GraVoc’s biggest projects over the past year, enables service companies to manage their service process, including call dispatching, equipment, labor management, and billing, with ease.  Much has been written about GFS on this blog, and GraVoc’s first GFS customer has very recently written a generous letter of gratitude emphasizing its rapid return on investment.

In its entirety, the video is about nine minutes long and provides a brief walk-through of a handful of GFS’s features.  By clicking each thumbnail on the bottom of the player, a viewer can specifically view “chapters” addressing specific modules in this user-friendly field service solution.  Chapters in the video include call entry, call dispatch, service calendar, the Windows Mobile service client, the review process, and integration with Microsoft Dynamics GP.  (GFS can also be integrated into other ERP and accounting solutions.)  Taking a few minutes out of the day to view this DivergingSoul production is strongly encouraged for those annoyed with double entry, lost parts, wasted hours, and inefficient service management processes.

The GFS field service solution sets itself apart from other field service software through its ease of use, as the video exhibits.  The best way to gather more information about GFS and how it can fit to your specific business needs is to contact a GraVoc representative and schedule a demonstration.  This can be accomplished through the GraVoc Software website or by contacting GraVoc at 978-538-9055 or at info@gravoc.com.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, based just outside of Boston in Peabody, MA, is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary in the service industry.  GraVoc is a full-service consulting firm serving New England and beyond in the fields of information systems, information security, technological service, and financial consulting.  As a result of their dedication to customers’ needs, GraVoc has developed a wide range of software solutions, and more details about the company as well as its products and services, can be found at gravoc.com and gravocsoftware.com.

April 20, 2009

GraVoc Field Service Receives Accolades

gfs2008(small)GraVoc Associates, Inc’s pilot project for the GraVoc Field Service application (GFS) was deemed worthy of high praise by the Frank I. Rounds Company. Rounds engaged GraVoc in the comprehensive project that included the implementation of Microsoft Dynamics GP and the development of a new software application to streamline the management of field service calls and projects. This custom application later became GFS and is being offered as a versatile but extremely user-friendly and transparent application.

“The highlights of this system include more detailed and better understanding of our finances, better control and communication with our field personnel, much higher employee efficiency rates, faster and easier invoicing, better cash flow, and fewer lost parts,” writes Lee Ehrenzeller, President of the Frank I. Rounds Company.

According to Ehrenzeller, the return on investment for the software licenses and GraVoc’s consulting services will ultimately be one year due to higher efficiency and the savings resulting from the implementation of Dynamics GP and GFS. “We have…employees doing more volume at less cost,” Ehrenzeller said.

Dynamics GP (formerly Great Plains) is highly touted as Microsoft’s best-selling enterprise resource planning solution. GFS, which can be integrated into GP, Dynamics AX, and other accounting systems, is an easy-to-learn and easy-to-use field service management application without cumbersome bells and whistles characteristic of other field service solutions.

GraVoc Associates, Inc, celebrating fifteen years of business, is a full-service consulting firm located in Peabody, Massachusetts. GraVoc prides itself on its ability to outfit clients in the Greater Boston area, New England, and beyond with quality software solutions that result in better business decisions, more productivity, and a prompt ROI. For more information about the GFS application, please visit the new GraVoc.com, and for more information on Microsoft Dynamics GP, please visit the Microsoft website. To speak to a GraVoc representative about these innovative solutions and how they can help your business, please contact the GraVoc offices at 978-538-9055.