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26th July 2010: What is contract management?

Recently, I’ve seen a lot of threads in various forums where individuals are discussing what their perception of contract management is. Here are a few snippets of what these individuals have proclaimed:

 “Contract management is the proactive management of the fulfilment of contract obligations from inception to contract closure”

“If you don't write down, track and manage the complex business relationships we deal with on a daily basis they risk becoming unclear, confused and costly. Contract Managers are embedded into new deal teams and accounts to be the eyes, ears and voice to minimise this risk”

“Contract Management consists of all the various tasks and activities that enable an organisation to maximise the value of its recorded relationships”

I’ll be honest and admit that I came from an advertising background, and before I joined Software Europe I was very naive to just how in depth contract management can go and how crucial good contract management is to organisations.

There are many reports and statistics out there that support this statement and one I particularly like is from the Gartner Group:

“Contractual agreements govern 80% of business to business transactions.”

This shows that a huge amount of money is tied up in these contracts even if you are an SME or a £multi million global organisation! Whilst most organisations recognise the importance of negotiation and securing a great deal for their company, I do wonder how many of them actually track these contracts post signature. Which is imperative in making sure a contract is still delivering against the service level agreement and is still a viable option for the organisation.

In my opinion, contract management is an extremely important role within a company, and whilst there are an infinite number of ways to describe the role of a contract manager I believe that the role involves:

• Sourcing the chosen supplier
• Negotiating a good deal
• Ensuring all legal aspects are covered
• Managing the supplier relationship
• Monitoring and adhering to contract clauses
• Updating policies/insurances/licences etc
• Dealing with non compliance issues, and the list goes on

But in its simplest form contract management could be surmised as to minimise risk and maximise service/delivery/profit, and I believe Murphy’s Law sums things up succinctly; "If anything can go wrong, it will”.

Rachel Watmore, Spend Management Consultant

12th July 2010: We have a risk indicator of 1!

Last week we received confirmation that we have achieved D&B Rating 1; which simply means if you're looking for a stable, profitable company to do business with, we're an ideal candidate:

Dear Nora,

Congratulations!

On 5th July 2010 Software (Europe) Ltd, DUNS Number 50-336-1693, was registered as "D&B Rating 1". A risk indicator of 1 indicates that your business has a low probability of failure. To have achieved this during one of the worst economic times in recent years is a fantastic accomplishment. Only 15% of all UK companies are in this category.

In recognition of this, I am delighted to send you a certificate confirming your "D&B Rating 1" status! Please feel free to use this certificate in any of your own internal or external communications.

Tracey Turton, Marketing Executive

07 July 2010: We develop as technology develops

The increased growth of the internet has seen smartphone platforms become standard tools for more and more business workers. Apple has taken this a step further by launching the iPad which attempts to do almost everything your laptop can, whilst offering almost everything your smartphone can do as well.

The demand for apps on the iPad is high, and will play an important role in its success. There are already over 9000 apps available and this figure has been boosted by the existing iPhone apps that can be run on the iPad.

However, here at Software Europe, because expenses2010 and framework are accessible through a web browser, we have ensured that browser compatibility is an important factor during development which ensures that the systems are available to the widest audience on all platforms.

The iPad uses its own built-in web browser Safari and we can proudly announce that the features and functions of both expenses2010 and framework are fully usable through the large Multi-Touch screen and advanced capabilities of the iPad.

You can continue to submit, check and approve expense claims using expenses2010 with simple fingertip contact, and contract managers can use the iPad to view contract information, and even use it to review huge stacks of contract related documents without physically carrying them with you; and this is available with sharp text at a size that’s actually readable.

The photos below show the usability of both expenses2010 and framework. Click on the thumbnails to see each photo in more detail:

Learn more about expenses2010, our employee expenses management solution

Adele Briggs, Customer & Marketing Manager

1st June 2010: Ms Harcus won the bright yellow ride on mini car

We would like to congratulate the luck winner of the bright yellow ride on mini car, that was seen driving around the IACCM conference in Edinburgh last week:

Mrs A Harcus from Standard Life

She told us that she donated the prize to the Community Investment team who plan to either auction it off or use it as raffle prize with the monies raised to go to the Standard Life Charity Fund.  This year the charity fund is supporting Barnardo's and the Institute of Cancer Research. Alternatively they may donate the car to a community or charity group working within the areas of health, homelessness, ageing, education and training.  

With either of these options, the Community Investment team try to ensure that anything received in competition prizes to its employees is utilised for maximum benefit.

25 May 2010: SSON & IACCM Conference Success!

Having attended the SSON & IACCM conference in Edinburgh this week, I can truly say what a great event it is.

What’s more, we met some really interesting companies that want to advance their business through the deployment of intelligent solutions. My colleagues and I were able to show them how framework is an ideal way to manage their hundreds of contracts.

At the event we chose the theme of ‘driving savings’ through intelligent management of contracts and supported this with a bright yellow ride on mini car (for children) which will be given away at the event.

Tomorrow we will be announcing the winner of the car!

Neil Everett, Managing Director

09 April 2010: Users win the battle of the browsers at Software Europe

Today, the Internet is widely used, providing you with access to find almost anything. We are also experiencing a revolutionary shift in the way businesses operate, seeing an increase in companies adopting Internet-based computing for software services and solutions on-demand.

It is fascinating to watch the battle of browsers; our window to the web.  Back in February, Microsoft announced that users will have the option to choose an alternative browser.

This is an important milestone for Internet users and the trend* in browser usage is changing.  Firefox has recently been voted the No1 favourite*, leaving Microsoft Internet Explorer 3rd. Google Chrome, Safari and Opera are among the alternative browsers that people will be offered.

This presents a challenge for Internet based software developers because not all browsers follow the same HTML principles, which means that there is a potential for web pages to incur problems with the display and layout on screen.  An easy option is to limit the browsers that the systems can be viewed successfully with, but that isn't always acceptable.

In 2005, Software Europe made a decision to support all browsers which means your users can work uninterruptedly when using expenses2010 or framework from their workplace or the comfort of their own home.

*Source: Trend
*Source: TopTenReviews

07 April 2010: SSON's 10th Annual European Shared Services & Outsourcing Week

Software Europe will be attending the IACCM/SSON event in May, let us know if you'll be there too!

Overview: IACCM EMEA 2010 will run in conjunction with SSON's 10th Annual European Shared Services & Outsourcing Week. For many of the sessions listed below, you have the option of either attending the specialist IACCM event or joining the wider, cross-functional SSON audience in their sessions.

Location: Edinburgh International Conference Centre

Dates: Monday 24th May - Wednesday 26th May

Tracey Turton, Marketing Executive

18 March 2010: Graduating Innovations

Innovation is at the heart of what we do and our leading online solutions expenses2010 and framework require a carefully considered development strategy and roadmap. 

The solutions have already delivered exciting new features that not only reduce costs but improve efficiency for the users.  To support our growing online solutions we must think ahead and plan for the most important things in a company’s operation – the people and the skills they bring. 

We have collaborated with the careers and opportunities service at our local university in Lincoln (www.lincoln.ac.uk), to introduce a work placement scheme to help current and future graduates develop and sharpen skills on their chosen career path. 

From these graduates we look for a blend of technical skills that complements our current team, a mixture of innovators and stabilisers so that we can continue to lead the way.

Neil Everatt, Managing Director

02 March 2010: Time management is imperative for contract management

Generally contract management is a mammoth, time consuming task that requires fundamental knowledge of each clause and attribute of each contract, as well as access to any relating documentation and information.

To effectively administer and manage your contracts, efficient time management is key but before you create your plan of action you need to know and review all the facts.

A few simple actions will help you maximise the time you spend on each contract, giving you clear visibility of contracts and goals you can achieve. Read more >>