* Improve profitability and maintain high client service levels *
2 November 2006 - A computer-based management system to help Land Agents to run and grow their businesses effectively, improve profitability and maintain high client service levels has been launched by Star Computers Limited.
Based on Star Computers' long-established Practice Management solution -- which is being used by more than 1,000 UK and international firms of accountants and consultants -- the system design draws on the practical experience gained by Star with a number of Land Agents, including Penrith Farmers' and Kidd's, based in Cumbria and WMC Land Factor LLP in Northumberland.
"Land Agents, in common with other professional organisations, need to monitor client engagements, record time, track work-in-progress and recover expenses and disbursements. They also have to match resources with client demand to ensure optimum staff deployment, while minimising over-servicing and accrual of non-billable time. The Star software is an ideal solution," says David Blechner, Managing Director of Star Computers Limited.
The Star solution is flexible and modular, enabling organisations to start with those modules that are required for their immediate needs, with additional functionality being added later. As well as time and billing, there are modules for job and resource management, business intelligence, contact relationship management, and document management.
The software utilises Microsoft SQL and .NET technology to deliver an up-to-date and highly scaleable system that can be configured to suit any size of firm across any number of locations. It also allows secure remote and mobile access.
At the heart of the Star Land Agent solution is the core time and billing module, built around a powerful Microsoft SQL Server central database and which supports fully integrated WIP and receivables ledgers. The time entry procedure is very user-friendly, enabling time and expenses to be entered quickly and easily, through an easy to configure on-screen timesheet.
Recognising that the billing process for Land Agents can be complex, Star provides a range of intuitive billing options to ensure that WIP is billed as quickly and easily as possible, with flexible invoice formats and supporting documentation helping to explain and justify the fee. A full suite of standard reports is available, backed up by further optional management tools, including email alerts, exception reports and the Star Practice Dashboard.
The Star Practice Dashboard provides directors and managers with a wealth of information about clients, across the entire firm and by individuals, combining a broad range of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and associated data into a suite of easy to customise screen views which can adopt the organisation's corporate style.
Importantly, data can be retrieved from almost any source or database used by the firm - whether within the Star Practice Management system or third party applications, as well as accounting systems.
Authorised users can monitor work-in-progress, debtors, billing, cash collection and staff performance and so on -- including efficiency and profitability -- against the organisation's targets and budgets, analysed by director, manager or staff member. At any point they can drill down from high-level summaries to the underlying detailed information. If they wish, directors and managers can benchmark their own performance against their colleagues.
Key financial data can be displayed instantly, broken down by portfolio, department and office, enabling effective management of the firm and monitoring of resources. An inbuilt graphics engine means that data can also be easily presented in chart form, with the added benefit of 'single click' export to Excel for further analysis.
In addition, the Star Practice Dashboard integrates with document management to locate and retrieve client-related documents, as well as generating and auto-filing letters and emails.
Star's CRM (Contact Relationship Management) system is designed to help firms balance delivery of high quality client service alongside opportunities for revenue generation. It is tightly integrated with the Star Practice Management solution and draws detailed information about clients, contacts, jobs, marketing communications and new business development campaigns from a single master database - the same Microsoft SQL Server database that feeds the time and billing, job and resource management, business intelligence and document management modules.
"By combining these optional modules with the core Star Practice Management software, Land Agents will be able to realise tremendous business benefits. They could also gain an excellent return on investment," David Blechner says.
More detail on the Star Land Agents system can be obtained from Barry Matthews at Star Computers Limited by telephoning 01923 246414 or email to BMatthews@starplc.com
