News from 2013

Latest news from Camsoft Solutions products and services

[spoiler title=”8 October 2013 – F-Secure Survey: Consumers Want to Access All Their Content in One Safe Place” open=”0″ style=”1″]

F-Secure Survey: Consumers Want to Access All Their Content in One Safe Place

With their content scattered across an array of social networking and other cloud services, consumers would like to access it all in just one secure, private place – and soon they’ll be able to.

Are you managing your content, or is your content managing you? An F-Secure survey* shows that, with their photos, videos, and other documents scattered across various cloud services online and various devices at home, and with privacy concerns associated with cloud services, people are ready for innovations in how they manage their content.

Consumers are storing their content in many different places, from Facebook to Flickr and Google Drive to Evernote, to name a few, and that’s just online. There’s still the content people have in their mobile phones, laptops, tablets and computers, not to mention devices they use for work.

64% of consumers globally say it would be useful to have all their content accessible on all their devices wherever they are. Consumers in Malaysia, Latin America and the USA were the most ready for this, with 76% or more saying it would be useful, while 55% of those in European countries agreed it would be useful.

With the top cloud providers people upload their content to most frequently being Facebook, YouTube, Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft SkyDrive and Apple iCloud, there are still a bevy of smaller services where plenty of people store their content. One fifth of consumers in Malaysia, for example, upload content once a week or more to Instagram, 15% in the USA do so to Amazon Cloud Drive, and 13% in Poland to Picasa.

So, why not make things simple by combining all these varied services, making them accessible in one central location from any device? 59% of people globally agree this would be a good idea – with again, Latin America, Malaysia and the USA among the most enthusiastic respondents with 75% or more agreeing.

When asked which cloud providers would be the most important to include in a service like this, respondents chose, predictably, Facebook, YouTube, Google Drive, Dropbox, SkyDrive, and iCloud, followed by Picasa, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

A bold solution coming soon
Consumers won’t have to wait long for the service they want. Younited by F-Secure, coming soon, will allow them to finally access content from their smartphones, tablets, computers, and online services like Facebook and Dropbox – all their content, in one place. And for consumers concerned about privacy in the cloud, younited will be a safe haven from backdoors and spying. Younited will operate under Finland’s strict privacy laws, backed by F-Secure’s expertise in security, so consumers can be sure their content is secure and private.

To be one of the first to get younited, sign up at younited.com.

*The F-Secure Digital Lifestyle Survey 2013 covered web interviews of 6,000 broadband subscribers aged 20–60 years from 15 countries: Germany, Italy, France, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Poland, the USA, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Australia and Malaysia. The survey was completed by GfK, April 2013.

More information
Safe & Savvy: Are you ready to change the way you manage your content?
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[spoiler title=”17 September 2013 – Survey Finds One in Ten Consumers Have Lost Money to Online Fraud” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Survey Finds One in Ten Consumers Have Lost Money to Online Fraud

Consumers also report concern about safety while shopping, banking and browsing online, and concern is higher in the Americas and Asia than in Europe.

Helsinki, Finland – September 17, 2013: More than one in ten consumers globally have been victims of online fraud that cost them money, according to a recent F-Secure survey which fleshed out consumer concerns about online safety.* The survey also showed that computers and laptops are regarded as the most risky devices to go online with.

12% of Europeans report having lost money to online fraud, compared to 17% of non-Europeans. The UK had the highest level inside Europe with 17%, and outside Europe, the US and Malaysia were highest, both at 20%.

Lower reported levels of online fraud could also explain why Europeans express less concern about online safety and potential fraud than Brazilians, Americans, Malaysians, and others. In Europe, 68% of people are concerned about being victims of fraud when shopping online, and 61% of people when banking online. In the rest of the countries surveyed, however, the numbers are 87% and 84% respectively.

More people are concerned about online safety when using computers than when using mobile devices and tablets. 69% of consumers globally are concerned about whether they are safe when using a computer or laptop for everyday activities like browsing, shopping, reading, mailing and gaming. 54% are concerned when using mobile devices, and only 43% with tablets.

When asked about the types of devices they use to go online, 89% of people use Windows computers or laptops, 39% use Android smartphones, 24% use iPhones, 22% use Android tablets, 20% iPads, 16% use Apple computers, and 16% use Windows smartphones.

Respondents showed high levels of awareness about the importance of using up-to-date software, with 77% of people reporting that they are aware that not updating their software may create security vulnerabilities. 86% say they apply regular software updates on their computer, and 59% on their mobile.

Tips for avoiding online fraud

Using a little caution can help lower your chances of being victimized by a fraudster.
• Use a unique password for each account, with a mixture of letters, numbers and special characters
• Only give your personal or financial information to reputable sites you know you can trust, and only on pages with “HTTPS” in the URL
• Avoid doing purchasing or banking from shared or public computers, or over public WiFi
• Watch out for phishing emails that pretend to be your bank or another organization
• Don’t click on links or open attachments in suspicious emails
• Make sure your browser and software are up-to-date
• If you have kids, be aware of what your child is clicking. Many “offers” are designed to look like entertainment for children
• Beware of offers that seem too good to be true – they probably are
• Review your bank and credit card statements regularly to make sure no transactions are happening without your knowledge
• Use Internet security software from a trusted company like F-Secure. F-Secure Internet Security provides the best protection for your computer and online life, blocking viruses, spyware and malware and protecting you while banking, shopping and surfing. You can try it for free.

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[spoiler title=”5 September 2013 – Maximizer CRM partner reaps benefits of mobile site” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer CRM partner reaps benefits of mobile site

Johannesburg – Local Maximizer Software business partner Camsoft Solutions has been reaping unexpected benefits since having a mobile-friendly Web site, in that the number of enquiries to its business has multiplied with the new site.

“We were aware of the importance of a mobile-friendly Web site, given the smartphone era we now find ourselves in, but we had no idea how many visitors to our www.maximizercrm.co.za CRM site were coming in on these devices,” comments Mark Annett, national sales manager at Camsoft.

“We contracted Mobilesitegurus.co.za to make our site mobile-friendly so that it automatically detected the type of mobile device coming in to display the Web site accordingly, and it was a real eye-opener when we started seeing the weekly reports on the number and type of devices accessing our site. Over 50% of the visits to our Web site were coming from mobile devices and we’ve found that the number of page visits on the site has increased substantially,” adds Annett. “We attribute this increase to more people on mobile devices engaging with the site now that they can view it more easily, and we suspect that, in the past, these visitors would probably have left the site quickly when they didn’t get a good experience.

“Mobilesitegurus.co.za did a great job of converting our site to be mobile-friendly and added critical elements that were missing, such as clear calls to action, maps for our office locations and quick-contact buttons, all features that are considered essential, considering a lot of people also visit a Web site to get directions to a business address while on the road,” notes Annett. “Certainly, Google’s ‘Our Mobile Planet’ study at the end of last year found that 94% of mobile users use their devices to search for local information, products and services. Also, according to Nielsen Research, smartphone adoption reached over 55% in the US last year. I think it is likely that South Africa will see similar adoption rates, considering the affordability and convenience of a smartphone device on contract compared to the set-up costs of a desktop computer,” adds Annett.
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[spoiler title=”10 June 2013 – Maximizer will be exhibiting at Markex” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer at Markex 2013

Maximizer will be exhibiting at the upcoming Markex event this week at the Sandton Convention Centre from 11-13 June.

5 reasons to attend Markex 2013
1. Identify new profit making products and ideas
2. Find something new that will give your business an effective difference
3. Find new solutions to reduce your costs
4. Improve value for your customers
5. Understand how the latest consumer trends will affect you

Please feel free to pay us a visit at our stand no. D1 if you are planning to come to the show.
Show Times: 9am – 5pm daily.[/spoiler]

[spoiler title=”25 March 2013 – Maximizer assists CCI Technology Solutions” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer assists CCI Technology Solutions with CRM for boosting efficiency.

Johannesburg – Customer Relationship Management specialist Maximizer Software has unveiled a new case study outlining how CCI Technology Solutions, one of South Africa’s foremost IT infrastructure companies, has used its CRM platform to play a leading role in efforts to wire businesses in key sectors throughout the country for the global digital marketplace.

With assistance from Camsoft Solutions, Maximizer’s South African Elite Certified Solution Provider, CCI Technology has developed a powerful customer base across a broad spectrum of businesses – from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to international companies. Through its CRM system, CCI has been able to better reach and build ongoing relationships with businesses requiring the installation of cabling and other physical infrastructure for data delivery, including: telecoms, computer systems and wireless networks.

Using Maximizer CRM, CCI has been able to not only manage and keep its growing sales database up to date, but has been able to customise the CRM platform to integrate with the company’s accounting system, thus ensuring CCI can track job numbers, materials, labour requirements, servicing needs and other operational information across all systems. The result has been that duplication of work has been eliminated and all company data remains complete and updated, as information loaded onto the sales system is automatically updated across all systems. As a result, whoever is dealing with a given client can remain up to speed on all interactions and communications with that customer.

CCI Technology Solutions’ Managing Director, Stephen Pinkney, comments: “We can run reporting, job-costing and profitability reports straight out of the CRM system. Basically, we track our sales from inception to completion, so at any stage we can see exactly where we are in our sales cycle from the Maximizer suite.” He adds that Maximizer “has just made it so much easier and so much less time-consuming to track all our paperwork. It’s an integral part of our business.”

Feeding all customer data into Maximizer CRM 12 has in fact changed the way CCI does business, allowing the company to take a long view of each client through the customer lifecycle, which, in turn, has eliminated mistakes and inefficiencies. Maximizer has enabled CCI to organise its diverse customer base so that it can track and keep ahead of sales to new prospects, current customers and older clients in need of updated IT infrastructure.

Pinkney notes that, through Maximizer CRM 12, CCI employees are also able to tap into a massive amount of client data collected over the years: “It’s really a one-stop shop for us to have a look at where we are as far as our sales cycles are concerned.”

CCI Technology Solutions is far from finished when it comes to getting more out of Maximizer. The company is now examining how it can harness Maximizer’s mobile capability. Pinkney explains: “It’s something we’re going to look at – guys will probably start utilising iPads, getting sign-offs done online, all that kind of thing.”

To download the full case study, go to www.maximizercrm.co.za or call Camsoft Solutions on 0800 616765

About CCI Technology Solutions
Founded in Cape Town in 1986, CCI Technology Solutions has emerged as a leading IT infrastructure player in the South Africa and. The company carries out the installation of cabling and other physical infrastructure for data delivery, including telecommunications, electrical installations, computer systems, CCTV and networks supporting wireless technology. It has a broad range of customers. For more information, please visit www.cci.co.za.

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[spoiler title=”08 March 2013 – Maximizer launches new, more intuitive version of its CRM platform” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Maximizer launches new, more intuitive version of its CRM platform in Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Johannesburg, – Maximizer Software, a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management and mobile CRM solutions, has launched the newest version of its software, Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition, throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition offers streamlined workflow, performance improvements aimed at increasing productivity, a simplified user experience, enhanced mobile CRM features and improved integration with Microsoft Office and Google Maps.

The enhancements and new features introduced in the Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition release continue to build on functionality improvements introduced over the last few versions, helping not just large businesses but small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to ensure they meet the key goals that will enable them to stay one step ahead of the competition and profitable in 2013. The latest edition of Maximizer CRM 12 can be implemented as either a cloud-based or on-premise solution, enhanced to offer an affordable fully featured option for SMEs.

Maximizer CRM is now faster, more intuitive and easier to use. The workflow and usability improvements give users an even greater ability to view, organize and retrieve key customer information quickly and intuitively, optimising the productivity of day-to-day users while enhancing the customer experience. Other key features and benefits of Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition include:

single view of customer information – a new timeline allows users to see all business interactions in one chronological view, supporting customer service interactions and the ability to analyse buying patterns for more effective marketing and sales initiatives
new Microsoft Office add-ins – improved integration with Word and Outlook enables a seamless user experience and greater administrative productivity, reducing costs
hover and display functionality – the Web product features the ability to display detailed information via a heads-up display by hovering your mouse cursor over a record, reducing the number of clicks and open windows so enhancing the user experience
contact visualisation – instantly view all contacts within the same company and access critical information on them at once to support data targeting and identify the best potential sales leads
quick access bar – customise and simplify everyday tasks, such as saved searches and customer lists, so that they can be activated with a single click, improving efficiencies and response times, thus increasing customer service satisfaction.

CRM mobility is another key area of development for Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition, which includes enhanced features for smartphones and better optimisation for tablets, enabling users to take full advantage of their CRM system while on the move. Other enhancements aimed at making it faster and easier for busy, on-the-go users to keep up-to-date include: built-in dashboards, web lead capture, one-click mapping and quick contact pop-ups for appointments, tasks and alarms.

Mike Richardson, Maximizer Software’s Managing Director, EMEA, notes: “Our customers were telling us that the software does pretty much what they want it to do out of the box, but they were looking for ways of further boosting their productivity so that they could make even more calls, solve more issues, and take more notes. Maximizer CRM 12 Winter edition aims to do that. This latest version of the software enables users to get the information they need with fewer clicks and to view what is going on overall with each customer more quickly and easily. It really provides the big picture, improving customer relations. It also makes it easier for new users to learn the system and start employing it day-to-day.”

He adds: “We also wanted to make Maximizer CRM even more attuned to the needs of an increasingly mobile workforce. With sales and service people looking for ways to improve productivity when they are on the road or working off-site, enhancing the mobility features is very important. With the Winter edition release, we have made it even simpler and more user-friendly for people tapping into Maximizer CRM with a tablet or smartphone to access essential customer information on the go – whether they are updating contact information, confirming appointments, checking availability of stock, or identifying that potential upsell opportunity while in a customer’s office. It’s all about having a single application that does what users need and having it work on many devices”.
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[spoiler title=”07 March 2013 – F-Secure Internet Security wins AV-TEST’s Best Protection award” open=”0″ style=”1″]

F-Secure Internet Security wins AV-TEST’s Best Protection award

F-Secure Internet Security 2013 has won the Best Protection award for 2012 from the AV-TEST Institute. Released last fall, Internet Security 2013 offers consumers proven best protection for their computer and online identity when browsing the web and shopping online. It also includes Banking Protection for an even safer online banking experience. AV-TEST’s Best Protection award is presented to the best antivirus product of the year in terms of protection against malware infections caused by current threats such as zero-day attacks, malicious websites and e-mails.

“Throughout our tests in 2012, F-Secure Internet Security offered outstanding protection against malware and Internet attacks,” says Andreas Marx, CEO of AV-TEST. “F-Secure’s security solutions set the standard for excellence in this discipline.”

F-Secure’s just-released Threat Report H2 2012 indicates that consumers continue to be targeted by a wide range of threats including banking Trojans, botnets, and vulnerability exploits. As the world of cybercrime becomes more commoditized and professionalized, there is no indication of a slowdown in malware production, underlining the importance of having the best up-to-date protection. F-Secure has the best automated malware response with world class teams developing and using it.

“This recognition reaffirms F-Secure’s leading position in security software,” says Perttu Tynkkynen, Director, Consumer Sales and Marketing at F-Secure. “Year after year our products are top performers in independent test results, exceeding benchmarks.”

Advanced cloud-based protection
“F-Secure Internet Security 2013’s top ranking scores are a reflection of its advanced real-time cloud-based protection technologies that ensure the fastest response against all threats”, comments Anthony Cowie of local F-Secure solution provider Camsoft Solutions. “DeepGuard uses heuristical, behavioral and reputation-based technologies to provide proactive protection against both existing malware and brand-new threats” adds Cowie. “Web traffic scanning protects against browser exploits, while browsing protection blocks harmful websites. Then there’s Banking Protection that elevates security settings for extra protection during banking sessions and the firewall, redesigned with additional filters, prevents hacker attacks” continues Cowie.

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[spoiler title=”09 January 2013 – Exclusive webinar: Maximizer Software looks at why many SMEs are not jumping on the cloud CRM bandwagon” open=”0″ style=”1″]

Exclusive webinar: Maximizer Software looks at why many SMEs are not jumping on the cloud CRM bandwagon

Johannesburg – Many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) remain unconvinced that cloud-based CRM is right for them and need to be assured over a number of major concerns before seriously considering making the leap to this type of solution. Many firms are reluctant despite the fact that cloud-based CRM has proven itself to be an extremely cost-effective solution – a significant advantage for SMEs in today’s economic climate. In an exclusive webinar on January 30, Maximizer Software dispels some of the myths around the issue and discusses the range of concerns that are preventing SMEs from moving their CRM systems to the cloud, as highlighted in a new survey of senior executives in key European and African markets.

Maximizer, a leading provider of simple, accessible and affordable Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, will be offering critical and practical insight into the ways in which SMEs can benefit from cloud based CRM in the free webinar, entitled Cloud CRM: Dispelling the Myths, which includes a live online demonstration. The session will be hosted by Jon Wilkins, Managing Director of Avrion, a Maximizer Elite Certified Solutions provider. He will discuss the ways in which SMEs can overcome their concerns about cloud based CRM, in particular: unreliable service, slow performance and poor data security. The webinar will start at 10.30am (GMT) on January 30.

The key aspects of cloud based CRM discussed in the webinar will include how:

regular product updates can ensure data security
using robust data centres can provide reliability of service
using a CRM solution specifically designed for web access can ensure speed and performance
the potential cost savings can increase your return on investment
easy it is to migrate from one system to the other
and much more, demonstrated in a live online review…

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