QBS’s new software delivery platform, with eight elements of an award-winning system already rolled out, looks to maximise efficiency and cost-effectiveness as well as provide secure pathways to one-stop digital communications for customers.
Jon Holyoake, head of digital at QBS Software, said the new platform has gone live as an integrated suite of software applications — going beyond firing up product search to helping customers create orders and receive quotes through diverse digital channels.
« They’ll be able to place orders and receive live request-based assistance, all in one place. And over the coming year, we’ll be doing more releases and adding more and more functionality to it, » he confirmed. « Our many well-trained specialists are also on hand ready to help. »
In addition, QBS is looking to automate a lot of manual processes via the software delivery platform, Holyoake said.
« A purchase engine will connect to even more of our current vendors, so you can purchase from them digitally. A sales team won’t need to approach them, phoning up the vendor to complete the licensing process, » he said.
« The QBS Software Delivery Platform is about the complete ecosystem around working with QBS. »
Use the new e-commerce portal to
- view your own personalised pricing, and stock, and generate your own price feeds
- generate feeds in CSV, Excel or tab separated fields, emailed hourly, daily or weekly
- have it uploaded to your own server, or simply download from the QBS FTP server
- view and download account statements in PDF and archived invoices
- pay outstanding invoices online
- source new solutions via the new Source It online form
« Later in 2021, we’ll be launching the XML web service, linking systems together so customers can do live price and stock requests or download license keys in real time, » Holyoake added. « We’ve got a renewals platform coming out too — you’ll be able to get notified and pay online when renewals come due. »
Click here for a how-to of the platform.
Delivering to customer requests and changing requirements
QBS receives many integration requests from customers looking to automate the purchasing process — and many larger customers especially wish to communicate in a more efficient digital way, via a platform or web services, according to Holyoake.
« Over the next few years, we look forward to continuing to engage with emerging trends in a customer-friendly and timely manner, » he confirmed. « And if you have questions about the software delivery platform, if you have any issues or change requests, ideas, email me and we will then review it. »
Specific questions about the business can of course go to the account manager — with QBS on hand to respond to issues as needed.
« We always appreciate feedback from customers, whether around the changes we’re going to make, or any ideas you’d like to propose. All comments are welcome and will be reviewed, » Holyoake said.