Increasing profitability and effectiveness for creative agencies and consultancies

Express Systems are the sole UK suppliers of the leading job costing system for creative agencies and consultancies: Synergist.

If you get income from chargeable hours, Synergist software can help you improve efficiency, use of resources and profitability. It also offers ROI very quickly and usually within 3-6 months. It's a total, flexible and simple-to-operate solution.

We make people more money

At Express Systems, we've put Synergist software in place for a wide range of creative agencies, consultancies and architects. We pride ourselves on having the knowledge and skills to satisfy the priorities for your business and help you achieve even greater efficiencies with this proven system.

Reducing non-chargeable time

Synergist is powerful on functionality and easy for your team to use on day-to-day activities - from completing time sheets quickly to billing jobs. Synergist pulls everything together to help you maximise revenue.

Synergist links all this into one streamlined system for better project management and job costing:

- initial contact management - scheduling - purchasing

- estimating - timesheets - billing

Express Systems was established in 2003 by two partners with extensive experience of the power of Synergist. A successful company from our earliest days, we've grown steadily and have an effective and close-knit team to help you.

Blue chip clients

Our extensive client list features many blue chip names, including:

• Rees Bradley Hepburn
• Jupiter Design
• 23red
• Mundocom
• Pricewaterhouse Coopers
• Nationwide Building Society

Jason Neale, Partner
Clients are impressed by Jay's outstanding knowledge of Synergist and his ability to help them make the most of this highly effective product. Having worked in finance for a major plc, and with experience of the financial, sales and web development industries, he understands what companies need from systems software.

Steve Vincent, Partner
Steve graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University in 1988 and started on his path towards solution consulting for SMEs - which he has been very successfully involved with ever since. Steve spent many years working for Synergist, managing implementations for customers efficiently and helping them make the most of this first class solution. It was this foundation that encouraged Steve to set up Express Systems with Jay Neale.

A strong project management team

Our project management team are all from agencies with robust financial backgrounds. Their role is to work closely with you to install the system in the way that works best for you and to help you get the most from it.

Anna Root BA (Hons), Project Manager
Anna has been implementing systems since graduating from University 11 years ago in accountancy. Her main focus has been on Sage and she's accredited in all Sage products as a reseller, trainer and implementer.

Anna's experience allows her to offer businesses a full solution, from helping them implement the right solution to installation and training, ongoing support and advice moving forward.

Louise Neale, Project Manager
Louise has over five years' experience of implementing Synergist in a variety of industries including design, PR, construction, consultancy and marketing.

She works closely with companies to identify internal processes and how these could be enhanced or mapped onto Synergist. She also has experience of issues that expanding companies experience, including the tricky process of ensuring that all expenses are available to be recharged, including credit cards and petty cash, and managing freelancer costs and how these can be reported on.

She can structure training sessions on a one-to-one basis or for a group and clearly communicate to the team.

Lynn Barratt, Business Consultant
Lynn has extensive experience of designing and implementing business systems, with responsibility for both the business aspects and the human side. Her 10 years as Business Systems Manager in a major marketing company, and recent experience as a Synergist project manager, are augmented by a wealth of qualifications, including Prince 2 Project Manager status and a postgraduate certificate in Business Management. Her mission is to ensure that systems meet the needs of the business and fulfil the promise of being "user friendly".

Lisa Robertson, Business Consultant
Lisa is a positive, proactive and results driven consultant with a highly successful background of achievement of profitable growth through the creation and execution of successful business establishment and restructure. She has over 20 years of experience working with businesses in the design industry with the primary focus on exceeding expectations by creating visibility on profitability, utilisation and quality by evaluation of current working practices and implementation of focused best practice.

Express Systems welcomes Ad Agency Director Jo Eames to the team

As business consultant to Express Systems Jo brings a wealth of agency experience with her; a senior Account Director with the esteemed agency Rees Bradley Hepburn Jo was responsible for rolling out Synergist across the entire agency.

A great asset to the team Jo has used the system from all sides; as a new user, account handler, trainer, system developer and now our own project manager.

Jo succeeded at RBH in converting all systems onto the Synergist platform and she now continues to do the same for the ever increasing number of Express System's clients. Ensuring in this competitive and challenging climate all clients are maximising their bottom line.

What's important to your business?

Invite us to visit you and we'll start by getting to the heart of how you tick as a business: whether it's more important to you to have timesheet tracking or faster invoicing. For us, this more consultative approach is the best way to provide you with an excellent service - and that's our driving force.

The relaxed approach

Only once we’re clear on what you want, will we make our recommendation. And we certainly won’t hassle you for a decision. In fact, we won’t actually sell you a system at all if we don’t think you’re in a position to currently implement one – and that’s a promise.

We know Synergist inside out. So if you have a particular requirement from a job costing system, please talk to us about how we can help you through Synergist’s powerful functionality.

Helping you get the most from Synergist

We're totally committed to helping you get what you want and need. We'll put in as much time as it takes to make sure you're comfortable with everything during installation and those few early weeks. We won't just leave you to it once the software is installed.

As part of our service, we also include back-up visits three or four times a year. That way, we can check that you're continuing to get the most from your Synergist system. We'll run reports, assess them and share the information with you. Synergist, too, have an excellent helpdesk that is operated by senior members of staff.

The leading job costing system for creative agencies and consultancies

Has your business developed different ways of managing work over the years... perhaps a combination of manual systems, e-mail, in-house developed job costing systems and/or accounting software?

Many professional services companies have. The trouble is, it can sometimes lead to inefficiencies that can cost you money - re-entry of information, losing potentially chargeable hours, an inability to determine which jobs are profitable and more. And with all the skills you have to sell, the last thing you want is to be let down by your systems. Especially when this is something which can be easily fixed with the right solution and knowledge.

Making agencies and consultancies even more effective

This is where Synergist comes into its own - replacing different systems with one intuitive tool that can deal with all your day-to-day project activities.

Synergist has proved itself with over 10,000 users and is ideal for everyone from new start-ups to multi-site consulting organisations. It is suitable for PC, Mac or Web browser.

Stay in control - you'll have live views that allow you to see whether jobs are going over budget or behind schedule.
Increase profitability - with an improved recharge ratio.
Plug the leaks - stop chargeable costs slipping through the net.
Save time - by automating day-to-day processes, from estimating through to billing.
Improve cash flow - with quick and simple production of accurate invoices and prompt billing.
Input information more easily - whether you're entering time or expenses, it's simple to use.
Access information more easily - all job related information, including e-mails, will be in one system so you can see where you are.
Retain your existing systems - Synergist links to all leading accounts systems.

Visit the Synergist site and find out more about it.

Not in a position to implement Synergist but still need a better business system?

Your business is expanding and growing in complexity. The systems you use (whether IT based or manual) start to become unmanageable and prone to error. Worse still, they don't even tell you how you're doing. You get to the point where your system seems to be running you rather than the other way round.

Our consultancy service - which can take as little as a few days, depending on your business - can help you pull together your financial, user and client needs and priorities and design a set of processes that accommodate and balance them.

A list of packages we've developed to maximise your business performance is available on the next page.

Commercial intelligence – Big Picture – create and develop an understanding of the critical requirement for internal teams to prioritise business needs. Deadline driven to profit driven
Constructing charging models – evaluation and guidance on construction of hourly rates, contracts and retainers
Accurate estimating and invoicing – direction and training to teams on construction of accurate, consistent job pricing
Account managers – defining roles and responsibilities
Production – visibility on utilisation, scheduling, resource planning, procurement
True and accurate financial reporting – evaluate and plan critical regular business reporting needs
New business – considering the needs of the core business. Visibility on creation, development and results
CRM – up to date visibility on client communications/relationships

A practical approach to implementation

We'll also put the solution into place for you. Many systems falter in the application but with our understanding of both IT solutions and people's needs, we'll help your team understand how to get the most from the system we recommend.

We also realise that staff have to do their daily work while learning the new system. And, with our thorough approach, we'll go into detail like reminding you to inform clients and suppliers that your interaction with them may be changing (for the better!)

A new system will mean change. This can be an issue for people at all levels, so needs to be handled sensitively. Managing change is one of our strengths.

To find out more, please contact Lisa Robertson at LRobertson@exsystems.co.uk or 0800 083 4603.

Creative & PR

RJ Design Associates

RJ Design Associates is a fully integrated marketing communications agency

Bite CP

Bite CP is a market-leading creative consultancy that produces powerful results in design for print, digital and event management

Brazen

Independent consumer PR consultancy.

Clear Communications

Clear Communications is a B2B marketing consultancy.

Creative & PR cnt'd

Rave

Helping an agency increase its billings.

Splashdown

Providing excellent ROI

Architects & Consulting Engineers

Cooper Cromar

Synergist: making life easier at the office
Established in 1984, Cooper Cromar is a leading architectural practice with acknowledged capabilities across many sectors of the property industry. The practice’s approach combines design creativity with responsive management and a commercial edge.

On Line Design & Engineering Limited

Synergist: increasing a company’s profitability
On Line Design & Engineering Limited was established in 1982 to provide design and draughting services. It now employs more than 450 people in all disciplines and branches of engineering and undertakes projects nationwide in the petrochemical, oil & gas, pharmaceutical and general engineering industries.

Distribution

Macmillan Distribution (MDL)

Macmillan Distribution (MDL) is the distribution arm of Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

Australia

E2

Based in the eclectic inner city Sydney suburb of Surry Hills, e2 is an 18-month-old consultancy specialising in experiential strategy, graphic and interior design.

R&B

R&B is a leading brand, design and digital agency based in Burleigh Heads on Australia’s stunning Gold Coast.

Dubai

Cre8

Based in Dubai, Cre8 are a design and event management company.

Omnia

Omnia is a global creative consultancy which develops brand, marketing and communications strategies that push ideas further.

Express Systems are implemeting at The Marketing Practice, the Busines 2 Business agency of the year

Express Systems have implemented their second system in Australia and have formed Exsystems pty.

12th May User Group day (Birmingham)

V9 Synergist Release Notes

Express Systems Client Rave, win gold cream award.

New Clients

• The marketing Practice: www.themarketingpractice.com
• Balloon Dogs: www.balloondog.co.uk
• Amway: www.amway.com
• R&B Creative Communication: www.randb.com.au
• Incite marketing: www.incite.ws
• Icon 5: www.netsquared.com
• Studio six: www.studiosixcommunications.co.uk
• Primedica: www.prime-medica.co.uk

ABBA

abba (Association of Business-to-Business Agencies) is dedicated to supporting the agencies and client marketers that work in B2B marketing and communications.

B2B marketing has gained increasing recognition during the past decade, as marketers have come to appreciate the unique challenges of communicating with a business audience.

www.abba.co.uk

Flowmation

Flowmation brings a whole new approach to both inter and intra organisational project communications. It combines a suite of communication tools that really make a difference, are intuitive to use and powerful in scope.

www.flowmation.co.uk

Grafx

IT Management & Retained Support Services

Specialising in the support and development of IT within the creative services industry, Grafx service both Apple and Microsoft based systems.

Our forte is untangling computer systems and software solutions that have evolved over time and are now exhibiting weaknesses. Using good administration and simple working procedures we remove the bottlenecks and system errors that hold companies back.  We believe that IT should not be overly complicated or too expensive to manage! For an informal chat about your IT please call Tony Briscombe on 01242 704350.

www.grafx.co.uk

kaizanIt

Kaizan have resources with over twenty years of experience in medium/large graphic studio management, policy creation and development, disaster recovery and IT strategy as well support. We are Apple Authorised Service Providers and Resellers and Microsoft Partners. All staff are trained to a high level and reference sites are available upon request.

www.kaizenitsolutions.co.uk