Global Real Estate Institute: Installing and integrating a content management system
The Problem
When GRI approached FelineSoft, they were experiencing growing pains, caused in
part by the software being used to run the business. This was a FoxPro database
that had organically grown over a number of years and was no longer meeting the
requirements of GRI; further customisation or extensions would have been cumbersome
and costly to implement and would only provide a short extended life span. Furthermore,
the Fox Pro database was causing the locking of records and other related multi-user
problems.
The Goals
GRI runs property events on a global scale with events in all major continents.
A new system would be required to manage the data and support the business processes
involved in both the selling and running of these events. What GRI needed was a
user-friendly framework with a multi-user environment which was not only robust,
but also capable of integration with other systems and software. Another requirement
of a new system was that it could support foreign language characters such as Russian
and Chinese.
Delivery
Having proposed Microsoft CRM Dynamics 3.0 as the ideal solution for their database,
we started work on migrating the last three years of GRI's event data from the Fox
Pro database to a new CRM installation. At the same time, FelineSoft's CMS system
was built into the GRI website with integration to the new CRM installation to enable
data synchronization; data-caching was used to ensure the performance of the website
was not compromised. Finally, following on from the data migration into CRM, some
customisation was required to help cut down on administration, such as the automatic
generation of orders and invoices in the sales process.
Conclusion
The nature of GRI's business means that its events management staff spend a lot
of time attending events abroad, and further expansion of the business was being
heavily restricted by the amount of time staff had to spend on the administration
of taking bookings. Their new integrated back office system with its streamlined
processes means that the current staff are more productive and the company can continue
to expand without having to take on additional administrative staff.
CGI Design/NHS: Bespoke Content Management System for NHS websites
CGI Design is a London-based design agency that specialises in developing new media
and communications for many organisations, with a particular focus on the NHS.
The problem
CGI Design first approached FelineSoft when one of their external technical contractors
let them down and they were left with no technical resources to call on. As an agency
that were involved in projects with large organisations such as the NHS, they needed
a technical partner that would be able to offer them continuing levels of support
and technical resources whenever needed.
The goals
CGI Design needed a reliable technical partner that would guarantee them meeting
their project deadlines, a partner that could build websites with features such
as intranet facilities and content management systems without compromising their
designs, and handle anything technical that was out of their own range of expertise.
The Delivery
Working in close collaboration with CGI Design meant that we were able to get to
know CGI’s clients and customize our own Content Management System (CMS) to suit
their individual needs. As a result of working on numerous NHS projects, FelineSoft
has a CMS that is specifically customized for NHS websites, and can be built to
an individual Trust’s requirements. The robust and flexible architecture of our
CMS enables CGI’s clients to update any web pages easily so that their sites are
kept fresh and updated at all times, while our Styling Protector also ensures that
the original design and concept of the site is maintained. To view an example of
one of the NHS sites we have worked on with CGI, go to
www.st-marys.nhs.uk.
Conclusion
The close collaboration between CGI and FelineSoft has enabled CGI to pitch on
large projects that would have been out of reach before. We work closely with the
CGI team and share the risk of pitching for large projects by giving our time free
of charge; this partnership has resulted in both sides benefiting from each other’s
expertise and enabled us to work on larger projects together.
"FelineSoft have a great attitude and understand the importance of sticking to
a design so are endlessly patient with my detailed requests to get things looking
just right. Another bonus is being able to take them along to my client meetings
and knowing my clients will warm to their personalities and clear way of explaining
technical aspects of projects!"
Keren Lerner, CGI Design