Timeline of Updates and New Features

2004

11.9b   April 12, 2004     

1. Goal Setting has been made much easier.  We have added the ability to set the goal for the entire year.  You are able to set a goal for the entire showroom and then automatically divide it into the number of salespeople that are active by week on the four five method.  Using this method then synchronizes goals with the Performance Letter.  It will also not rewrite existing goals that you may have previously set.  

2. Change X Ref to Birth date on Customer Info card.  Synchronized this birth date with an auto letter that will print for any customer birthday.  Just select the birthday letter from properties and select the birthday letter.  If you have a question please do not hesitate to call 713-532-1106.

3. Added Traffic Counter totals to the Performance Letter and IGE reports.

4. Enhanced the Sales Goals Comparisons Report so that you can instantly compare how each salesperson is doing compared the goal to date and the corresponding percentage.  

11.9a  April 9, 2004

1. Goals have been modified so it uses the 4-4-5 accounting method.  In other words you will always have the same number of days and weekends in any month and year for accurate comparisons.  Most retailers who use this method also do this with payroll and all other reporting formats to create consistency.  (Ask your accountant)  TRAX still provides the option to measure goals by calendar month but if you use the 4-4-5 you only need to set the dates once and determine  (in Maintenance) the day of the week you want to start.  TRAX does the rest forever.

2. We have also added a new function in Below Average Sale where you can filter out the small sales in any several different amounts up to $300.

3. Easily switch salespeople back and forth while in Cust Info and Mailing from a LAN PC .  When a Salesperson is using Customer Info and Mailing select Administration then Sign On and you may enter any other salesperson password.  It automatically closes the previous salespersons customer information and is secure.

11.9     Mar 22, 2004

1.  Screen that we can send to any dealer when they enter the site that we can send personal messages.  Friendly Reminder :
2.  One more sorting field for the Traffic Analysis report, by Profit Center . 

3.  Most Productive Customers Report has been created and incorporated under Customer Editing Menu.

11.8     Mar 11, 2004

11.8     Feb 18, 2004

1.  When you do a return the system will now allow you to reduce warranties and accessory amounts correctly.  This updates through all reports and sales totals properly.  

2.  We have also provided even faster connection speed and enhanced security.  We strongly urge everyone to change their passwords from the original setting provided to you when installed and reset to a user name and password of your choosing.

3.  We have enhanced the customer list to permit you to sort by salesperson more effectively on line.  Please let us know if this works for you.  We are adding a complete customer management module very soon and your feedback will be greatly appreciated.

11.8     Feb 10, 2004

If you want to track Sketch's and House calls please go to maintenance at the showroom Upboard machine and select Administration then Showroom.  The type of showroom is actually a hidden drop down list.  Please select Fabric if you are a Home Furnishings dealer and Carpet if you are a flooring dealer.  Select Save.  The next time you open your UpBoard you will discover two new buttons above product category called Sketches [] and House Call [].  These new choices will provide closing ratios by salesperson and dollars generated with these features on both the Performance Letter and the Performance Summary.

Five new reports and one very cool feature.

11.8     Feb 7, 2004

A router was being replaced causing service to be down for 40 minutes Early Saturday morning and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.  This did not effect service at the showroom level.

We have recently improved security by providing you editing capability.  Please go to Administration and Security then we suggest you remove the original password and user name originally assigned to you and replace with a secure password of your choosing.  We would suggest that you occasionally change the password to eliminate the possibility of foul play.

We also suggest that if you are interested in all the changes and improvements that we have recently added to the eTRAX system please visit the TRAX Training link at the top of any eTRAX report screen then select Section Five then number one "Timeline of Updates"

11.8     Feb 2, 2004

We have added Sketches and the ability to measure House Calls.  You will notice two new small boxes on the UpBoard located just above the product categories.  When a box is checked it will track the performance of each salesperson in these areas.  The Performance Summary Report and Performance Letter will both reflect the number of sketches drawn by salesperson and closing ratios in each area.  

We know that both of these areas are important to growth and improvement of your business.  Many successful dealers have been doing Sketches and House Calls for decades.  We are very pleased to provide the ability for everyone to now measure and prove once and for all how powerful these activities are for anyone who uses them.  Thank you Tom Green and Dave Peterson for your continued support and advice in the development in these areas and in the warranty tracking arenas.  You are a great dealer and are no doubt going places.  It is a pleasure to be associated with you.

11.8     Jan 24, 2004

For those dealers who are just getting started today...

We suggest a basic starter spiff contest for the first two weeks using the "IGE" Info Gathering Efficiency Report.

The IGE report tracks how many relationships each salesperson develops with the customers he or she did not sell when the customer came in the first time.  

The goal for each salesperson obviously is to sell every customer every time, but we know that is not possible.  We believe that the goal for each salesperson should be to earn the name, address and phone number of at least 50% of the people who don't buy, so they can follow-up before your competition does.  If you kick off a contest for the first two weeks of introducing Trax and pay the top performing sales associates you will see great success and determine immediately who isn't going to try and get customer info if a sale is not made.

11.8      2-2-03

• Addition of RPU data on web ( along with editing ) 

• Incorporated the “All” function in every report feasible 

• Included corporate email on Dealers screen on web.  Included Manager email and Trax Admin email on Showroom screen on web

• Fixed warranty and accessory on Perf Summ so they calc closing ratio properly (on the web) Number warranties divided by number of sales made.  The ratios by sales dollars for Warranties and Accessories I have decided is not important and takes up too much room to do both.   

• Included Owner Name, Corporate phone number and email, Showroom Phone, Manager Name and email, Trax Admin Name, Phone Number and Email on PowerBuilder Showroom Information screen.

• Returns done from the Upboard so SP can subtract warranties and accessories ( in PB ).2k2-7

11.7      1-25-04

• eTrax moves faster and no timeout issues with big accounts.

• Added new Sketch and House Calls related closing ratio and percentage columns to the Performance Summary on the web and Include Sketch, In Home Visit content in Performance Letter

• Time with customers report has all function

• Please add the showroom telephone number and managers name to Maintenance for Web Enabling.  Adding email shortly.

• Easier Editing of Staffing Analysis for TT only customers.  Now can edit full day with a click.

• LZB Boardman Issue resolved with Password and move to deck function.  Ruby Gordon also done regarding RPU report.

• Maintenance to select Sketch and In Home from Maintenance for display on the Performance Summary like we do with Warranties, Accessories and Personal Trade.  If selected this hides these items also on the Performance Letter.
  

11.7      1-18-04

• Sketch and House Calls Function on the Upboard and report these to the Performance Summary.

• Average Time with Cust Prob...It seems that the totals are off on this report.

• Sort the Below Average Sale and Closing Ratio by the amount above or below the average when in all mode

• All on return reasons.

• Edit The sale amount and the number of invoices on the RPU report for Traffic TRAX

• Staffing analysis able to edit and add the number of salespeople per hour.6k

11.6      1-11-04

• Cost Per Opportunity measuring the effectiveness of advertising by media has been enhanced greatly. Make sure you have the correct dollar amounts spent for each month to see the benefits. This report is also retroactive regarding past months. 

• All feature to the Below Average Sale and Below Average Closing Ratio Report.  

• Performance Summary calculations last two columns made to display averages Items Per Sale and Sales per Hour

• Set up Performance Summary so they can turn off or turn on Square footage columns on Performance Summary.

• New web report “Reasons for not purchasing”
  

11.6      1-2-04

• Below Average Closing Ratio Report has been completed.
• Timesheet Report has been completed.
• Time with Customers Report has been completed.
• RPU display for the entire year.
• Closing ratio by Product Report has been completed.
• Advertising Cost per Opportunity Report has been completed.
• Numerous diagnostic tools added to web to insure accuracy.
• ALL REPORTS REFRESH AUTOMATICALLY
• All button on the Performance Summary Report.  All button on the IGE report.

2003

11.6      12-15-03

• Widened web headings to 40 characters
• Improved Staffing Analysis and Performance Summary Reports
• Added Revenue Per Up, and several other new reports to web.
• Organized Web so Faster and easier to navigate

11.6     11-26-03

• Fixed auto print letter issues
• Add new salespeople and admin changes to web with new administrative button,
• Interface With Import Export Synchronizing with Business Systems Button
• Customer and SP Name Match letter body on auto print letters
• Perfected Logo incorporation into Auto Print letters. 

11.5     10-28-03

• Performance Summary calculates average sale
• Created Sample company on Web for presentations

11.4        10-8-03

• Created diagnostic tools for web and permitted huge databases to be transferred to web

11.4        9-25-03

• New Getter Program (Re-written from DOS to Windows to eliminate data capturing errors and provide numerous on line web diagnostic tools)
• Added Refresh Traffic Trax function for WAN

11.3        9-02-03

• Fixed Client machines so don’t create error message and try to connect to web
• Cost Per Opportunity report enhanced to display more advertising vendors
• Ctrl A tracks time in minutes with each customer and an average overall for the company.
• Changed menu order on eTrax for easier navigation.
• Diagnostics on eTrax improved.
• Went from reporting 16 entrances per company to three and reduced bandwidth to less than approximately 5k per transfer.

11.1        8-27-03

• Added SP Orientation to Help F1 and latest Info Movie to F7 and will run when in Reports and on the UpBoard

11.1          8-4-03

• Created diagnostic tools for eTrax
• Added Upboard Reports and Maint screens to web
• Displayed number of rows done while updating so can easily see when complete
• Web updates only since last update not all week
• Add adjustable calendars to all eTrax screens and reports

11.1      7-22-03

• Added several reports to automatic printing like the IGE, Below Ave Sale and Closing Ratio, Return Reasons and Out of Rotation
• Allows Cust mailing to be sorted by Product Cat.  This permits special invitations by product to your unsold customer database and could turn Trax into your most powerful advertising source. 
• Time with Cust report now displays ten SP at a time rather than three.
• Out of Rotation report now prints one occurrence per line displaying more occurrences per page.
• Sort capability by column for Performance Summary by clicking heading at the top of column
• Ctrl N function, which allows an employee to be present, and not get in rotation.
• TT web providing current hourly data.

11.0        7-10-03

• Traffic TRAX web enabled

10.3           6-26-03

• Created IGE Info Gathering Efficiency Report Tracking number of quality relationships developed with unsold customers for follow-up by salesperson.

• Created Below Average Closing Ratio and Below Average Sale Reports
• Import capability (for TT only) customers so they can sync automatically with TT.  Staffing report and Revenue Per Up report.  Their software needs to export to comma delimited flat file
• Traffic comparison increased from reporting six to now displaying eight weeks
• Added 2^nd backup for safety (did Rene set up install shield?)  Uninstall should not delete a good db.
• Created auto print for sold customers, so now auto prints custom letters for both sold and unsold customers.
• Date on To Do List for SP so doesn’t get confused if viewed at a later time.
• Double Eagle goals set in 10% increments of improvement per year so can adjust Double Eagle Goal to how long using Trax and based on number customers in system for follow-up.
• Contact Manager Improved (no one uses this WHY NOT)

10.1       5-12-03

• SRI method issue resolved by Mike
• Move to Deck Password protected
• Set higher password capability for admin in TT
• Created TT Lite for Museums and Library’s
• Added Dollar Volume per SF And Advertising Cost per Sale and Cost per Opportunity to Performance Summary
• Auto Backup perfected on 2000 Pro and XP Operating Systems  
• Added capability to create new sale in LAN or WAN

9.0              3-28-03

• Ctrl I function to track overflow by salesperson
• Removed Inactive SP from Upboard and Goals
• Product Category and Reasons Didn’t Purchase if Sales Not Made By Salesperson added to Ctrl A report
• Enhanced Double Eagle Goals program
• Cust Info and Mailing Closes Automatically after 15 min of idle time
• Incorporated Batch File processing Car Toys/Crabtree

8.0.6           3-16-03

• Added new fields to Import Export
• Run Getter from client machines
• Help Displays Company name and update number
• Password protect change rotation option
• Import capability added for existing cust db
• Getter refreshes on WAN

2002

7.8.1     9-1-02

• Resolved Margin Issues
• Improved Diagnostics of TT (History)
• Enhanced To Do List Printing and Action date capability

7.7.8     8-5-02

• Put Performance Summary In grid Style for better presentation (Show Hide functions)
• Perf Letter changes,
• Cust Info and Mailing Employee Password enabled

7.7.6     07-22-02

• Performance Letter Redesigned and made easier to use by highlighting headings of each Paragraph
• First letter capitalized customer info screens
• Created International Version
• Warranties, Accessories, Personal. Trade MAKE THEM INVISIBLE WHEN WE DON'T WANT TO DISPLAY THEM.
• Enhanced Ctrl A Report by expanding columns
• Allowed insertion of new customers through Cust Info and Mailing

7.6     4-3-02

• Created Save As Function for All TT Reports

• Set UP Auto Refresh of TT when launch UpBoard

• Resolved Pro 200 Issues (NT Format)

6.0     3-09-02

Import Export Capability with Business POS Software

2001

• Local Area Networking for salespeople to access and edit UpBoard
• Wide Area Networking for management to access reports from remote locations.

2000

• Local Area Networking for management access to reports
• Developed Triple lens Traffic TRAX system with engineering firm and synchronized with Upboard and reports

1999

• Created CRM Trax program with to Do List
• Harry Friedman helped redesign Trax goals program
• Introduced Closing Ratios by Product by Salesperson, Performance Letter and Automatic Printing of Important Reports and Thank you letters
• Developed Traffic TRAX dual beam system with Omron PLC

1998

• Created Computer Windows 3.1 and 95 based UpBoard Program
• Introduced Goals Program and Advertising Modules

• Worked with John Lawhon to incorporate the ROCC into our Performance Summary report and did Spring High Point Trade Show together.

1997

• Jan 2, Had Epiphany regarding Up System.  Patent Pending Wall Mounted Electronic UpBoard. 
• Sold first system in August.

1996

• Holiday Season 1996 created numerous manual reports to help my salespeople follow-up with unsold customers and track their closing ratios and performance by product category.  These are reports I had created for my eight store chain in Houston Texas beginning in 1985.

Please click the cat to go back to Training Page

   1997 - 2004  Mink-Inc, All Rights Reserved.
Patent Pending