Category Archives: All Business

Nothing But Business

Sage Summit 2013 – Are You In Or Are You Out?

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Gaylord National Harbor Resort

Gaylord National Harbor Resort

There has been much discussion about the value of attending Sage Summit 2013 Partner & Customer Conference, which is being held in Washington D.C. July 21 – 26 at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort.

This is my favorite Gaylord because it’s easy to navigate (Not like the Opryland Human Maze), it’s close to some outside restaurants and clubs, (Again not like Opryland which is a $25 Cab ride downtown Nashville)

But I won’t miss it and neither should you!  I’ve have found that Summit provides me with great value and relevant information. Our industry changes daily and there’s no way to stay on top of these changes if we don’t talk to the source(s). You can find the source(s) and other partners who have utilized those changes successfully by attending Sage Summit 2013. 

Most of the real interesting conversations are those that you find in the hallways between sessions and keynotes. If you want to watch a partner who is adept at deciphering what is said and more importantly what’s not said, find Wayne Schulz and ask him if it’s okay to tag along, he’ll probably say “no” but go anyway. It’s how he and I became friends.

Its eye opening, informational and very rarely is his take on things wrong. I talk to Wayne 3-5 times a week and the conversation is always lively. You can catch Wayne on his daily morning walks at 6:00 a.m. along with other partners like Robert Wood, Peter Wolf & I swear I’m going to get up at Zero Dark 30 to walk with them.

If sessions are your thing then go park yourself in every Ed Kless session that has an open seat. You won’t leave disappointed. I have sat in many of his sessions, taken the week long Consulting Academy, gone to conferences just to hear him speak and rate Ed as one of the top speakers in our industry.

Look at the business partners and vendors who consistently attend Summit.  If you want the keys to success they’re the people to see. Go to their booths and see what they’re doing that you’re not. It’s probably a safe wager that they’ve been involved in Summit for many years.

“It has always been MY rule that if I am serious about selling Sage products I need to attend Summit. I need to “breathe” the air, sense the mood of the Sage community, and get enough inspiration to see me through another year.” Arlie Skory; Managing Partner at Skory Employer Solutions LLC 

There is a long term value of creating lasting relationships with other colleagues who will share their knowledge with you. I’ve spent many hours talking with them about the direction that our industry is headed.

What price tag do you put on the information you receive at Summit? How about face time with Sage executives, visiting with 3rd party providers? I don’t think you can put a tag on these. The sessions alone that Sage offers are topic rich.

We get caught up on doing work as we’ve always have not aware there are better ways to streamline our businesses & become more cost effective. If we don’t go to Summit & feed off the synergy then we’re going to stay in that same rut getting the same results.

There are BP’s who have concerns that they don’t write any new business at Summit. They’ve bought booth space, & brought a large group. Is it worth the expenditure? Can I justify the costs? How much business will I miss out on while I’m at Summit? These are valid questions. The answer is simple….How much effort are you willing to exert while you’re there.

If you’re going to Summit with the sole intent of closing deals you will be disappointed. It’s like going to the circus expecting Shakespeare; this is an unrealistic expectation. A lot of companies look at expenditures that don’t provide immediate return as worthless. I think of attending conferences the same as Spring Training, The chances of a productive year increase exponentially with a successful Spring Training.

If you’re still not sold, here are 3 questions to ask yourself.

►By not going am I adding or taking away value from the success of my business?

► What new technology can I find at Summit that I can add to my product portfolio?

►Am I the problem or am I the solution?

Come to D.C. & see what’s going on at Sage. You will go back to your business with new tools, ideas & a new attitude.

See you in Washington D.C.
Bill Kizer
http://na.sage.com/sage-summit/
http://billkizer.com

Analytics? We Don’t Need No Stinking Analytics…….

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[FINN]

Okay, so the heading is just a bit over the top, but I don’t believe by much.

I’ve had several websites over the past few years & when I used to speak of them it was always from the Analytics perspective. How many unique visitors did the site have? How much time were they spending on it? What was the Bounce Rate? What city were they arriving from? What foreign countries, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah ad nauseum.

I realized that we had been sold a bill of goods by Google and took the current Analytics at face value as gospel. It was also, I believe, a stroke of genius on their part when they made these available to anyone by offering them at no cost.

What did those metrics really say? More importantly what didn’t they say?

“Most businesses measure only Activity Metrics which I’ve come to believe don’t tell the whole story. What we should be looking at are Outcome Metrics  which monitor impact,” according to Jonathan Becher, CMO SAP.

After reading his brief column titled “Counting What Counts: How Outcome Metrics Have Changed the Game” in the Sept. 24th issue of Forbes Magazine, I felt that I has found a kindred spirit.

This idea that maybe we were looking at the wrong metrics was the basis for the movie Moneyball in which Billy Beane, then the General Manager of the Oaklands Athletics MLB team turned the baseball world upside down with his theory. He had a lot of naysayers within, old school scouts, owners, even his own team manager.

In baseball where $10 million plus annual salaries are fairly common Beane was given a very small budget  ($40mil) to field a team of 25 active players & 15 others who make up a 40 man roster. Beane determined that baseball had been all wrong in what metrics it was using to draft & trade players & what their dollar value was to the team. Statistics such as stolen bases, runs batted in, and batting average, typically used to gauge players had been determined by Beane to be relics of an earlier time.

Instead he theorized that metrics such as OBP (On Base Percentage) SLG (Slugging Percentage) were the Impact Metrics & were far more important than RBI’s, SB’s, & BA.

Oakland went on to a 103 – 59 record, second only to the New York Yankees who finished the year with a 103-58 season at the cost of over $100 million just for player’s salaries to achieve the same number of wins.

Becher goes on to say “We live in an increasingly data driven world. Unlocking the power of the data & analytics provides insights & a competitive edge….”

This is exciting to me & I plan on looking more into the Impact Metrics versus the easily attainable Activity Metrics that we currently put so much faith into.

I now know what Ed Kless feels like when he’s attempting to teach software partners a more financially sound method of billing for their services. Many of those partners are CPA’s, a group who thrive in the thrill of Hourly Billing. I believe that it takes courage & a firm conviction to believe in something that is totally opposite of the “norm.” It makes it expodentially difficult when you exist in a world that lives on the time worn creed, “But that’s the way we’ve always done it.”

sage partners, employees,alumni linkedIn group fall meeting

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Join us for the Sage Partners, Employees & Alumni Group Fall Meeting

        Andreis Conscious Restaurant, Irvine
http://www.andreisrestaurant.com/

Come & join the members of the most dynamic LinkedIn Group for our Fall meetup.

This is a fantastic opportunity to network with your fellow colleagues & make new acquaintances.

We’ll have an All Star panel to talk about the topics that YOU choose.
Our Platinum sponsor, Altec, & their dynamite Events Team that is lead by April Blankenship & her 2nd in command, Allison Alonzo have secured a beautiful location for this Meetup.
They’re supplying us with breakfast & we’ll have a Webex connection for those who are interested in the meeting but are geographically unable to attend that is being setup by  Moira Goggin of Chismet Consulting.
We’re looking for raffle prizes from partners, we’re going to give you a chance to talk briefly about your product.
We’d like you to choose 3 topic suggestion for the meeting.
_____Learn about 3rd party add-ons & other Sage updates
_____Identify ways to maximize your involvement in this group. “Get The Most From Your Post.”
_____Network with Sage Partners & 3rd party vendors.
_____Keep up with trends affecting the ERP/CRM industry & technology
_____Exchange views on the Summit topics & sessions. Got ideas for sessions? We want to hear them
_____Discover ways to excel in your business & differentiate yourself from your competition
(Rank your priorities 1 -6 / 1 Higest, 6 Lowest)
We look forward to seeing you on Oct. 11th.
Have questions?
Bill Kizer; 760.518.2493
April Blankenship; 949.727.1248
Allison Alonzo; 949.727.1248
Moira Goggin; 562-989-8400
John Hoyt; 818.572.7537

What’s The Worth Of An Advocate To A Company?

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“To speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly.

Would an advocate bring value to a company? You bet they do because true company advocates are hard to find even when all is not well in The Mother Ship. 

According to Weber Shandwick; who is one of the world’s leading global public relations firms  say that people are quicker to take action on issues and causes, make decisions to buy products and services, and express satisfaction and dissatisfaction than ever before. Advocates can be further defined as individuals who forge emotional bonds and higher levels of involvement with companies, brands and issues. Three types of Advocates emerged from a recent survey;  High Intensity Advocates, Low Intensity Advocates and Badvocates

Advocates are much more likely than average adults to pay a premium for brands they support. They vote with their wallets and provide tangible returns for the brands they champion.

Nearly three out of four Advocates pay more for select brands compared with approx. 4 out of 10 global respondents who are willing to do the same.

Advocates stand by companies they support in time of trouble. They’re more likely to give companies the benefit when controversy rises. When reputations are in danger, companies can count on their Advocates to help stabilize revenue and sales. Companies should engage their Advocates before needing their support.

Advocates are 3.5 times more likely to continue loyalty to a company when it’s in crisis than to discontinue loyalty. The average adult is only 2.8 more likely to continue loyalty than to discontinue loyalty.

Badavocacy  or the act of actively detracting from companies, brands or products, is more likely than Advocay to travel through personal networks. When encountering a negative experience Badvocates take their stewardship seriously. They feel more responsible than Advocates for cautioning others about which products or brands to use. In less direct channels, writing, blogs, web sites and podcasts are just as likely to be used by both Advocates and Badavocates.

Negative feedback is more likely to be forwarded than positive information, 54% of Badavocates share negative feedback while 45% Advocates send positive feedback.

Why a blog about the importance of advocates vs. badvocates? The company that I’m referring to is in a time of internal changes, changes that will bring a different perspective to the technology landscape and according to those who stand to lose the most as a result of these changes they are not happy. The noose tightens and the wagons are drawing in closer for more protection. We’re not talking about newcomers to the game, we’re referring to people who have been around a long time and for most of that time they were advocates.

September 30th is the end of the fiscal year and the true barometer of this lack of respect for company advocates will be known at that time. All I can say is that I don’t consider myself an 100% advocate of this company any longer for many reasons but I’m not ready to jump onto the Badvocate camp quite yet.

Too often companies have employees making decisions that change relationships drastically without any history of that relationship and I believe strongly that is the case in the company that I’m referring to.

If I were any lesser of a man I would publish the company name and the individuals who are making those decisions but I was taught to take the High Road and once again that’s the road I’m taking.

Zappos; The Best At Delivering The WOW Experience? Maybe………………

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I’ve been hearing more and more this year that I have to go to Henderson, Nevada & take the Tour of Zappos. Its supposed to be incredible, blah, blah, blah. I’d heard that if you contacted them that they would send you a copy of the Zappos Culture Book, a collection of personal written statements by the employees. In a random sampling I started to get intrigued by what they were saying about the place that they spend the bulk of their day.

I wasn’t impressed by them when it took them 6 weeks to get my Culture Book in my hands. Order lost, second one sent to wrong address,wrong zip, wrong street, wrong city, wrong state.

After each incident they would say that they were taking care of it with no results. Finally I sent them the e-mail that no one ever wants to get from me. I call it “Come to Jesus Letter Via Social Media.” I even have a template of it, just in case I forget something.

One day after my last round of e-mails with them I received the Zappos Culture Book, a signed copy of “Delivering Happiness” written by Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos and one small item, still don’t know what it is, my sons will. Some people think that you need to overwhelm your clients with semi expensive gifts at Christmas.
We go out of our way to make sure that we send to them their favorite Champagne, Scotch, etc.

There was one additional item in the package that I’m going to save. It has a retail value of less than $2 but to me it was the most valuable item that I received. 

It was a HAND WRITTEN card from someone name Rocco apologizing for the mixups. It completely wiped out the mistakes & made me a Zappos fan. It was a WOW experience. By the way it was sent from Rocco DeBenedictis who has the title of Culture Magician and it read…..

“Dear Bill, I do apologize for the long delay….If there is anything I can help you with, please let me know…..Rocco

The card meant the most to me. I am now a Zappos fan just like Tammy Mathews,  Ed Kless, Himanshu Palsule & Judy Thornell. 

If you’ve had a WOW experience with Zappos please share it in the comments section. 

What Does A VAR Look Like To You?

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Robert_Himanshu_Bill_Pascal @ Sage Summit 2011

What Do You Think A VAR Looks like?

Do they have integrity, passion, & honesty? Or do you have to check and re-check every invoice they send you knowing that you’re going to have a less than pleasant conversation with them about the “Holy Cow” additional costs that you hadn’t anticipated?

 Do you hear from them regularly to tell you about new updates, versions or maybe just an offer to go to lunch? Or, do they call just to remind you that your annual maintenance and support fees are due?

Is This What Your Re-Seller Looks Like?

 Do you recommend them to friends or business associates who are looking for ERP software? 

Or are they like your drunk Uncle Charley who shows up for every holiday, drinks too much, starts swearing like, well a drunken uncle. He then proceeds to pass out on your new couch which is when he chooses flatulence as his primary language. Upon awakening to the smell of something burning in the kitchen and the shrieking of the fire alarm do you realize that Drunken Uncle Charley has plans to stay the entire Holiday weekend at your place, which is when you whip out the plastic and book him a room at the furthest hotel from you with promises that he’ll pay you back.

If your “VAR” isn’t providing you with quality service like the ones that have been mentioned above then maybe what you have is a Re-Seller, not a VAR.

I was just reading  a social media post from a new Sage partner who wrote the following (paraphrased)

They wanted input from other partners because they wanted to know why Sage is better than Quick Books & another solution but they weren’t really sure as they have no experience in the usage of Sage or any other accounting program. Okay, fair enough we all have to learn sometime about the software that we represent but here’s where I was just dumbfounded. I went to their website, wait for it, and wait for it
This was what I read (paraphrased again)

At ____________ we specialize in the use of, and training in, Sage accounts, Payroll and HR programs. We offer good value and great service during training and, if you require it, maintenance.

Okay, so is there something that I’m missing?  So which classification does this partner fall into? They don’t appear to me to offer much beyond the ability to sell software so I’m going with Re-Seller. A Re-Seller doesn’t offer additional services, usually doesn’t have the resources to provide those services and generally has to charge you more because they have to pay an outside resource to provide those services.

I know what the Re-Seller looks like because I worked for one for a short period of time. Not only did they not have the in house resources to help their clients but they hadn’t bothered to have their IT person certified, why by the way is a requirement by Sage. What that means that even if we had a sale we couldn’t process it because our online Sage access had been shut off.  That’s called a red flag and a reason to find a real VAR who could provide those services.

Our clients deserve the best service that’s available. They trust that they’re getting the best service. It’s incumbent upon us to provide an extraordinary customer experience each and every time that we have a dialogue with them.  It’s time that our clients are treated as something other than a quick buck. If you’re losing more than your fair share of clients for “undetermined” reasons then it’s time to re-examine your business practices.  Maybe it’s time to re-evaluate why you’re in business & if it’s just to make money then you’re probably doing in business for the wrong reasons. However if providing an extraordinary customer experience for your clients is your number one goal, congratulations. You “get it” and not surprisingly so do your clients. Welcome to the World of VARs

Transition Versus Change

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I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about change lately and the reasons for each individual event have one basic conclusion, but we’ll get to that later.

What’s your initial response when the company you’ve worked for a period of time experiences significant change in the overall ownership structure? My first reaction is one of fear and that fear is usually based around one re-occuring. “What Am I Going To Lose?” With that one simple question my mind can run off in all sorts of directions that aren’t healthy for me or anyone around me because that’s when the negativity & fear of the unknown start to cultivate & grow in my mind. 95% of the time when I have speculated about what change is going to bring is so off the mark that I feel like a moron.

This is also the time that I start to speculate about those changes. The best definition of speculation is “a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence.” The key phrase is incomplete evidence. Apparently it was pretty evident to others that I wasn’t dealing well with the changes that were going on around me so they gave me a book to read titled Managing Transitions by William Bridges. In it he says the following;

 “Change,” which he describes as external and public, and “transition,” which is internal, private, and psychological.  He claims that change is relatively easy but transitions are more difficult and emotionally demanding.  He states “Transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation….and, it is these interior processes of learning and adaptation—not the external facts of change—that are underestimated and can be treacherous to one’s health and happiness.”

“ In our highly mobile society, where change and ambition are considered coin of the realm, people fail to recognize that any transition process—in life, in love, in work—not only requires adapting to a new situation, but it means letting go of old habits.”

Prior to reading this book I didn’t realize that there were two parts to change. I just thought that I thick headed and stubborn. Well, maybe there’s still some of that, but……

You might ask why I’m writing about this at this juncture. Since you asked I’ll tell you. Sage is going through some major changes in terms of re-branding its entire product line. There’s been a lot of discussion amongst the Sage partners about how it’s going to affect their bottom line.

What’s interesting to me is that I haven’t lost a minute of sleep because I understand the need for a change so I’ve passed through the Transition phase with flying colors and am anxious to see how this all works out.

I’m in the Change phase which allows me to move forward and I hope that all the partners who are still in the Transition phase get to enjoy the Change phase.

Did You Forget To Pack Anything For Sage Summit 2011?

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We’re only 3 weeks away from attending the Inaugural Sage Summit 2011. Prior to leaving San Diego I think that it’s time to get out the checklist. If you’re like me, you’ll discover that if I don’t prepare a checklist I’ll always end up 1 pair of socks short, Too few business cards, forgot toothpaste, brought 2 bottles of shampoo, no conditioner. You name it, I’ve forgot it on one trip or another. That’s why I pack like I’m leaving for a year around the world. I can pack just as much for 3 days in Las Vegas as I can for a 1 week trip.

Airline Ticket √
Sage Summit Registration √
Room Reservation √
Luggage √
4 Suits √
2 Pair Slacks √
1 Pair Jeans √
8 Shirts, Dress, Casual √
3-4 Pair of Shoes, Including Flip Flops √
6-8 Pair of Socks √
6-8 Pair of Underwear √
3 Belts √
4 Tee Shirts √
Assorted Toiletries √
Laptop √
Camera √
Cell Phone √
Chargers For Laptop, Camera, Cell Phone √
Extra Batteries for Wireless Mouse √
Verizon Broad Band Card √
Extra Batteries for Any Emergency √
Necessary Travel Documents √

Just writing this list wore me out to the point that I had to go upstairs and take a nap. I get teased a lot because I just don’t know how to pack lightly. I operate under the “You Just Never Know” Theory. I enjoy wearing suits so I mostly wear suits at conferences so I need those. I have to wear different shirts so I need those.  Of course extra socks & underwear are a must, Duh. Different shoes for each suit are very important. There’s nothing worse than wearing a black suit & let’s say you forgot the black shoes, all you have are your brown ones. It doesn’t look good & I trust me when I say, you will spend the entire evening looking at the brown shoes wondering how many people are figuratively wondering why you’re wearing brown and not black shoes.  I know this to be a fact because I’ve see me do it.

Should be all set, right? Wrong. Don’t forget your wallet! I’ve done that before also. If it can be forgotten I’ve forgotten it on some trip to somewhere.

I think that someone could make a decent living hiring themselves out as professional packers. Hand them your list, they go through it with you, and voila your only job is to start your car and head to the airport. She’s already packed your luggage in your car and included your entire itinerary and any other necessary documentation.  After giving her a credit card number she pats you on the head and wishes you a safe flight and reminds you of the Power User discount. I might be willing to pay for that because when I say it takes me hours to pack, I’m not exaggerating.

Alright, I went out and purchased a new piece of luggage. One of the local luggage stores was having a killer sale on London Fog luggage. Had to have it! Retail Therapy is so rewarding & satisfying (until you get the credit card bill)

 Now if we could just someone else stand in the TSA lines for a reasonable price.

Williamkizer52@gmail.com
760.518.2493

The Value of Attending Sage Summit 2011

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There has been much discussion about the value of attending the Sage Summit 2011 Conference. I am one of those who have found Conferences to provide me with great value and I’ve learned a great amount of useable information. The technology industry changes daily and there’s no way to know about those changes if we don’t talk to the source. You can find the source(s) and other partners who have utilized those changes very successfully by attending events such as the new and improved Sage Summit.

Look at the business partners who consistently make the Top 10 list. Go to their website and see what they’re doing that you’re not. It’s probably a safe wager that they’ve been involved in Insights, BPAC members, etc.  It’s time to be accountable to ourselves for our failures or successes. It’s time to stop blaming others when we fail. It’s time to stop blaming the economy.

First, there is the long term value of creating lasting relationships with other BP’s or third party solutions and there are many knowledgeable partners and company representative who will gladly share that knowledge with you.

There has been a shift at Sage to offer more transparency and seeing the Management attend different social events & the Trade Show is testament to this new shift. We have a new CEO since our last Insights in Denver. Although Pascal Houillon is new to Sage North America he has been with Sage France, Belgium, Brazil, Switzerland, and Morocco since joining Sage in 1989. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him “out and about” during Sage Summit, so here’s another opportunity to meet more of the management team.

How do you put a price tag on product information you receive at Summit? What about face time with Sage executives? Truth be told, you can’t put a price tag on these items. The sessions alone that Sage is offering this year are numerous in count, while covering all Sage products, upgrades, changes etc.

Too often we get caught up on doing business as we’ve always done it, not knowing that there are better ways of streamlining and making our individual businesses more cost effective. But if we don’t go to Summit and attend sessions, talk to other BP’s, then we’re going to stay in that same spiraling vortex & will get the same results. One of my favorite quotes is:

“If you keep doing what you’re doing you’re going to keep getting what you get. If you want something new you’re going to have to try something new.”

~ Author Unknown

I have spoke to BP’s who have concerns that they have never “pulled” any new business from attending Insights and other conferences occasionally or even those who go each year. Then there’s the camp that has bought booth space, collected business cards & found that most of those cards belonged to other BP’s & not potential new deal opportunities. Is it worth the expenditure, they ask?

First, if you’re heading off to Insights with the sole intent of closing deals then you’re going to be disappointed. It’s kind of like going to a Barnum & Bailey Circus expecting Shakespeare; or going on vacation to Northern Minnesota in January wearing shorts, flip flops & sun tan lotion; you’re going to be disappointed by setting up unrealistic expectations.

Unfortunately most companies don’t look at non revenue generating items as having any value. Unless there’s a dollar amount involved most BP’s don’t “get it.” Here’s an example of one who does.

“It has always been MY rule that if I am serious about selling Sage products I need to attend Insights. I need to “breathe” the air, sense the mood of the Sage community, and get enough inspiration to see me through another year.” ~ Arlie Skory; Managing Partner at Skory Employer Solutions LLC ~

To the partners who don’t get it, there are three questions you need to ask yourself.

What value am I adding to the equation?
What Solution can I provide?
Am I participating in the success of my business?

Come to Washington D.C. & see the changes that are happening at Sage. You’re going to be surprised & more importantly you’re going to go back to your business with a new attitude & isn’t life itself about how you approach it? I think so & I hope to see each of you in D.C.

Note: Re-print of my 4/19/10 blog

williamkizer52@gmail.com
760.518.2493

Categories: Current Events Tags: BPAC, PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE, SAGE INSIGHTS, Sage Summit 2011, Pascal Houillon, Arlie Skory, TECHNOLOGY

What???? No Profile Photo??

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Does anyone actually look like the Ghost Profile pictured above? If you know a person who does then do one of the following:

1. Get them to Urgent Care Immediately
2. Send their picture to a family member for identification confirmation
3. Just smack them upside their head for missing out on fantastic online opportunities by not including a profile photo. (Not too hard, we don’t condone violence, just reprimands)

Let me ask another question. Why would you not want your photo to accompany your profile?

1. You’re afraid to let people see what you look like?
2. You’re afraid the authorities will find you and serve that extradition order on you?
3. You just don’t fully understand the term “Social Network.”

Would you attend a Networking Event and wear a bag over your head? Hopefully your answer is no. Then why do people not include their photo online?  I was once one of those  people who didn’t like to include my photo because I’m vain and I don’t think that I photograph very well. I don’t like the way that I really look to the camera. I have a perception of what I’d really like to look like but reality is reality and there’s nothing but alot of expensive surgery that is going to fix that.

Joseph Paris from Xonitek told me that he puts his photograph everywhere, not because he’s narcisstic but because a photograph makes people feel like they know you. It can be a differentiator to people. Joseph is a keynote speaker who speaks all over the world and has many global connections, he told me about the dozens of times that he’d be minding his own business at the airport, cigar lounge, etc. and someone would walk up to him as if they knew him and introduce themselves all from remembering his photo online.

Because I respect Joseph I tried it and at the first Insights that I attended after starting the group was in Nashville. I was walking with the Sage Rock Star of all Sage Rock Stars, Ed Kless and people were saying hi to me and introducing themselves and I remember Ed saying something to the effect that it was my turn to be a Rock Star. That’s not why I included my photo but I must admit it was kind of cool.

Last Insights in Denver I dragged John Shaver into the Churchills Cigar Lounge in the lobby of the fabulous Palace Hotel. I was enjoying a cigar, John was enjoying his double malt, aged 58 years in an oak barrel Scotch. (I’m exaggerating about the Scotch and have no clue what the difference is between a single malt or double malt Scotch is as I’m not a drinker, but ask me about the characteristics of a Cuban Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure Especial or a Cuban Vegas Robaina Famoso cigar and I will talk until either you get up and walk away mumbling to yourself or your eyes start to droop from sheer boredom.)

Anyway, back to the story a gentleman walks up to our table, introduces himself as David Faye, owner of Faye Consulting located in the San Fernando Valley. He recognized me from my LinkedIn profile and as a result David and I have become friends. We’ve shared meals together, smoked a few Cuban cigars, all as a direct result of including a photograph.

The point that I’m trying to make is that if you’re going to take the time and join a social network group include your profile photograph. Tell us a little about yourself and get involved in discussions. Ask & answer questions, add people to your network, connect with other groups. What’s the worse thing that will happen? You just might meet your next employer/employee, get your next project just because you set your profile up to garner interest from others.

Don’t be a lurker and sit by as the social media train rolls through. It will leave you waiting at the station.

To take a poll on LinkedIn regarding profile photographs please follow this link; http://tinyurl.com/bkizerpoll

BTW: This is the faceless Avatar from LinkedIn when you don’t include a photograph. Alot of you all look alike.

Is There Any Power in PowerPoint?

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Have you   ever noticed that effective speakers rarely use PowerPoints? Speakers know that they’re the reason that there’s people in the seats, and that they’re the star, not a PowerPoint presentation, no matter how well it’s done. 

For years we’ve communicated successfully by using our verbal skills. the “Experts” (whoever they are) say the best method is story telling and the best stories are those that aren’t memorized, practiced or rehearsed. If your topic is something that you have a passion for notes and PowerPoint slides aren’t necessary and will actually detract from what you have to say.

How many times have you sat in on a keynote and because you were so busy writing down what was on the PowerPoint that you missed out on what was being said? It’s also been said that PowerPoints are not only a distraction, but too often they’re used as a crutch for those who aren’t confident in their speaking abilities.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy putting a PowerPoint together, I just don’t like nor endorse using them because I’ve found myself leaning on them when giving a talk or presentation. I find the same for using notes. I almost feel mechanical and lose the passion and the ability to stay loose which I think are important ingredients for an effective speaker.

Making eye contact with your audience is necessary. How else can you gauge whether your audience is listening to you or not? If your head and eyes are focused on notes or your carefully crafted PowerPoint you will miss reaction or non reaction by your audience.

Here’s some clues that your audience isn’t listening:

Yawning
Sleeping
Fidgeting
Texting on the BlackBerry, iPhone, Android, etc.
Playing Hang Man, Solitaire, etc. on the iPad
Flirting with the girl/guy next to you
Many trips to the restroom
Many trips to the restroom and not returning
Many trips to the restroom, not returning with the girl/guy you were flirting with earlier
Frequent glances at wrist watch

I hope you’re getting the message I’m attempting to convey. If you haven’t here it is. If you can’t do without a PowerPoint, keep it brief.

Wayne Schulz sent me the following link to an article that he had just read.

It was written by Socialcast founder Tim Young detailing how he raised $10 million Venture Capital money using just a 5 slide deck. It was originally published at Knowledge is Social.

http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/02/365-days-10-million-3-rounds-2-companies-all-with-5-magic-slides/

Enjoy.

 

 

 

All VAR’s Are Not Equal

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Beats Me

All VAR’s are not equal nor are they the same. Some VAR’s shouldn’t be VAR’s which makes the exceptional VAR’s stand out even more, but gives the entire industry a Big Black Eye. This is just my opinion but some partners should close their doors and find their core competency and go do it.

Pre-2000 deals were flowing and everyone was happy, except for the customers. They were unhappy because they found that selling the solution was but a small part of the process and a lot of these customers were left out in the cold silently, and sometimes not so quietly cursing the entire industry. They were justified in their anger and disappointment.

What they found, much to their dismay was that not all VAR’s had their best interest in mind. This reminds me of Ben Franklin’s quote which was written more than 200 years ago;

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”

Deloitte and Touche did a study a few years back. They asked first and multiple time purchasers of Accounting Software what their #1 criteria was for choosing a system. (See Results Below)

Top 10 Criteria for Selecting Accounting Software

Rank                            Reason

Price of Software

Ease of Implementation

Ease of Use

Software’s ability to fit the business

Functionality of software

Software works with existing hardware

Growth potential of software

Level of support provided by local firm

Quality of documentation

Developers track record of performance

2nd Time Buyers

Rank                          Reason

Level of support provided by local firm
Developers track record
Software’s ability to fit the business
Growth potential of software
Price of software
Quality of documentation
Functionality of software
Ease of use
Ease of implementation
Software works with existing software

Take a look at the top 5 in the second group. The level of support provided by the local VAR was #1. I have shared this study with many prospects over the years, 50% took a look at it and still decided that price was the most important and paid the price. I’ve had many calls from prospects who chose price over substance asking us to clean up the mess from the partner they chose. The other 50% bought the right solution from the right partner and lived happily ever after! I recently ran into a Sage Software distributor who doesn’t have any in house resources to implement MAS products and yet call themselves a VAR. Apparently they’re unaware that VAR is the acronym for VALUE ADDED RESELLER intimating that the reseller provides Value. They can sell and they can provide support for the customer. If there are any potential customers reading this please don’t make the mistake that many others have made by choosing your Solution Provider on price alone.

  1. a. Ask them for 3 – 5 reference able happy and satisfied clients.
    b. Ask them what their implementation methodology is. All successful VAR’s should have this ready to send to prospects.
    c. Ask them how long they’ve been in business as a Sage VAR.
    d. Ask them if their staff is certified. If they can’t provide you with any of the above then you’re probably not dealing with a VAR, you’re dealing with a distributor; and anyone can distribute software.This is your time to ask questions and you should expect answers to your questions.Being a VAR requires a healthy investment and there are companies out there who are looking for shortcuts to this process. The Sage Software distributor that I mentioned earlier didn’t even have up to date certifications for their IT guy to do implementations. Really? Yet, they call themselves a VAR. Its people like this who give the industry a bad rap and unfortunately the rest of the industry has to answer for these companies.

How Important Is Transparency?

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Webster’s Definition of Transparency; “Implies Openness, Communication & Accountability”

In many corporations you’ll find the “Executive Team” cloaked in secrecy, making decisions that affect their employees all the way down the organizational chart often changing the relationship between the company & their customers. The sub text of this type of secret organization implies that they don’t trust their “valued” employees, nor do they care for their input & if they complain enough the company finds a way to let them go & finds someone else to fill that space & the behavior goes on unchecked, but who cares because profits are up, so why change?

Most of their customers are treated the same way. Other than the revenue that they generate the company looks at them as a necessary evil, invests minimally in support & knows that they can find more customers.

All of these decisions are made behind closed doors & in hushed tones & it’s this sort of company that creates no employee or customer loyalty. It’s just a job or in the case of the customer it’s just a vendor & you won’t find any Raving Fans in either group.

We have all probably worked in this atmosphere, I know I have & even though I had great ideas most fell on deaf ears. Eventually that dream opportunity becomes the dreaded work place that I have to show up to so that I can get a paycheck. In time creativity is gone from my spirit, I’m taking sick days off; I’m getting in late, leaving early. There is an astronomical cost that goes along with this type of operation.

Now flip the page & look at a company that is doing it’s best to become transparent. I understand that complete transparency is impossible, so I’m not being naïve about my definition of transparency.

Let’s talk about the new Sage. For those who have been living in Mukluk, Alaska or wandering the Sahara Desert for the past year, News Flash! We have new faces & new attitudes at Sage. Our CEO is making changes along with her management team that they believe will help the partners & customers, not hinder us. Were some of the decisions that were made last year popular? No, but I believe that they were made because they had to be & someone has to make them.

They’re open to hear what we have to say & in most cases people just want someone to listen to them. In the past 6 months I’ve seen more evidence of a transparent society than ever. We’ve been offered free training classes, Workshops, Road Shows, etc. There are a lot of Sage employees crossing the skies everyday to bring that new message to us & if you’re not taking advantage of them it’s your own fault.

One of the bright spots of this new transparency is that it looks like its being backed up with action. Understand that all these actions by Sage are not going to make everyone happy, but if you have a complaint take it to the right people & think about a solution that you think might work. That opens up the communication lines, it makes people feel valuable, & they know they’re being listened to, & you can’t put a price tag on that.

Creating a work culture that trusts its employees doesn’t happen by accident. It takes work. It also takes dedicated and passionate people who not only trust their employee but are “Part Of The Solution.”

When I was managing sales persons and support people I encouraged them to bring their concerns to me. But if they were in my office just to complain they had to bring a solution with them. It’s a small paradigm shift but if everyone’s thought pattern is centered on the solution rather than the problem the culture will change into a more positive atmosphere. It has to.

For a great book on these topics read Paul Spiegelman’s “Why Is Everyone Smilng? The Secret Behind Passion, Productivity & Profit”

Insights Is Over, Now What Do I Do?

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Insights 2010 is over. So much great information. So many informative sessions, Hands On Work Shops, keynotes, got to see old friends and make new ones. Now that I’m back in (You Fill In The Blank) what do I do first to make my business better?

It’s been a week and some of the “feel good” is getting up and going. While I was away, the business continued on, customers called, prospects were wondering why I wasn’t calling, it’s time to get back at it. But what’s the first thing that I should do?

I’ve read that it’s usually the second to fourth week after a conference that attendees completely forget everything that they learned and then they’re back doing the same thing(s) prior to going.

I want to learn more about this thing called The Cloud, but Mrs. Smith is calling with a problem, my sales manager wasn’t selling or managing while I was in Denver. His golf handicap mysteriously went down 3 strokes. I’m in Denver and his handicap goes down, coincidence? I think not.

Mr. Brown is calling because he’s heard about this Social Media thing and wants to bend my ear about what’s the best approach for his business. Of course he wants me to set it up for him, but he doesn’t want to pay. I then remember what Ed Kless was saying about Pricing On Purpose. I want to put Mr. Brown on a Access Level Agreement but I don’t know how to accomplish that. I should call Ed but I don’t know him. I have kept track of all the time that Mr. Brown has usurped from my available time and the number is astounding. I’ve essentially worked for free for him with no hope of ever making him an “A” customer.  I need to start putting a price on my Knowledge because  my knowledge is all I have left to offer. I’ve let customers like Mr. Brown get it for free and I’ve given them the unwritten permission to do so. Not any more! I’m not a commodity!

I run the risk of losing him as a customer, but what kind of a customer is he? He doesn’t respect me or my staff, my staff doesn’t like working with him because he’s abusive and refuses to deal with anyone but me. I heard at Insights that when customers like Mr. Brown leave they’re better off with another VAR and my business will get more productive. I understand that it will take time but I believe that I’m willing to take that step. I met a partner from Knoxville who lost 50% of his customers when he made the switch but his business has continued to grow and flourish as a result of taking that leap of faith.

I want to read Rob Johnson’s book Kick Your Own Ass, because I’ve attended the 5 day Sales Academy and got a lot from it but I don’t have the time right now because Mr. Brown is on the phone again. I know that I need to make my business more lean and mean.

I want to blog because I’ve heard that blogging can work together with a well thought out Social Media plan for my business. I also heard that it’s another way of building a network. I see a lot of people blogging sporadically but there are some partners who provide a valuable message in their blogs. The first name that comes to mind is Wayne Schulz, I think he’s in Connecticut but I don’t him either.

How do the successful VAR’s operate? How do they seem to be at the top of the heap year in and year out? I have no clue because I don’t run my business any longer, it runs me.

What about this LinkedIn Group? Someone was talking about it, well actually a lot of people were talking about it. Should I join? Will I learn anything? Will I build a bigger and better network? By the way, the answer is “yes” to the prior questions. Then I heard that to get the most out of it I need to participate in discussions, etc. I don’t have the time, remember? Crap, Mr. Brown is calling again. Instead of picking up the phone I do something differently this time, I ask my assistant to tell Mr. Brown that I’m in a meeting and won’t be available for a few hours. Hey, that felt pretty good.

I think what I will do is look at my business from the “outside.” I need to look at it realistically, it’s important to recognize the strengths and weaknesses are. Then and only then can I start to make well informed business decisions. Then I need to make those decisions and stick by them. I don’t want my business to continue running me any longer, I think that I might connect with some of the Sage Power Houses and pick their collective brains to see what they’re doing that I’m not. I want to be successful, I want to be recognized as a leader and someone that other people come to when they have questions, but I’ve let my business run me around like a mouse on a hamster wheel.

So here’s what I’m going to do and my new Mantra;

ANALYZE, STRATEGIZE AND UTILIZE

  • Set objectives
  • Generate alternative strategies
  • Evaluate alternative strategies
  • Monitor results
  • Start to enjoy being a Sage VAR again

    • See you all next year!

    Say Goodbye to 2009

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    2009 was an interesting year. It was certainly better than 2008, but new solution buyers still seem to be cautious, but they’re out there.

    There were alot of personnel changes at Sage, some understood, some not.

    Partners closed their doors either by choice or their circumstances demanded a change. Other partners chose the comfort of a merger with a larger VAR who could protect their tier & provide them with resources that they didn’t have prior to the merger.

    Still, other one time Select partners picked up other solutions outside the Sage family in hopes that the ability to offer product diversity would add additional sources of revenue.

    Overall business was about what everyone expected, but the interesting outcome of talking with alot of partners is that there is some hope in the air that the worst is behind us.

    The second part to those conversations is that people are starting to believe in the current leadership that we have at Sage.

    A new method of business was probably just what the doctor ordered & now we’re having to find better ways to take care of our customers.

    Social media is not just an buzzword, it’s here to stay. Look at the number of members of this group (2,900+) LinkedIn has over 50 million daily users, Facebook has 350 million active users. Twitter doesn’t release their user base numbers, but I’m sure their numbers are up there to. Are you utilizing these new sources to their fullest?

    Let’s all say goodbye to 2009 & bring in 2010 & all that it will bring.

    Who Can You Trust?

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    Since MIS Group closed it’s doors last week there has been alot of conversation given to how does something like this happen to a VAR that was just the Overall Partner of The Year. While it leaves me shaking my head in wonderment I’m going to leave that question to be answered by those who are more capable.

    No one has called me to find out what I believe did or didn’t happen. I had no financial interests in the MIS Group. I’m just an observer to the parade as it goes by.

    I’m looking at Google.com & see 8 entries for other VAR’s to “help” customers who have been left in the lurch by the sudden closure. I’ve gotten off my high horse & determined that these orphans are going to need the help that a VAR can bring. Initially I thought that it seemed like a pack of buzzards were circling ready to move in. Business is business & someone is going to have to make some tough business decisions. Continue reading →

    Taylor Macdonald leaves Deltek

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    After having spent less than a year at Deltek, Vice President of Worldwide Channels and Sales Alliances Taylor Macdonald has left the professional services software company, effective immediately, for an executive position at an unspecified educational company.

    Taylor Macdonald had previously been the popular and long time Executive VP Channel and Sales for Sage Software. He started with Sage in 1998 and in July 2004 was promoted to Executive Vice President, Channel and Sales Operations for the Mid-Market Division. He left Sage in October 2007 during a sweep of executive management which also included the departure of CEO Ron Verni, CFO Jim Eckstaedt, and CTO Jim Foster.

    He had recently been signing up a significant number of top Sage vars who seemed to largely flock to Deltek based upon their interest in diversifying product lines as well as their faith in Taylor Macdonald. Continue reading →

    We’d Like to Hire You….But……….

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    Here’s a sign of the times that I want to share with you. I have been interviewing with an software VAR for the past 5 weeks, driving to their offices in Orange County several times. I passed with flying colors; I became the person that they had to have. A couple more phone interviews with the VP,  & he utters the words that every job candidate wants to hear, ”We’ll have a job offer letter to you” by the end of the week.

    Well, as you can probably guess the offer letter never came & here’s why.

    After crunching numbers they realized that unless I was willing to come on board on a commission only basis then they don’t have the budget to hire someone of my caliber right now. According to the VP it has nothing to do with my skills & knowledgebase; but everything to do with their fear of the economy. Continue reading →