| In the Clinton era the status quo was simple: you | | | | customers tend to purchase the software directly |
| serve your local clients and if you want to expand | | | | through MBS and then scream about the need to |
| your business - open offices in other business | | | | help them). We see more and more new customers |
| metros. Great Plains Software was granting generous | | | | purchasing Microsoft CRM from Microsoft for pilot |
| margins on the software sales and stimulated local | | | | project or just placing on the shelfo "Open |
| leading VARs/Partners/Resellers with so-called orphan | | | | Technology". Microsoft CRM SDK you can download |
| leads - customers who lapsed in payment annual | | | | from Microsoft website and use it at will - if you are |
| enhancement program or called Great Plains Software | | | | C# or VB.Net programmer. This is opposite |
| directly to comply about quality of service by their | | | | philosophy - remember old-good-days Great Plains |
| VAR. When Microsoft purchased Great Plains | | | | Dexterity - you could not get this EDI free and you |
| Software and formed Microsoft Great Plains Business | | | | needed to purchase training class to get skills in this |
| Solutions (soon renamed into Microsoft Business | | | | proprietary programming language. This trend |
| Solutions) and acquired new ERP/MRP/accounting | | | | probably indicates the maturity of the industry and |
| applications: Navision, Axapta, Solomon (Solomon | | | | consulting prices decreaseo Go Nationwide and |
| Software was bought by Great Plains Software in | | | | Internationally. Yes - this is what we got to do - |
| the late 1990th). When Microsoft introduced | | | | following the Microsoft Business Solutions way. Plus |
| Microsoft CRM - it tried to change traditional partner | | | | we'll have to try to cut down our expenses by |
| reselling model, let's see what it is and why (this is | | | | opening offshore facilities. International business is |
| our personal opinion - we are trying to envision the | | | | very tough from cultural standpoint and the earlier |
| future for generic ERP VAR)o Remote Support. This | | | | you jump there - the better. At this moment we see |
| means that you do not have to be at the client | | | | companies from India and Philippines who are trying |
| office to troubleshoot, install and even train users - | | | | to get USA subcontracts - these are your potential |
| to be more direct and dare to say - implement the | | | | partners.o Cross-Platform Integrations. We believe |
| system remotely. Of course - in the close future it | | | | that XML introduction launched new epoch of |
| will unlock the doors for offshore consulting firms, | | | | computer platforms integration and harmony: |
| but in this article we are sticking to US nationwide | | | | Microsoft Windows, UNIX, Linux, IBM DB2/AS400 |
| and Canadian markets and consultants in the USA | | | | RS6000, Oracle. Corporate clients, including |
| and Canada. For Microsoft Business Solutions it means | | | | manufacturing, logistics, consignment, international |
| that if client is technical enough - it can serve the | | | | business, distribution - will leverage multiplatform |
| client from its customer support center by increasing | | | | strategy to decrease the risk and increase longevity |
| the number of servicing technicianso Software Sales | | | | of the ERP/MRP |
| Margin Decrease. If you can serve the customer your | | | | Good luck with selection, implementation and |
| self - you can probably cut software sales margins. | | | | customization, if you have issues or concerns - we |
| We see this happening with new Microsoft CRM line - | | | | are here to help! If you want us to do the job - give |
| in general it is harder to get new customer (new | | | | us a call 1-866-528-0577! |