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Zetadocs for NAVDocument Capture, Delivery and Archiving for Microsoft Dynamics® NAVTake advantage of the competitive edge you’ll gain by adding Zetadocs to your NAV line-up. By providing document management and imaging, Zetadocs for NAV helps to differentiate Microsoft Dynamics NAV from other ERP Solutions and positions you to win more business.
Get into the Game and Win! Enhance Your NAV Playbook with Zetadocs.
Upcoming Events…Going somewhere, but it’s not on the list? Let us know, and we’ll include it in the next issue! Go to www.thepartnerchannel.com/magazine under “Events” to submit details.
Events
October 2011
NAV DirectionsOctober 12-15www.navdirections.com
November 2011
Managing the Private Cloud with
System CenterNovember 3Alpharetta, GAhttps://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032491581&culture=en-US
GP Partner Connections 2011November 6-8Las Vegas, NVwww.gppartnerconnections.com
“Because we implemented Recurring Contract Billing, an efficient andreliable billing solution, we were able to keep pace and effortlessly bill 15,000-16,000 customers a month using fewer resources. That’s incredible!”
Tim Zdrazil,
Accounts Receivable Manager
Accounting Systems Administrator
Homes.com
Encore has been providing reliable solutions to our Clients through our Partners for over 20 years. Because of your collective support we have accomplished what few have. In appreciation of your continued business we have increased margins and reduced product pricing.
Gain ultimate performance and
speed with Recurring Contract Billing
Many of our clients using Recurring Contract Billing can expect to see ROI in as little as three months.
See The List for information on additional Encore offerings including Project Tracking, Advanced SmartList, Investor Relationship Manager and more!
Fall 2011 15
Leadership
It is mind-numbing. The ongoing, endless po-litical and economic rhetoric; it leaves me wondering if the politicians, economists, and media have any street smarts. Regardless of claims by any political party, the truth remains
that the majority of all new jobs in this country have been – and continue to be – generated by small en-trepreneurial companies. These jobs are the result of innovation – not legislation. These jobs do not require the endless circle of meaningless economic statistics that counteract each other. They are not the result of political debate. While small businesses generate more than 64 percent of all new jobs in this country – and have for more than 15 years – they do not warrant a headline of “breaking news” from the content-starved media. These jobs are the result of street smart entrepreneurs. What do I mean by “street smart”? It has nothing to do with Wall Street. Rather, it is the common sense that unbeaten entre-preneurs understand. Their equation for success is to deliver the “right stuff” for the “right customers’’,
Street Smart Economics
Bonnie Robertson
16 The Partner Channel Magazine
repeat those actions, adapt those actions, and repeat again. (Note: “Right” in this article has nothing to do with political parties.)
What is the “Right Stuff” for the “Right Customers”?
The “right stuff” is the creative collection of products and services that customers find of such sufficient value that they are will-ing to pay for it. The “right stuff” has to be right enough so that the money paid by the customers exceeds the cost to create and de-liver it. If this can be achieved and expenses are managed, profit will be earned. (Another note: “Profit” is not an evil side of business.) If profit is earned, more jobs will be created, and more of the “right stuff” for the “right customers” will be produced and delivered…repeatedly. This equation – driven by street smart business people rather than politicians – is where true job creation occurs. While this seems basic, diligent entrepreneurs know it is not always easy and has plenty of risk. Even when you get it “right”, the “right
stuff” often has to change and adapt to con-tinue to be valuable. This change requires intelligent insight, vision, and continued in-vestment to keep getting it right. Sometimes it requires a change in customers. The “right customers” for yesterday’s products and ser-vices may not be the “right customers” today or in the future. How do industrious “street smart” entrepreneurs manage to keep get-ting it right? While there are numerous hits and misses along the way, they understand that changing their own way of thinking and adapting new strategies may be needed for the next solution. All of this given, the street smart entrepreneur recognizes that in order to continually deliver the right stuff to the right customers requires the right people.
Who are These “Right People”?They are people with a genuine curiosity
about their customers. They know and under-stand that customers (much like constituents) can change their minds and have that right. They are people who take pride in doing the
right thing, and they do not define that by just lining their own pockets or protecting their own political backsides. They are inspired by neighborly acts of courage and compassion. They enjoy being engaged in real dialogue and actions about real solutions for their custom-ers. They are the best of the American worker motivated by the thrill of innovation and the heart-filled act of service. They are not extinct – but they could become endangered. Their ability to thrive is dependent upon the staying power of the “street smart” entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurial staying power does not require legislation, political speeches, or a bipartisan committee. Entrepreneurial stay-ing power – the true source of job creation – needs a vote of confidence and the recog-nition of achievement.
So – congratulations to the street smart entrepreneurs out there – and to the “right” people who help make it all happen!
Please do not give up. You are not only do-ing the “right stuff” for your customers – but also for the rest of us. Thank you!
Got a formula manufacturing opportunity? You just gotta push the right button. Done deal.
www.vicinitymanufacturing.com • 770-421-2467
What’s this?This is a Microsoft Tag®. Simply install the Tag Reader <http://gettag.mobi/> on your smartphone and use it to scan the barcode to the left.
“...it’s great to have Vicinity on our team. Offering tailored solutions to the unique needs of the buyer closes more deals.”
–Sikich Technology
Fall 2011 17
Part
ners
on t
he Phone:
Illustration by Matt M
astrud for The Partner Channel
Sales
1M
ost Microsoft Partners use phone-based marketing and/or inside sales. What makes phone strategies work, what slows them down, and what stops them in their tracks is the same in money-making companies as in the also-rans: management. There are seven management imperatives for business-to-business success by phone.
Senior Management’s Active Endorsement and ParticipationIf you have the big office and want the phone to make money, make it a performance criterion for
yourself. It is okay to delegate responsibility for implementation, but do not default the phone enterprise to strictly operational oversight.
Michael Brown
18 The Partner Channel Magazine
3
4
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With ongoing executive involvement, phone marketing’s struc-ture, corporate positioning, and results almost always improve. Don’t try to run a telemarketing or telesales program on the cheap while expecting million-dollar results.
Positioning refers both to phone’s citizenship within the organi-zation and to its location in the building. Phone is best positioned strategically; that is, integrated fully within your marketing and sales mix, not as an adjunct activity. And while your callers won’t need to share your executive suite, don’t stick them in the base-ment next to the boiler, either.
Big Minds, Not Big Heads, in the Marketing and Sales Organizations
For the most part, marketing managers are inexperienced with “telemarketing,” so they view it as something outside the media mainstream of web, print, trade shows, and so on. Many sales managers have field sales backgrounds, not telesales, and often consider everything with the “tele-” prefix as subordinate to the field. In such companies, fear of change slows the full implementa-tion of, and benefit from, a robust phone strategy. Sometimes the fear is disguised as tradition. To get past it, please see Imperative 1 above. Then insist that everyone actually make and take live calls with real prospects and customers. Reality equalizes head size while it expands minds.
Synchronized Sales and MarketingYou may never get your sales and marketing groups to love
each other even if they both report to you. But you can … indeed, you must … coordinate their efforts. For starters, get the teams together to establish or refine your lead qualification criteria. Then, as your phone marketers work with prospects, apply the criteria to rate lead quality on a point-count system. Leads rated above your “sales-ready” threshold go to the inside or field reps, whose timely action on them is no longer optional but required. Below the threshold, keep the leads in marketing and continue to develop/nurture them. Such synchronization costs only egos but pays real dollar dividends.
Adequate and Appropriate Technology InfrastructureIs everything in place for your callers to do what you want
them to do efficiently and effectively? Good business-to-business by phone requires a complete and up-to-date database, contact management or CRM software (Microsoft Dynamics®, of course) to make the database easily accessible to all marketers and sales-people, and appropriate computer-telephone integration. This
stuff doesn’t have to bust your budget, but without it, you are at a distinct disadvantage.
Super, Well-trained People“If I’d known I had to train them, I wouldn’t have hired them,”
said a sales manager who seemed pretty smart until he said that. (Good thing he’s not a sports coach!) If you want your phone mar-keters and inside sales staff to perform well and improve continu-ously, you have to invest in them. First, hire people who actually want to do phone. Once you have them, train them and provide practice opportunities, motivate them by inclusion, sustain them with recognition, and reward them for results.
Measure the Right Things RightBusiness-to-consumer metrics are totally wrong in business-to-
business. For example, call count focuses on quantity, which leads to mindless heads-down “drone-phone.” Talk-time measurements imply that longer means better, which often is not the case. Here’s what to measure instead:
» Ratios, not absolutes. For example, sales versus conversations are more significant than the number of calls, likewise, so are conversations versus connects.
» Medians (mid-points) not averages. For example, median conversation length … half the calls are longer, half are shorter. Medians are less susceptible to peaks and drops than aver-ages. For example, 10 one-minute calls and one 10-minute call. The average is 1.81 minutes, the median is one minute … the latter a closer representation of reality.
Monitor, Coach, and CounselThere is no substitute for listening to calls. Are reps asking more
than telling? Are they spouting features or selling the “you gets?” Are they saying “we” or “you?” Are they closing on a definitive next step or the actual sale?
Call observation is not an interruption of management … it IS management. Make it part of management’s charter, at least 25 percent of every business day for first-level managers. Your managers (some-times the callers, too) may balk at first. But they, and you, will benefit.
These management imperatives aren’t always easy, but they are workable and profitable. May you market wisely and sell your socks off!
Michael A. Brown is president of consulting and training firm BtoBEngage in Austin, Texas. He can be reached at 800-373-3966 or www.btobengage.com.
What Owners and ManagersNeed to Know and Do
Fall 2011 19
Social MediaQuick-Hitting
marketing tips
Marketing
20 The Partner Channel Magazine
Did you know that social media adoption by small and mid-size businesses has doubled in the past year? Did you know that people are spending an average of 25 percent of their time with/on social media and blog-
ging? No matter the size of your business, you should be integrating ongoing social media activities into your marketing mix.
Just like other marketing tactics, social media has its own benefits, advantages, and shortcomings, so you want to play to its strengths. Here are some quick-hitting tips for smart social media integration, whether it’s with your existing campaigns or ongoing marketing efforts:
» Place your Twitter feed on your website and LinkedIn. If you place your Twitter feed on your site, you are simultaneously updating your site as you tweet. This is quite useful for small updates that you want to disseminate, yet they aren’t big enough to warrant a homepage update. Integrating Twitter with your LinkedIn account keeps your professional contacts up to date on your company’s promotions and progress.
» Use Facebook to start conversations with your “likers.” These topics can be as light as “What’s your favorite new feature of Microsoft Dynamics® CRM 2011?” It engages customers, allowing them to respond with their input and recommendations. Customer replies are also great fodder for marketing messages and tweets.
» Keep your followers updated on your mar-keting campaigns on Twitter. A follower who wasn’t interested in the first phase of your campaign may be very interested in your second promotion or offer. Keep your followers up to date with the campaign’s progress; you never know who may retweet your offer to his/her followers!
» Send out a special newsletter to spread the word. You already have a mailing list, so use it! For instance, you can make a special edition of your newsletter for events such as Convergence.
Highlight your promotions, include updates on the show’s progress, make special announcements, and provide links to register for special drawings and offers. Be sure to include a link to the newsletter on all your social media channels.
» Survey your customers. This can be through a quick Facebook poll, an email survey, or by tweeting a link to an online survey. Report the results through your social media networks and integrate responses into other marketing mes-sages and campaigns.
» Blog about the progress of a campaign and what you’re learning along the way. Blogging is a great way to keep the conversation going with customers and/or prospects. Blog about how well people are responding to your messages and why.
» Post your videos on YouTube. You never know who might pick up on one of your inven-tive campaign videos. YouTube is a great way, beyond your website, to post videos in order to gain more views. As always, link to your videos from Twitter, Facebook, your landing page, and LinkedIn.
» Offer new whitepapers or guides. Whitepapers and guides are great ways to engage a variety of audiences. And it’s even better if a whitepaper is inspired by your customer feedback from a social media channel or a survey! Providing knowledge and insights in the form of how-to guides and whitepapers is a great way to show off your of-ferings with supporting data and testimonials.
» Follow the news and integrate it into your efforts. Sometimes everyday news plays right into your hands. If you come across a news article or story that talks about better business practices or technology tips, be sure to pass it along. This is a strong — and interesting — way to make content relevant to your audience while promoting your knowledgebase and business at the same time.
» Get some free press. Press releases are quick to write and easy to disseminate. Whether you
Jennifer CulbertsonSocial Mediamarketing tips
Illustration by John Holland for The Partner C
hannel
Fall 2011 21
announce a new product, service offer-ing, or project win, press releases are a great way to get the word out. As with viral videos, you just never know whose attention you might catch.
» Offer special discounts or incentives to current customers so they aren’t left out. Sometimes it’s easy to take your current customers for granted. Use your social media channels to offer them an incentive to show your appreciation for their loyalty while keeping your business front and center stage. It’s win-win!
» Put together an online chat session. In a chat session, you can communicate with your customers and prospects in real time. This can take place on Twitter, on Skype, in a chat room on your site, or in a Live Meeting session. You can glean valuable information from the questions and comments you receive.
» Respond promptly to comments on all of your channels. If you post a question on LinkedIn encouraging discussion but don’t respond promptly when you are asked a question in reply, it discourages engagement and delays the conversation. Delay too long, and the conversation has most likely moved on without you. Be prompt in monitoring and responding to tweets, messages, and blog comments.
» Be sure your website content is consistent with your social media messages. Your company website is still a very important source of informa-tion for interested parties, so be sure that your website messaging reflects what you are communicating on social media sites. Nothing is worse than driv-ing your followers to your website where the information is outdated, irrelevant, or hard to find.
Use these tips to play up your market efforts and help keep your business in the forefront all year round. Social media is about engaging your customers and prospects in a variety of ways and across channels to see what takes hold. It’s the combination of these activities that could turn into great marketing mo-ments!
Jennifer Culbertson is owner of Looking Glass Marketing and specializes in working with Microsoft VARs and ISVs to build and execute marketing strategies that drive results. With her 18 years of marketing experience within the channel, coupled with her understanding of Microsoft Partner needs, she can help take your marketing to the next level. For more information, contact Jennifer at [email protected] or 614-453-5927.
22 The Partner Channel Magazine
Seems many of our regular Word-A-Ganzasters were on vacation this summer. No winners this time around. Let’s change that for the Winter magazine!
Now for the next round of the Word-A-Ganza! Posted below are 25 words that relate to the topics and themes included in this edition of The Partner Channel Magazine. These words can be found in the grid horizontally, vertically, diagonally, backwards, and forwards. You can submit your completed word find to us for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to Starbucks so you can enjoy future word finds over a latte or cup of joe! Simply fax your completed puzzle to 701-478-1077, attention Jenny Davis, or scan and e-mail it to Jenny at [email protected].
If you prefer, contact Jenny and she’ll e-mail you an electronic version of the same word find.
WORD-A
-Gan
za
AXUG Do No Harm Junction Solutions Member Partner
Best Practices Dynamic Communities
Leadership Microsoft Recognition
Community Fall LinkedIn Microsoft Dynamics Sales
Compass Technologies
GPUG Magazine NAVUG The List
CRMUG Greatest Hits Marketing On the Phone The Partner Channel
T H M R A H O N O D C O M M U N I T F A S A I L UH G R E A L E A D E R S H I P T E S A A T J I T UE R E C O G N I T I O S O N T H E P L H S O N H PP P T H E P A R T N E R C H A N N E L S E A B E GM T T S E B X A S E I G O L O N S H T S I P E P RI S B L E A U M D E R T S I L E H T E C G M S A EC E S R L S G E I L E A D E R S H I I M O O T R AR B R E A T E S T C O M P A S S T G N E L C P T TO O A C I T I O N S R E O Y T I N U M M O C R N ES I C O E T L U T I N O N S B E S V A B N E A E SO T T G R C I G L O E A S D E R T A G E H L C B TF U I N G N N N H L I N K O E S P N A R C A E R HT L C I Y U I P U A E P H D F H R E Z Z E S T C ID O E T T J E D Y M H T N O D T A C I A T O I H TY S S I I H T T N L M E N I Z A G A M P S I C A SN N A O T A E F A A F O S C M I C H R G S T E N TA O O N U U K O R S O R C I M P T A E A A I S N EM I O E M X R K A M S R E C C I C N C M P N C E KI T N H M A E S E I M G O L I T O R O V M G R G RC C T T O T C N I U D E K N I M I L E A O O M U AS N H O I P H O G N E C R C M U A S G N C C F P MA U E N I D E K N I L A E S U V A N U P T E A G LR J G R E A T E S T H S I T S A X U Y G S R L P ET H A E I T I N U M M O C C I M A N Y D U X A U NN E S N O I T U L O S N O I T C N U J R C H A P N
Fall 2011 23
20112011 Microsoft Dynamics Partner Recognition
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Partner Award Recipients
Regional awaRDsMicrosoft Dynamics Outstanding Reseller of the Year – Logica Sverige ABMicrosoft Dynamics Outstanding ISV of the Year – VeriparkMicrosoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year - Asia Pacific – Avanade Asia Pte Ltd.Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year - Canada – BDO Dunwoody LLPMicrosoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year - Central and Eastern Europe – GMCS VerexMicrosoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year - France – Absys Cyborg SAMicrosoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year - Germany – COSMO CONSULT GmbHMicrosoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year - India – Godrej Infotech LimitedMicrosoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year - Japan – Yokogawa Solutions CorporationMicrosoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year - Latin America – MSBS Business Solutions LTDAMicrosoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year - Middle East and Africa – Columbus IT (Middle East) FC-LLCMicrosoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year - United Kingdom – 2e2 UK Limited
Microsoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year -United States – Sonoma Partners, LLCMicrosoft Dynamics Reseller of the Year - Western Europe – Columbus IT Partner A/SMicrosoft Dynamics ISV of the Year - Asia Pacific – Sable Systems Pty LtdMicrosoft Dynamics ISV of the Year - Canada – Second Foundation Consulting Inc.Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year - Central and Eastern Europe – Bonair S.A.Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year - France – 3LI Business SolutionsMicrosoft Dynamics ISV of the Year - Germany – Modus Consult AGMicrosoft Dynamics ISV of the Year - Latin America – Mekano Consulting S.A.Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year - United States – Demand Management, Inc.Microsoft Dynamics ISV of the Year - Western Europe – Dynamics Software S.V.
Microsoft honored 37 Partners with individual awards for their exceptional performance in delivery of solutions to customers in the past year.
woRlDwiDe PaRtneR confeRence awaRDsMicrosoft Dynamics CRM Solution of the Year – proMX GmbHMicrosoft Dynamics CRM Partner of the Year – Hitachi ConsultingMicrosoft Dynamics Financial Services Partner of the Year – VeriparkMicrosoft Dynamics Cloud Business Excellence –Zero2Ten, Inc.Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace Solution Excellence – InsideView, Inc.Microsoft Dynamics Dynamics ERP ISV of the Year – Schouw Informatisering BVMicrosoft Dynamics ERP Partner of the Year – XAPT
Microsoft Dynamics Distribution Partner of the Year –Accenture | AvanadeMicrosoft Dynamics Manufacturing Partner of the Year – Scalable Data Systems Pty LtdMicrosoft Dynamics Professional Services Partner of the Year – Client ProfilesMicrosoft Dynamics Public Sector Partner of the Year – Rock Solid Technologies, Inc.Microsoft Dynamics Retail Partner of the Year – IGNIFY
Inner Circle
2e2 UK LimitedAbsys Cyborg SAACT Solutions LimitedAll e Technologies (P) LtdArcherPointArvato Systems Technologies GmbHAvanade | AccentureBDO Dunwoody LLPBonair S.A.Ciber UK Ltd.Columbus IT Partner A/SComputer Engineering & Consulting, Ltd.COSMO CONSULT GmbHCRM Partners B.V.CyanSYS Private LimitedEclipse Computing Pty LtdEDAN Integrator NVEG A/SEOS AG SpAePartners IncorporatedErgo Group ASEuclides BindarExordia
First Tech Direct L.L.C.FullscopeGMCS VerexGroupe CreatechHands ASHitachi Consulting CorpHP Mid-market Solutions GmbHHSO InternationalIdeaca Knowledge Services Limitedincadea GmbHInfoRelianceInterDyn BMIInterDyn SociusIntergen LimitedITSSA S.A DE C.V.K3 Retail & Business SolutionsKCS.net Holding AG KUMAvision AG Logica Sverige ABLS Retail EHFMaxima Holdings plcMcGladreyMepco Oy
MHT SRLMid America Consulting Group IncMideast Data SystemsModus Consult AGMSBS Business Solutions LTDAmyPartner - Consultoria Informatica, S.A.NAVAX Consulting GmbHNORRIQ Danmark A/SPlanet TechnologiesPowerObjectsPRODWAREQurius NVSBS GroupSerenic Software Inc.Sonoma Partners, LLCTectura CorporationTo-increase B.V.Tribridge Holdings, LLCVeriparkWEBCOM a.s.Western ComputerXAPT Hungary Kft.
Inner Circle recognizes the top echelon of Microsoft Dynamics Partners and ranks them at the top of the global network of Partners. This award is a direct result of the positive relationships that these Partners have developed with customers as well as their commitment to delivering top-quality solutions.
24 The Partner Channel Magazine
20112011 Microsoft Dynamics Partner Recognition
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President’s Club
Ad Ultima SASADACTA d.o.oAdmiral Consulting
GroupADXSTUDIO Inc.AlfaPeopleAlfapeople Chile S.A.All e Technologies
President’s Club recognizes the top five percent of Microsoft Dynamics Partners worldwide and honors their constant dedication to delivering solutions that meet their customers’ unique needs, active pursuit of product and technological advancement, and impressive sales performance.