Fwd: Sale Strategy

[Seth]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Seth <seth at dreamscape.com>
Date: Mon, Apr 2, 2018 at 7:44 AM
Subject: Re: Sale Strategy
To: Richard Kreiss <rkreiss at verizon.net>


I have a law firm that has run it's GL and Accounting on FP for over 30
years.

We run 3 servers, one SCOV for Wordperfect, one for FP, and one for simple
file server/app server use. All Win 10 pro front end users,  work with all
current versions of WORD, WP, and other software.

We find the same to be true in wordprocessing. I can generate docs so much
faster with a character based interface than WORD/wysiwyg. That being said,
as my older staff dies out, the younger generation have a tough time
wrapping their head around it, and we have to deal with docs that are
produced by other firms etc. It's also a PITA to then have to retrieve the
older format 5.2 docs into WORD or current WP to exprt for current versions
or PDFs. When I show my staff our character FP apps, they do all but reject
it out of hand.

Bottom line is that, realistically speaking, Filepro needs to integrate a
contemporary interface both from a programming side as well as a user side,
and include report generation in pdf, Word and WP interfacing, etc.
Otherwise FP is just a dinosaur waiting to die, if not already dead. Hands
down the features are better, costs are lower, yada yada, but the canned
software packages SAAS, have taken over. I am too cheap, and too busy, to
switch yet, but we will. It's just a matter of time.

Thanks
Seth

On Sun, Apr 1, 2018 at 11:26 PM, Richard Kreiss via Filepro-list <
filepro-list at lists.celestial.com> wrote:

> One other consideration, Time.  Not only the time to find a software but to
> test it alongside your current application to insure that it is working
> properly.
>
> If they are looking for a GUI, consider the filePro screen scraper.  It
> works and also adds an additional layer of security.  Or you could go with
> OneGate and write a GUI/Web-based front end as a number of developers have.
>
> When one of my clients wanted the filePro GUI for his staff to use,  They
> soundly rejected it.  The billing clerk said, "You really want me to take
> my
> hands off the key board and use a mouse.  That will slow me down and I
> won't
> be able to complete the billing on time".
>
> Also, keep in mind that a lot of functionality that filePro has does not
> exist in other databases.  And they can't get there.   That is not to say
> that there are a lot of functions that other languages have that filePro
> doesn't.  You client need to make sure that whatever they pick is capable
> of
> duplicating the functionality of your application.
>
> Again, they are going to spend a lot of money up front just to what they
> thing is more functionality.  Other than the GUI, which you can deliver,
> far
> cheaper then writing a new application, what functionality are they looking
> for?  Until specifications for the new application have been developed, you
> don't really know if filePro can meet these requirements.
>
> Try to pin you client down as to what they are looking for.  Not
> generalizations but real specifics.  At that point you will really know
> what
> you are facing.
>
> One of my biggest clients had 2 partners who were for developing an SQL
> database application for their business until I was asked if I could add a
> feature during an early development conversation.  I said I could.  They
> walked out of the room for under 10 minutes and I was able to add the
> functionality they wanted.  That surprised the 2 SQL partners and were very
> impressed.
>
> Also, I was able to write routines to import data from their client's
> databases.  In Fact I was able to import data from a file that their
> outside
> tools could not handle.
>
> The Senior partner was able to demo the application I had written on his
> smart phone.  This impressed prospective new clients.   (I really don't
> recommend doing this but one can if the smartphone uses a pointer.)
>
> Also, point out that it takes more hardware to handle a GUI application.
>
>
> Richard Kreiss
> GCC Consulting
>
> PS: Take a look at the new functionality available with the latest version
> of filePro.
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Filepro-list [mailto:filepro-list-
> > bounces+rkreiss=verizon.net at lists.celestial.com] On Behalf Of Mike
> Schwartz
> > via Filepro-list
> > Sent: Sunday, April 1, 2018 8:56 AM
> > To: 'Filepro List' <filepro-list at celestial.com>
> > Cc: Mike Schwartz <filepromike at gmail.com>
> > Subject: RE: Sale Strategy
> >
> > > How do you guys manage to sale filePro today?
> > >
> > > $349 per seat is a price tag and then some ... I am one that believes
> > > that
> > >
> > > So, how about some tips on "filePro sale pitch" to win those ever
> > > present battles!!!
> > > --
> > > Jose D. Lerebours
> >
> >      It is odd that a customer pays a few thousand dollars for a system,
> runs it for
> > 15 years as the "heart and life-blood" of their business, then complains
> about
> > paying another couple of thousand dollars that will probably carry the
> system
> > forward another 15 years.  I bet they don't get 15 years of dependable
> life out of
> > their delivery trucks or their office furniture...
> >
> >      Since they are happy with their old SCO operating system, why switch
> that to
> > Linux?  I'm sure you can find hardware that will still run the SCO
> operating
> > system.  Bill Campbell and others here on the list can probably assist
> you
> in
> > virtualizing their old SCO server, if they simply want to virtualize.
> >
> >      Business decisions are ultimately ALL about payback.  So, when
> trying
> to sell a
> > customer on upgrades, normally I emphasize the "quick payback"
> > that they will get with the new reports or new filePro features.
> However,
> since
> > this is a "lateral" move to Linux and if they are not interested in
> having
> you do
> > more programming to make use of the new filePro features, they
> > won't get a quick payback on their investment.
> >
> >      So, the only payback they will get  is that the "heart and
> life-blood"
> > of their business will have been overhauled; similar to buying all brand
> new
> > delivery trucks.
> >
> >      It is probably worth mentioning the new filepro features to them.
> For
> > example, maybe they will want you to add filePro's direct PDF printing to
> their
> > system.
> >
> >      Remind them that there is a heavy cost to switch software.  Just the
> function
> > of SEARCHING for a new software package will probably  consume a LOT of
> > man-hours.  They have to look at things like training and buying a LOT
> faster
> > server and hardware system than their old filePro system requires.
> Windows
> > apps have their uses, but Windows systems are not always the best option
> for
> > database systems, even if their users do not type 100 WPM.
> >
> >      For example, a few years ago I had a large insurance brokerage who
> spent
> > more than $350,000.00 to "upgrade" to a "canned" MS-Windows insurance
> > database system.  After almost 3 years of testing and adding more and
> more
> > Windows servers, they tried to go "live" on the new system.
> Unfortunately, they
> > never could get things to balance on the new system and found it took a
> LOT
> > longer (like 10 times as long) to enter insurance policy info into their
> new system
> > as compared to filepro.  Also, they just could not get the same "sort and
> select"
> > reporting flexibility that their old filePro system had.
> >
> >      Finally all of their managers confronted the bosses and told them
> they were
> > going to QUIT unless they went BACK to their old filePro system.  So I
> had
> to
> > scramble for a couple of weeks to get them a couple of new servers and
> > upgraded filePro system so that they could cut back over to their old
> filePro
> > system!
> >
> >      One of my favorite sales phrases is:  "Every time a user has to take
> their hands
> > off of their keyboard and move to their mouse, then scroll around a page
> and
> > position the mouse to the next data field, they have lost
> > a LOT of time."
> >
> >       So, in this case, I advise:
> >
> > 1)  Do NOT move off of SCO (Xinous) Openserver.  There's probably no
> valid
> > reason to spend the money to do that.
> >
> > 2)  Think long and hard about considering moving to any new software
> package.
> > It will probably end up costing a LOT more than you thought it would.
> >
> > 3)  Non-GUI database applications are NOT dead.  They are typically more
> cost
> > effective than GUI Windows based apps are.
> >
> > Hope that helps...
> >
> > Mike Schwartz
> >
> >
> >
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