[AccessD] The Business Side Of Databases

Try to look at least virtual big.  Have a corporation own the product.
Refer to developers will get this done, though you are referring to
yourself.  

It is not at all hard to project a bigness factor that will soothe the
companies that don't want to buy from an individual developer.  That can
help marketing a great deal.

Debbie

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Waters [mailto:dwaters at usinternet.com] 
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 8:59 AM
To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
Subject: Re: [AccessD] The Business Side Of Databases


Hi Susan - right on both counts.

I have a core system (in concept like JC's framework) which I use
identically at each customer.  However, each customer wants different
business process modules, so my system is built to contain any business
process module a company could want (outside of a web solution).

For letting people know - it's sales and marketing.  I will find companies
in the Minneapolis St. Paul area and send a letter to the President and/or
Quality Manager, then call back in about 4 business days.  If they're
interested, we'll meet.

The problems are:

1) Small companies (<50) don't need a BPMS (Business Process Management
System).  They don't operate with strong processes to begin with.

2) Companies between 50 and 150 might benefit, but typically don't believe
it themselves.  I'm currently trying figure out how to teach them what the
value is, but my success here is low.

3) Companies between 150 and 500 do get interested, because they've realized
that automated processes would be solve a lot of problems. So, companies of
this size are my target market.

3a) Within this group, if a company has ISO 9000 or regulatory requirements
they are trying to meet, they get interested more quickly.

3b) The single biggest problem is IT Managers who hate/distrust Access.
They are afraid, and fear is hard to overcome.

3c) Another issue is simply apathy - sometimes people don't much care if the
company improves or not.  This is a culture issue and I can't change that.

4) Companies larger than 500 typically are skeptical of having a key system
being developed and maintained by one individual who is outside the company.
They also have significant resources and will often choose a system from a
software company, believing that will be more reliable long-term.  I try to
avoid this problem by making an ownership transfer to them easy if something
happens to me, and the system is open to the IT administrators at my
customers (so far no problems with this).

I do have a great system - at one customer (happens to be large) we
developed a module to manage a very complex Supplier First Article process.
My estimate showed that their return on this is about $200K/year (about 8X
their investment).  Sales and Marketing are what my issues are.


So - that's what I do.  Can anyone else describe their business side?


Thanks!
Dan  

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Susan Harkins
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 8:24 AM
To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
Subject: Re: [AccessD] The Business Side Of Databases

 

Does anyone have some thoughts or ideas on how we could do this?

==========You have two problems -- creating something generic enough and
then letting potential customers know it exists. Difficult busness. 

Susan H. 

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