How to Buy Enterprise Software
Posted by scottvandam in Technology on July 29, 2010
At Waggware (IT Services Firm) where I am responsible for all Marketing and Sales activities I have the opportunity to offer highly flexible, customizable and outside of the box solutions aimed at improving my customers business processes. The great thing about being in the consulting/services business is your not tied down to selling just one boxed solution but rather package together best of breed solutions that achieve results. However you need a plan and an approach to pull the best solution into play.
I’ve developed a 9 stage framework that I assist my customers with when looking to implement enterprise software. Depending on the size of the engagement or software investment I often scale up or down on the level of activity I conduct during the selection phase. I’ve embedded my presentation below for your use and review.
Selling Technology Requires Gathering Better Business Requirements
Posted by scottvandam in Marketing on July 19, 2010
An important part of selling anything is fully understanding your customers needs. This is ever-so increasingly important when selling technology solutions. This week I have a series of customer meetings with an ongoing theme to illicit business requirements that will help to assist in the recommendation of software application’s that will drive and achieve intended productivity goals. Here are a list of five illicitation techniques I use when gathering business requirements:
- Shadowing/Observation – Job shadowing allows an observer to study an end user perform their work in order to understand workflow. Some business analysts will actually do the work to gain a solid understanding of the work.
- Use Cases – a method that tells a story about how a system will be used to achieve a goal from the perspective of a user of that system. The goal should be to help a technical expert and non-technical people alike understand how the behaviour should be. Use cases should be used to organize and document the functional requirements of an automated system.
- Storyboards – Stake holders and developers working together by drawing up the elements that are believed to be a part of the application. By leveraging story boarding along with probing questions you will gain a good thorough review of your customers workflow.
- Prototyping – capture the look and feel of the user interface by drawing screen shots, screen flows and so on.
- Structured demonstrations – If your purchasing an application, getting the end users to use the system for normal tasks is a very effective way of finding out what is missing in an application.
Use a variety of these techniques and ask a lot of questions. Gathering requirements is often tedious work, but is the most important activity that ensures your customer get’s what they want every time!
My Tweet Weekly Summary
Posted by scottvandam in Musings on July 19, 2010
It`s been another amazing week of summer in southern Ontario. I`ve said this before, but no one enjoys a summer like a Canadian! To prove it I’m writing this blog post fire side in the great out doors, listening to chirping birds, while enjoying a glass of Prince Edward County`s finest Wines.
Here`s my re-cap of my twitter highlights this week.
- Apparently, I started my week off by my son trying to surf the hammock (I`ll have you know that no one was injured)
- The National League beat the American league in the All Star Game! The last time that happened Bill Clinton was serving his first term as President and it was 1996! I am a big baseball fan! Go Yankees!
- I wrote a blog post about being in the sales profession as being the best profession ( I love selling )
- I also got really excited about the fact that Waggware is growing like crazy (It`s awesome that we`re growing as fast as we are!)
- And finally, since I am involved in the technology industry, I`m excited about attending my second Oracle Open World! It`s gonna be another great convention in San Francisco! Looking forward to meeting more leaders in Technology and networking with the Oracle crew.
See you next week!
The Best Profession!
Posted by scottvandam in Marketing on July 15, 2010
Image by RandomESHG on Flickr
I love the Sales and Marketing profession. I’ve been in the game for 15 years.
No other career gives an individual the freedom, flexibility and reward than Sales. A sales colleague of mine likened the sales profession to being the chairman of the board, general sales manager, chief financial officer, executive vice president, janitor and chief cook. In short being a sales professional gives you the independence of being your own boss.
Yet sales professionals are big problems for customers, prospects, bosses, and spouses. They are cussed at parties, gossiped about behind closed doors, miss family time, travel a lot, work long hours, work flexible hours. Sales people make a lot of noise, they interrupt, make mistakes, listen to complaints, respond positively to grievances and sometimes waste peoples time.
Yet no profession moves more freight, loads & unloads more ocean liners, freight trains and transport trucks, introduce new products, open new factories and keep the wheels of the economy rolling than any other profession.
I am proud to be a Sales Professional.
Re-Focus, Re-Connect, Re-Organize, Re-Charge!
Posted by scottvandam in Musings on July 7, 2010
Taking a rest is re-energizing, sounds obvious doesn’t it? Nothing can improve your health, productivity, family life and stress levels than time away from the regular grind. Yet I am shocked that half of American’s won’t take a summer vacation. With so many fruitful benefits of taking a break, we are not doing ourselves or anyone else any favours by skipping vacation. Here are the four reasons why I take a 2 week summer vacation:
- Re-focus - I’ve been spending countless mornings alone enjoying the tranquel water in solitude with nothing but a cup of coffee, my notebook, and Bible. This has allowed me to re-focus on what is important in life.
- Re-Connect – I’ve been able to focus on my relationships with my 3 children and wife spending one on one time with everyone. I played a round of Golf with my daughter, spent hours fishing with my son, and spent dozens of hours with my wife around a quiet campfire. These are moments that I will cherish forever.
- Re-organize – Taking time away allows you to take a 1,000 view of your life with no distractions and re-flect and re-tool what changes you need to make in life, relationships, career and family life.
- Re-Charge - simply put, I’m relaxed, I’m calm, and am getting the itch to make a difference in the daily tasks of regular work/life.
Here’s to vacation! What are your plans?
Out of Office Reply: “Gone Fishing”
Posted by scottvandam in Musings on June 27, 2010
I’m indulging myself in some much needed rest and relaxation. This post finds me on the North Eastern shores of Lake Ontario enjoying a tranquil summer night contemplating the importance of a sabbath rest.
Over the next two weeks I’m taking in quiet moments with family & friends, fishing with my children, embracing moments of solitude, immersing myself in God’s creation, reading a few books and indulging my creative urges by writing song (with my guitar of course).
I brought a number of books that I plan to tackle including The Screw Tape Letters by CS Lewis, The Autiobiography of F W De Klerk “The Last Trek, A New Beginning”, Linch Pin by Seth Godin and I’m re-reading Loving God by Charles Colson.
So if you find me unresponsive to tweets, emails and phone calls over the next 2 weeks it’s because I’m busy enjoying the important stuff in life.
Leadership: Create Conditions in Which Others Generate Great Ideas
Posted by scottvandam in Musings on June 15, 2010
I read a tweet this evening that inspired me to share a video I watched last night. Sally Hogshead from her Twitter account reminded both her followers and myself that:
“Your job as a leader is not to have great ideas, but to create conditions in which *others* have great ideas.” ~Sir Ken #taom
The vehicle to accomplish this is through effective communication.
Whether you are a leader in business, government, a ministry or a not-for-profit the most important job you have as a leader is to communicate. How leaders listen, engage, speak, take action and model behaviour has a direct impact on how the front line interacts with the customer, how engaged partners get results, and customers make recommendations on your offerings.
Social Media is giving leaders an unparalled opportunity to listen, engage, speak and take action. The following video is living proof of this by way of Michael Hyatt’s explanation of how he leverages social media to lead and earn influence with his employees, customers, stakeholders and partners at Thomas Nelson Publishing. Have a listen as to what he has to say at the Christian Leadership Alliance Annual conference in San Diego last year.
How Can Christian Leaders Get Started with Social Media? from Michael Hyatt on Vimeo.
Let me know what you think!
UnPlug and Read a Book
Posted by scottvandam in Musings on May 15, 2010
I’m linking to Michael Hyatt today and his post on defending books. Reading a good old fashioned book is one of the best ways to wind down, imagine, dream, contemplate, explore, expand and learn. So turn off the TV, close the laptop lid and shelve the blackberry. The experience is most therapeutic!
On my reading list this month is a good mix of economics, politics, religion, business and technology.
The Post American World by Fareed Zakaria
The Armageddon Factor – The Rise of Christian Nationalism in Canada by Marci Mcdonald
Information Technology in the 13th Century
Posted by scottvandam in Technology on April 28, 2010
Often when we think of the history of Information Technology we consider the Gutenberg Printing Press. It was in fact the first time that content could be reproduced at a rapid pace.
13rh Century Clock - Photo care of RockN on Flickr
But what about Clocks? As both a lover of history and technology I found myself pondering if the invention of the clock in 13th Century Europe is an example of an early Information Technology development. The clock has allowed us to use information and accurately record and monitor what we do.
Here is a brief list of other benefits of the clock:
- Accurately tell time and depend less on the sun and moon
- Provide the possibility to order our day
- Measure the cost of labor more effectively
- Track the number of hours that go into a specific project
The clock gave us information that allowed us to make time a measurable value and it altered history forever.
What other older taken for granted Information technologies can you think of?
Silicon Halton Interview
Posted by scottvandam in Technology on March 25, 2010
I was interviewed by Silicon Halton recently talking about why Waggware does business in Burlington, Ontario and why it is important to get involved with your local community business groups.
For the full post click here
Twitter: scottvandam
- Hello long weekend, it is so good to see you
- @DannyBrown good times! Sorry I missed you, cheers!
- Just posted how to select the right software to achieve your business goals http://ow.ly/2iAWq #it #software
- Wondering why I play hockey in the summer with spectacular nights like this one #summernights
- @erin_bury I think a jam night is in order :-) Guitars, Vocal Chords and good times!