Sage 100

This thread is a breakout from the thread about Phuong Nguyen's departure from the Sage 100 Product Marketing Manager. (Login to the 90 Minds Community)
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90 Minds succeeds because of our engagements with various stakeholders. Without the active participation of our various members and others, our group doesn't generate value for anybody. Sage NA is one of these constituencies: they benefit from our active support of Sage 100-related products, our input to their product development efforts, and more,  We benefit from their information flow to us and their financial support. 

But attracting and keeping Sage's attention has always been a challenge, some years more than others. (It was only 4 years ago when Moira managed to get Sage to pay - for the first time - a sponsorship in return for their participation in MOTM. It was a hard sale to make.) Our "engagement" efforts with Sage are very frustrating -- the constant turnover only makes it worse. Sage's apparent changes in product and market strategy in the past 2 years don't help any.

Sage NA's priorities (on which execs get paid) have clearly changed. Their Sage 100 goals have changed, and it is clearly in a sort of "maintenance mode" to keep its customers from leaving the farm until they can be moved to the new fields (Intacct and X3). Related to this, significant NCA is not on their priority list. This Sage 100 strategy will NOT change, no matter how much we wish it would. 

My personal opinion is that 90 Minds will have more challenges in deepening our Sage relationship this year than we did in the past 2 years. Our relevance to Sage NA is not as obvious as it was then. (And, to be clear, there were plenty of people in Atlanta who we had to explain why we were important in those years, too.) 

So, here's my question for you Sage 100 members: What is our Value Statement to Sage NA? 

What, specifically, should we be offering to Sage NA that will be valuable to them in advancing their strategic goals? We have some ideas, but I would really like to hear unprompted ideas from 90 Minders.

Thank you for your suggestions and observations. 

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Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
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Figure out a way to impress upon them that their continued revolving door strategy REALLY is counter product to ANY positive movement to Sage 100.  Remind them that once end users and prospects understand the Sage "climate change", the $140,000,000 Sage 100 golden egg will disappear faster than they can say "We need another quill in our cloud strategy".

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Jeff Schwenk
FORMER 90M Board Member
Bottomline Software, Inc.
Waynesboro VA
540-221-4444
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I have lots of asks, but for providing value to Sage, here's something mutually beneficial.

When there is a Sage KB article listed as being with Sage Engineering, 99% of the time I don't create a case... but if Sage needs more sample data to understand / fix the issue, they need to TELL US.  Giving us the inside scoop on open technical issues can help us, while allowing us to supplement the case with more information, helping Sage.

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Kevin Moyes
Technical Systems Analyst
Munjal White Consulting Co.
Toronto ON
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I'm wondering if there is some way 90 Minds can help Sage expand and spread the functionality in the MS Power Apps. It clearly has lots of potential for customers, but it doesn't seem like product mktg will ever run with it in promotion. Any ideas on whether or how this might be done?

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Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
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Sage invited me to write a blog years ago and this winter I took them up on the offer.  It seems like the feature is very much under-used. 
I bet a lot of 90-Minders have things to share which might help fill out more blog posts, with the side benefit of some self-promotion.  Articles have to be reviewed by the product / marketing team, but it's an idea. 
https://www.sagecity.com/support_communities/sage100_erp/b/sageerp_100_blog/posts/sage-100-in-canada 
​​​

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Kevin Moyes
Technical Systems Analyst
Munjal White Consulting Co.
Toronto ON
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-09-2021 17:18
From: Jerry Norman
Subject: How can 90 Minds be valuable to Sage NA?

I'm wondering if there is some way 90 Minds can help Sage expand and spread the functionality in the MS Power Apps. It clearly has lots of potential for customers, but it doesn't seem like product mktg will ever run with it in promotion. Any ideas on whether or how this might be done?

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Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
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Sage wants current customers to extend their system with integration to various apps and services whether credit cards or AP Automation or many others. Is there any way we might be able to help Sage with that goal?

Right now, my sense is that most partners are fairly passive about promoting this to their customers. Is there something 90 Minds could offer for its members to help them bring more of this value to their customers?

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Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
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My suggestion is aim high and at the big picture.

Start with suggesting a long term roadmap and the group act as a common driving force in keeping this on track ( to the best of our ability given Sage’s structure ).

Yes, this should be what product advisory does. Suggest advisory council should be retooled.

1. Create a type of customer bill of rights. What can a Sage 100 customer expect no matter who the product marketing or product manager is?

2. Long term development - the Sage customer of 1990 is vastly different than 2021. What needs to happen to the product for it to be a better fit for a 10-20 user site? Can we get rid of workstation setup? Reduce access to the full MAS90 folder, etc

3. How can we best identify the customer who can benefit from a move to Intacct. I think there are probably three or four traits ( heavy GL user, not a user of enhancements, stringent IT where loading a service or local client is difficult due to rights issues ). Help move these customers where the fit is there.

In my opinion avoid approaching Sage lobbying any type of narrow technical issue. Keep it broad and guiding. Think longer term. Think customer benefit. Think about helping create a plan that ensures the product keeps moving forward even when staff rotate in and out of marketing and product management.

Sage benefits in two ways
A - Recurring customers
B - Carrying the message to existing customers about Intacct

I don’t think you should get too bogged down in arguing details. Be more concerned about long term with an eye toward benefits A and B.

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Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990
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Wayne - the Product Advisory Council and resulting Roadmap is a radical idea. Combined with the Intacct Migration Profile, this could get them to pay attention to a productive, strategic relationship with us, even if their needs ultimately create something else with us. 

My Power Apps is sort of within that category and could be an example to show how the roadmap would be helpful. Your larger example is an excellent possibility to get them thinking and talking. 

I'm sure other 90 Minders have other suggestions, large and small? Fire away!

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Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-09-2021 18:20
From: Wayne Schulz
Subject: How can 90 Minds be valuable to Sage NA?

My suggestion is aim high and at the big picture.

Start with suggesting a long term roadmap and the group act as a common driving force in keeping this on track ( to the best of our ability given Sage's structure ).

Yes, this should be what product advisory does. Suggest advisory council should be retooled.

1. Create a type of customer bill of rights. What can a Sage 100 customer expect no matter who the product marketing or product manager is?

2. Long term development - the Sage customer of 1990 is vastly different than 2021. What needs to happen to the product for it to be a better fit for a 10-20 user site? Can we get rid of workstation setup? Reduce access to the full MAS90 folder, etc

3. How can we best identify the customer who can benefit from a move to Intacct. I think there are probably three or four traits ( heavy GL user, not a user of enhancements, stringent IT where loading a service or local client is difficult due to rights issues ). Help move these customers where the fit is there.

In my opinion avoid approaching Sage lobbying any type of narrow technical issue. Keep it broad and guiding. Think longer term. Think customer benefit. Think about helping create a plan that ensures the product keeps moving forward even when staff rotate in and out of marketing and product management.

Sage benefits in two ways
A - Recurring customers
B - Carrying the message to existing customers about Intacct

I don't think you should get too bogged down in arguing details. Be more concerned about long term with an eye toward benefits A and B.

---------------------------------
Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990
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This is truly a tough question. If Sage 100 is in maintenance and migration mode, then our value should be how we can help them retain the customer base and migrate them to strategic products when possible.

Is our subscription conversion rate higher than “average”?

Do they have win-back strategy or target % of active but off maintenance customers we can work with?

The goal should be to align our value to their strategy.

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Gary Feldman
President
I-Business Network, LLC
Marietta GA
6786270646 x224
http://www.i-bn.com/
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Gary, I basically agree with your conclusion, with one change. 90 Minds' strategy should include an alignment to relevant Sage strategy but go further if possible; a Venn diagram of the 2 strategies.

More importantly, what do you think should be our actionable programs/activities of the 90 Minds strategy to support Sage's strategy?

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Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2021 07:32
From: Gary Feldman
Subject: How can 90 Minds be valuable to Sage NA?

This is truly a tough question. If Sage 100 is in maintenance and migration mode, then our value should be how we can help them retain the customer base and migrate them to strategic products when possible.

Is our subscription conversion rate higher than "average"?

Do they have win-back strategy or target % of active but off maintenance customers we can work with?

The goal should be to align our value to their strategy.

---------------------------------
Gary Feldman
President
I-Business Network, LLC
Marietta GA
6786270646 x224
http://www.i-bn.com/
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