General Consultant Discussion

Just got the ""hey I am so and so from Avalara and I am going to be in your neighborhood"". Got this call last year too. These ""getting to know you"" are great for the Avalara guy who gets to fill out some activity on his sheet but for me - meh. Unless there is some deal or purpose for meeting I find they are only possibly good for a free lunch.

So true. Lately I get the full court press from a lot of these companies.

So pick out an expensive restaurant you have always wanted to try and get a free lunch. Curious, who is the rep?

THIS is why I like Avalara! I have met with *all* of my reps (they've changed over the years) and it's great to get to know them. When I have questions/problems, I'm not afraid to contact them and they are very responsive to me. As Mike said, who is the rep?

If only my MAS rep was ever in the 'hood. They churn so quickly that I barely get any notes posted on their Act record. Usually, the first entry is replaces so and so and will be my new rep. Usually the second post is ""Moved on to greener pastures. Being replaced by so and so""......................

I'll have to check my voicemail. The call came in late last night. The problem is that I don't have anyone on Avalara and I have historically found that ""getting to know you"" meetings are a big waste of time for me when I don't have anything pending. Back when I was marketing to CPA firms I used to go on these meetings. Typically it was one partner who got the bug that they'd introduce consulting to their other partners (which never worked because each partner in a CPA firm is effectively an island). So I'd go out to the firm. Have a great meeting. Never hear a single word. Rinse. Wash. Repeat. I mean this process was repeatable time and again. And while I could assume that I'm just not presentable and was putting on a bad initial meeting - I do close a fair share of other meetings where there is a problem that needs solving or where we might be up for the work. I just find that unless there is some defined agenda: a. Currently working with the product b. Have a prospect c. Have a project That getting to know you meetings in most cases are a waste of time.

Got a similar call from Sal. I settled on a mid-October web meeting instead.

Maybe we should just do a web meeting for 90 Minds and save the guy a bunch of effort ?

For what it is worth, we seem to be seeing more interest in Sales Tax Automation, and it is the customers bringing it up, not us. Avatax seems to work better than it used to, but their proposals are very confusing and ambiguous.

Ok, but you're gonna have to break the news that I can't keep my 10/12 appointment.

I think sales tax automation is going to be huge once the government clamps down on Internet sales as well as trying to enforce more out of sales collection. I've not doubt there will be a day when we will be required to charge sales tax for every state no matter what our presence in the state may or may not be.

national sales tax?

I definitely agree Wayne. Tennessee already forces us to collect sales tax on services. Any consulting that is directly associated with software (upgrades, support calls,etc) is subject to sales tax. In other words, KTAs are subject. Consulting projects like business process reviews are not. Are other states doing the same? And I'll bet they will be soon if not.

Minnesota is similar to Tennessee, John. If you are installing or implementing a product that is taxable, then the service is also taxable. And it is impossible to know which taxes apply to a client since zip codes are not completely in or out of certain jurisdictions. Hallelujah, AvaTax!

Thanks Therese. What bothers me about the way Tennessee is doing it is that they have single out technology projects as being subject. Other professionals (CPAs and attorneys) have no sales tax collection responsibilities.

Some IT salesguy from India just called me. I'm so used to them, I simply hang up...So he calls me back, and really expects me to answer the phone??

Sal visited with us last week. We had a nice lunch and sat through his demo. He offered to come back to do a lunch and learn for our staff (CPA firm) and for our customer base. Also offered to come down and present at our user conference on 10/13, but we only have so much time slated for Avalara and don't want to short change any of the other presentations we need to give.

Have him sponsor the PM session and let him present at the end of the meeting. Anybody interested will hang around. All others will go to Jelly Rolls with you..............

Shameless plug for Jellyrolls: My son is vacationing in Orlando this week with his girl, and he decided he wanted to propose at JR. I contacted Matt and Michael, my favorite duo, and asked them to make it special, then we and the girl's parents snuck in and hid in the back. They called Liz on stage for her birthday, and tortured her and Mike for 10 minutes before asking Mike if he had a birthday present for his date. Then he got to propose (but forgot to use the microphone that was provided; thus we can't hear him on the video). Made it worth the impromptu trip on Monday evening, and even having to work on Tuesday on a 3 hour sleep. Jellyrolls - the most fun you can have in the greater Orlando metropolitan area without boarding a roller coaster!

Send the Youtube link............................ BTW, did she accept?

Of course she accepted - she and her kid (from another daddy) have been living with us since December. They're finally getting their finances in order and saving some money, so I might have them out of the house by springtime! BIG PARTY at Jellyrolls that day - all are invited, drinks are on me. Link to the Youtube video (poor quality, but that's what we get for hiding in the back of the room): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arvzgf-XIqo

Cool - I saw that on Facebook but didn't realize it was your son. You don't look old enough Ed!

That's what clean living and bi-weekly visits to Jellyrolls will do for you!