Sage News and Discussion

Please put comments on today's Regional Sales call here. It should be a doozy - Sage has re-organized for the benefit of the channel. Supposedly. So I hear. We'll see.

Topic:Sage Mid-Market Sales Recognition and Business Update Date:Friday, October 19, 2012 Time:10:00 am, Pacific Daylight Time (San Francisco, GMT-07:00) Meeting Number:644 468 891 Meeting Password:(This meeting does not require a password.) To join the online meeting (Now from mobile devices!) 1.Go to https://sagena.webex.com/sagena/j.php?ED=161544372&RG=1&RT=MiM0 2.If requested, enter your name and email address. 3.If a password is required, enter the meeting password: (This meeting does not require a password.) 4.Click ""Join"". 5.Follow the instructions that appear on your screen. Note: You can view more information about the meeting at https://sagena.webex.com/sagena/j.php?ED=161544372&RG=1&RT=MiM0. To join the teleconference only Provide your phone number when you join the meeting to receive a call back. Alternatively, you can call: Call-in toll-free number (Premiere): 1-855-747-8824 (US) Call-in number (Premiere): 1-719-325-2630 (US) Show global numbers: https://www.myrcplus.com/cnums.asp?bwebid=8369444&ppc=648742&num=1855-747-8824&num2=1719-325-2630 Attendee access code: 648742

Well, the music on hold certainly is upbeat!

They're setting you up for the kill.

I hate meetings that start late!!!!!

They have to make sure there is no time for questions

They don't want us complaining the call was only 15 minutes, so they're keeping us on hold for 14 minutes.

Very funny @RobertWood

They're trying to decide who is really running the meeting.

Anyone bothering to grab screenshots for Wayne and other folks that can't make the call?

I'm trying

Joe Langner - Who are the ""opinion leaders"" and how are they shaping policy?

Q - How do you know when he isn't lying? - A His lips aren't moving......

And at 451 Fahrenheit books burn.

The difference between water and steam is 212 degrees.

They are presenting us with an evaporation theme.

Let's cut to the chase and forget about the BS

Ok ... enough analogies ... christ... we are children apparently?

And for the chess players...well, I got nothing.

Money talks, bullshit walks!

Did he just say that 47% of Sage partners feel like victims?!

Did we tune into the presidential debates by mistake? Where's the binders, Joe?

Man!!! I'm getting so fired up! I can't wait for ""partners have told us that they want less margins, and we are happy to accomodate!

Zzzzzzzzzzzz......

Did he say Focus?

Gotta love power point presentations. I feel so connected.

But @JeffSchwenk if there were no slides, what would @ThereseLogeais capture for @WayneSchulz?

Especially when you can interact with others...

Closer to Microsoft.... is that like the Titanic getting closer to the Iceberg?

Thought bubble above Kevin Rooker: ""Can't believe I'm still here.

Sorry, I just missed what he was saying as I laughed at @PeterWolf

Psst... you didn't miss anything.

Joe is a real expert of using a lot of words and saying exactly nothing.

The thing is ... they actually do have a better plan now. They overshot the mark and cut out the partners but have realized that and are now trying to course correct. I hope we'll hear some of that soon.

Maybe he should run for President.

@PeterWolf would you say Joe connects via PowerPoint as well as he did in person when we were at the Academies?

For those of you in Canada - Sage 300.

Can we have the 15 minute summary? Please!!!!!!

@RobertWood - I think he's doing a buildup. Anyone that writes would refer to that as ""burying the lead"". http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bury_the_lead

But Sage 500 is still dead.

Too late

Or is it ... ""undead""?

Correction: They had Joe speak so we couldn't complain about them fitting 15 minutes of material in 15 minutes.

Comatose.

Finally... they talk about Sage CRM. Now I'm tuned in. and ... he's done with that ...

Taking screen shots is at least keeping me awake...

Just like the lobsters. We're heating up the water.

Reminds me of an accounting professor I had who read from the textbook and took attendance.

I'm doing the screenshots while asleep, @ThereseLogeais.

Joe has come a long way. At least he is now talking about the basics very well. It's good to know he understands what the customers and prospects want. Unfortunately, that's not why most of us are here. Focus.

X3 - like taking the rest of the French prompts out.

He hasn't mangled anyone's names yet at least.

Sage CRM mentioned again! W00t!

Every time he says Sage CRM, @PeterWolf gets to take a drink.

Now we're talking @RobertWood !

Sage 300 introduced to the US and Sage 100 introduced to Canada?

ok @PeterWolf, I'll play. What flavor KoolAid are we drinking?

To think that I postponed a 3.71 migration for this...........

@MichaelNottoli - fucusfruit

BAM!!!

Differentiating the customer experience - now you get to talk with Sage directly.

Did he say Emeril?

CRM again!

Don't you feel sorry for the customers, @RealJohnHoyt..I mean..@JohnHoyt.

Are you hungry @RobertWood ? You've mentioned lobsters and Emeril...

I think the hold music was more interesting

More like arrows in the our backs

Or is it cook us?

(sorry .. we have to make excitement for ourselves sometimes)

He's wanting to cook for us.

Differentiating ourselves with our technology. Oh hell... we're in deep shit now.

I'm telling Ed, he said ""On premise"".

Because we at Sage know more about your clients than you do.

No @PeterWolf, we're fucused.

@JimWoodhead remember customers are now wanting to pay Sage to take away features.

TG he ISN'T covering all the bases.............

Some of what he is saying is on spot with where the world is going. Sage Advisor in particular is critical for Sage and the customer's future. (Not sure where the partners fit in though.) Read this: http://www.amazon.com/Consumption-Economics-The-Rules-Tech/dp/0984213031

I don't want to talk to anyone at Sage. .Why do they think our customers would?

Doesn't Brad Smith play for the Bills?

New theme park: The Customer Experience

Value or ..... lack of value

Out the door.

@RobertWood - customers want simpler things these days. That's why Intacct is making inroads even though their feature set is rather thin.

We're Pivot Tables!

@PeterWolf - I have been reading that book - where Sage is going to fall on their face is the ratio of free advice to ads

HE IS LYING NOW!!!

I'm agreeing with what he's saying. Customers are demanding simpler solutions these days. It's one of the reasons that M$ is so hosed with their bloatware.

@PeterWolf I agree, but they also want it to work exactly the way they want it to work.

What Fixed Assets team?

@PhilMcIntosh - It's not necessarily offering advice but also used to gather usage trends to determine future product directions.

I would be happy if it just worked......

They gone!

That's 4 drinks.

Isn't that what the partner is doing? managing the customer

@RobertWood - I think the future is ""focus"" and standing strong in what you offer and what you don't. ""Here's what we offer, if it doesn't work for you, that's fine. Go somewhere else."" Look at Intact, 37Signals, Facebook, Google, etc.

Tenant = occupant; Tenet = doctrine or principle

Bottomline is ... the software industry is changing. The partners need to change too because the cheese is moving ... very quickly.

@PeterWolf maybe but they have to pick a tribe and identify it. Instead of trying to make something simple for everyone and targeting 20 tribes.

@MichaelNottoli or Tennant = Dr. Who.

Yay, Kevin Rooker - the veteran!

Upgrading Atlas? So soon????

Why does he keep saying ""I'll be honest with you

Hmmm... I don't see Brett Banner on there.

Did he just say he wanted to be honest with us?

Actually Kevin's the only one doing any work in the management group.

Don't you mean, ""Yay, I don't see Brett Banner on there"", @PeterWolf ?

Well he did say it has been challenging for them. No mention of our challenges with it, however.

@RobertWood I need to be able to do multiple 'likes"" - not possible.

I also hear a twitch in his voice when he says that!

@JeffSchwenk According to a few people from Sage at Summit, the reason Atlas doesn't work is because they're on a jillion year old version of SAP and Atlas.

Doug LaBahn is an extremely sharp product and product marketing dude. If you get a chance, I recommend you speak with him.

It's a tic, @MichaelNottoli.

@PeterWolf Are all your comments serious, or have you already had the 4 drinks?

Not picking on Joe for a second, he gets nervous speaking both in person and on these calls. So when he says ""I'll be honest"", it really is a nervous thing.

@JohnHoyt we are getting Sage Fan Boy @PeterWolf today. He's also secretly forwarding every comment directly to Tom's office.

A mole???

More like a rat.

A double agent??

@JohnHoyt - Dead serious. Doug is a sharp guy. Simpler is the future direction for software (to combat the Complexity Chasm pains). Sage Advisor is an essential tool (for Sage - not necessarily us directly). Read that book that I referenced above. It sets the direction for all of us for the coming five to ten years.

@ThereseLogeais - Are you taking notes so you know how NOT to conduct the webinar Monday???????

So if you have any questions or orders for FAS, call Sam Hunter.

Maybe we can turn him into a triple agent.

I agree, @PeterWolf, Doug is a sharp guy. Aren't you also a fan of Sophie?

@JeffSchwenk hit me over the head if it turns to this next Monday..

And we keep Sophie around to translate when Pascal speaks.

@ThereseLogeais I may hit you over the head if it turns into this next Monday.

I'm not playing the Sage Fan Boy card. I'm playing the ""Sage better wake up and change or they will be gone in five years. So it's good to see them changing."" card. The challenge is ... what's good for Sage in the future, is not going to protect our dying business model so we all better change as well or WE will be gone in five years.

I give you all permission!!

They are trying to make the software less complex but they are making the organization MORE complex!