Sage News and Discussion

Seriously, how hard can it be to say I have entered invalid login credentials? Not that I have, mind you. I try accessing the partner portal, wait 2-3 minutes, then get ""User authentication failed."" I have no idea why my user id has failed but really, 2-3 minutes for me to wait to know they don't like it??? Have I failed a new Sage requirement or what???

Basically it's like developer nerds programmed the interface and the language used. No usability studies were done at all.

thanks @PeterWolf for making me feel less like a total loser. Not that I'm not still a total loser as a Sage partner...

This is SAP, right? Aren't they supposed to be towards the top of whatever? Geez, I am soooo NOT... umm, NOT.... okay,, NOT accepting this transition. Wait - have we heard this already?

Yeah - their total disregard for usability is a joke. It's almost like they intentionally made it hard to use and indecipherable. I posted yesterday about the fact that the Sage people cannot print Credit memos. Come on ... seriously?!

Amen, @PeterWolf. Here's a new twist - I fiinally got a statement and check for our account and was pretty confident it was accurate. Then, today, we were talking about a specific customer and I go on the portal and find that the amount I was credited for March is now different. What??? How can you change it after you've settled it? Too bad they don't have a good ERP system...

And remember what I said about changing things in Atlas? ""We can't change things once it's entered"" is what they told me....

It is seriously as if Sage hates their partners and their own employees and want to create extra administration work for everyone.

Ummm... they do.

so sad, so sad.. so... I'm going to the FOTF seminar next week. If this is Ed telling me I need to endorse/embrace everything Sage, it ain't gonna happen...

FOTF is the opposite of that - that's why partners need to go. Basically it is trying to help partners figure out how to be successful irrespective of Sage.

Thanks @PeterWolf but Ed Kless IS Sage. With all the sh*t happening, I'm having a hard time reconciling that. And I pretty much love Ed, you should know... Okay, not love, but... you know...

Ed Kless is the least Sage person that I know at Sage.

hmm, interesting.

I guess I'll let you know my thoughts after next week....

I'm going to agree that FOTF won't be a Sage love affair.

Ed's as Sage as he has to be and not an ounce more. He sees the ridiculousness and does what he can from the inside.

Which is to say ""nothing"" since Pascal doesn't give two shits about anyone's opinion but his own. At least that's what I've heard from Sage folks willing to talk about it.

Peter, your reporting on inside comments about Pascal's attitude sounds like it fits the stereotypical French manager. I was hoping for better, but watching him over the past 6 months, I'd already concluded that. Sad to hear some confirmation. Yet another avoidable executive mistake: You can count on one hand the number of European execs who have successfully run large American firms. That UK would think he would be exceptional is another view into the dysfunction there which is occasionally reported.

Therese, I attended FOTF in Toronto last month. I agree with Pete, it's pretty much Sage agnostic. And well worth the time.

For those critical of Pascal -- you're only shooting the messenger.

The ""how"" of what you do is almost as important as the ""what."" It also seems that the details within some of the broader policies are what is doing the most damage to channel attitudes. It doesn't help that Atlas was rolled out at the same time, something the current administration has little control over. That said, what exactly do you mean, Wayne?

I agree the execution Grade D- However Pascal is here on orders from Sage UK. The execution in my opinion has been poor.

OK. Yes, his orders were something like, ""grow new customer sales organically by much more than 3%."" Maybe something about ""move to subscription."" The details within those are more than likely all his. What is truly appalling about the execution is its ignoring of basic ""handling upset customer"" rules. Like enabling verbal q&a on meetings. Or explicitly dealing with details relating to trust, such as detailing when they will and won't go direct. That, after repeated requests to do so. I feel like they're barely smiling while they stick in the knife.

@ThereseLogeais Regarding FOTF, Ed's been telling partners for years to change their business model to protect themselves from exactly what's happening now. And keep in mind that Ed is only half of the show...Ron Baker is the other half. I think you'll have a great week!