A Challenge to all Partners & Consultants
Thursday, October 30, 2014I generally find the Dynamics GP reseller community to be highly dedicated, passionate and extremely clever. Very smart indeed.
BUT there is one sequence of conversation that is making absolutely no sense to me at all. I have had this conversation 3 or 4 times during the fall as I attended our partners customer events - and it goes like this:
ME: Hi, I’m Martin from eOne.
Consultant: Great to meet you. So eOne builds SmartList Builder right?
ME: Yes – that’s right.
Consultant: I love SLB. We sell it with every deal - it is such a good tool. Our customers love it and they all own SLB.
ME: That’s great to hear.
Consultant: I do not know why Microsoft let SLB go – that was crazy. And the new designer tool is really very limited.
ME: So do you use the designer?
Consultant: NO – I tried once and had to go back to SLB – we only go with SLB as all customers need it in the end.
ME: So are you presenting any sessions tomorrow?
Consultant: Yes – I’m doing a session showing off … um er… um … the designer
ME: Oh really. This is a presentation to existing customers right?
Consultant: Yes
ME: And you just said they all own SLB already – right?
Consultant: Yes
ME: Do you want them to use the designer?
Consultant: No
ME: Hmmm – so why are you showing them the designer?
Consultant: Now that you ask – I’m not sure!
ME: Given they own SLB would you have them switch to the designer?
Consultant: No way. It does not do what SLB does.
ME: So if you show designer do you think they might get confused?
Consultant: Well – now you mention it – I guess they might be confused.
ME: So why are you showing it to your customers if you don’t want any of them to use it?
Consultant: It was on the what’s new list from Microsoft I guess. So we thought we would show it.
ME: OK so let me get this straight. You are going to take 45 mins to talk to your existing customers about a new tool, that you don’t like, you don’t want anyone to use and you will actively recommend against?
Consultant: Um yes. Seems a bit weird when you put it like that.
So I challenge all VARS and consultants to think about desired outcomes before you step up to present!
This can't be a real conversation OR he isn't a (very bright) consultant….
I believe it is a very true conversation – the consultants don't have anything to do with putting together content for a conference – they just present it. This happens…don't think it has anything to do with the intelligence of the consultant.
New features are great, but not every one has relevance, and an organisation should know the product strategy for their clients. Sounds like someone hasn't been really thinking enough about that.