I Could Have Missed It All…..

This past week was the annual Sage Summit Partner/Customer Conference  which was held in Washington D.C. at the Gaylord Conference Center and Resort.

I have been to every Sage Summit since its inception and more than a few when  it was Insights.

This Summit was a special one for me and if the doctors are right it will be my  last so it was important for me to attend. Sage gave me the opportunity to say thanks to the Sage Community and also to tell the attendees what’s going on with my health.

Joe Noll of Lancaster, PA showed me what an incredible human being he is, as  did Dave & Cheryl from LDK Consulting. The love that the Sage community showed me was overwhelming. An example of this was when I was talking to Diana Waterman, an incredible human being and one of my favorite Sage employees, a  gentleman walked up to us that I’ve never met and introduced himself as Pramod Gandhi  from Dubai. In a very humble manner he asked about my health and then he said, “Bill, we are  praying for you in Dubai.” You could have bowled Diana and myself over  with a feather. It was then that I finally understood the global reach that my  LinkedIn Group had accomplished. The entire week was like that for me from Sage executives to partners like Pramod.

I had to conserve my energy so I didn’t go out to the parties. Today I’m wiped  out and know that I will fall asleep right after takeoff but no matter I will take these memories with me on whatever journey I embark on.

Thank you to the following ( I apologize if I’ve left your name off, it’s no  reflection of you, but rather a reflection of my crappy memory)

Joo Sohn / Kevin Rooker / LDK Consulting / Joe Langer / Diana Waterman / Sophie  Leguillette / Himanshu Palsule  /Tammy Mathews/ Connie Certusi /Pascal Houllion / Wayne Schulz/ Lori Schultz / Pramod Gandhi / Danielle Cote / Robert Wood/ Joe Ward / Suzanne Spear / Joe Noll  and of course Marti Wolfson

I do hope and pray that my doctors are wrong in their prognosis because I do want to live longer and spend more time with my sons and I sure don’t want to miss Sage Summit 2014 in Vegas. Please don’t stop being who you are. What I’ve found going through this process is that it doesn’t take much effort to make someone’s day just a little bit better as you did mine.

I have been given money for the purpose of adding to my son’s college fund and also for liver cancer research. I hope this doesn’t come off as pandering but both are great places to donate money.

My mailing address is:
1025 Stratton Drive
Vista, CA. 92083

Make the Most of Sage Summit in D.C.

Written By: Joe Langner EVP, General Manager Sage Mid-Market Solutions

Over the last year, we’ve gone from being product-line focused to a customer- and market-led organization. At last year’s Sage Summit, we laid the foundation and infrastructure for the future and prioritized our portfolio to enable us to increase investments in areas, such as cloud and mobility. Last year’s conference was a huge success, and based on your valuable feedback and the considerable progress we’ve made, Sage Summit 2013 will be our biggest, and should prove to be our best event ever. The largest education and networking event for Sage customers and partners, we expect 4,000 members from the Sage community to attend.

In his opening keynote, Sage North America CEO Pascal Houillon will discuss the Sage vision, what’s new and what’s coming, new cloud service offerings, and more.

The partner portion of the conference will bring you the latest information on strategy and products. Like no other conference, Sage Summit will help you become more productive, push the envelope, hear what’s working for others, and bring a new energy to your workplace. Sage Summit 2013 offers many different ways to learn—from scheduled breakouts to hands-on labs to the innovative new Idea Xchange sessions. Regardless of which product you use or what field of work you’re in, the topics are certain to be relevant and interesting to you.

At the Sage Marketplace Live Expo, you will get a hands-on look at specific applications and be able to talk with software developers who are as committed to your success as we are.

The innovative concept of Sage City builds on the networking aspect of the conference and facilitates business discussions and alliances. We are excited about the opportunity this provides to customers to meet like-minded peers, share ideas, and overcome similar business challenges.

On Monday, July 22, Sage executives and thought leaders will lead Super Sessions that offer deeper insight into topics from customer experience to the future of Sage products:

• Understanding the Sage Product and Technology Strategy
• How to Map the Customer Experience
• Growing Your Business Through Solutions-Based Selling—Greg Hammermaster, president, Sage Payment Solutions, and I are leading this session.
• Fundamentals of High-Performing Firms—How to Get (and Keep) a Competitive Edge

Then on Monday night, July 22, let loose and have some fun at our not-to-be-missed annual partner party! This year’s event is all about good times in The District, with themed hangouts and locally inspired eats. Plus enjoy games, activities, and even a table tennis tournament. But mostly, come by to enjoy the open bar, live music from partner bands, and a chance to greet old friends and make some new ones.

On Wednesday, July 24, Sage presents A Night at the Smithsonian for customers, exhibitors, and business partners with a six-day pass. This private party is unlike any other you’ve ever experienced. For one night, the Sage community will take over the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of American History: Journey through some of the most important American stories; get a firsthand look at the Old Glory Flag; check out Dorothy’s ruby slippers and other American icons. Plus enjoy great food, fun games, and great company.

Sage Summit week marks a new beginning for Sage in North America as we prepare to move to the second stage of our journey, which is accelerating to the cloud.

In addition to coming to the Partner Days of Sage Summit 2013, I encourage you to reinforce the value proposition that we deliver to customers, by attending the Customer Days of the conference with your customers, as well. Thank you to all our Sage business partners who are investing your time and money to attend. We appreciate your commitment and loyalty.

I look forward to seeing you at the conference. If we’ve not yet met, please introduce yourself to me, and if we have, be sure to come by and say hello.

Warmest regards,

Joe Langner EVP, General Manager Sage Mid-Market Solutions

Sage Summit 2013

Remember The Good Old Days?

Do you remember the days when Sage sales consultants would sell 3 to 5 new ERP systems  weekly just by answering the phone? Do you recall the times when end users would not complain (too much) about the total cost of product and implementation because you had  prepared your resellers and customers in advance? Proper preparation would often eliminate any surprises for you and your client when total cost would become a point of discussion.

What happened to the good old days when new system sales were easier to land? What I believe has happened is that software sales consultants have not prepared their prospects for the ultimate presentation; you know, the one that includes the total cost, including the price of the product, maintenance, deployment and training.

Further, a practice seldom used by sales consultants today is the ability to upsell to existing  customers. For example, vertical-specific enhancements that integrate seamlessly with Sage 100 ERP (formerly known as MAS 90/200)

One of the major reasons why potential enhancement solutions often turn into missed upselling opportunities is because many software sales consultants fail to make an effort to study the industry in which their prospect or customer work.

This is why conducting a complete business analysis is so critical. In addition to learning about your clients and their respective industries, inquiring about the responsibilities of each employee within a company’s structure is vital, especially in terms of listening to your customer’s specific requirements and asking the right follow-up questions. Asking constructive questions and offering a wide range of enhancement solutions, tailored to fit the needs of the prospect, are strong suits of most Sage Resellers.

Don’t forget to visit relevant vendors and partners at Sage Summit 2013 (July 21-26) in Washington, D.C.

Sage, Sage 100 ERP, Sage 500 ERP, Sage CRM and Sage Software are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sage. All other trademarks and registered trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any e-zine, newsletter, blog, or web and social media site. The author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

Bill is recognized as a top performing senior level executive with multiple years of proven success in sales, management & business development

He’s considered a leader in Sage Software ERP solutions, business-to-business direct sales and business development.  He’s developed successful sales teams & is adept at analyzing growth opportunities & managing operations to meet corporate objectives. He’s also been successful in building an online Sage LinkedIn Community with 8,200+ members.

Contact: Bill Kizer
760.518.2493
williamkizer52@gmail.com

Sage Summit 2013

http://www.billkizer.com

Are You A Digital Addict?

Help Find A Cure For Liver Cancer

How many Days This Week have you…..
1. Checked Twitter & Facebook before getting out of bed?
2. Had 5 minutes of Internet activity turn into more than 30 minutes?
3. Texted while driving?
4. Texted while walking across the street?
5. Posted a Facebook photo of your dinner or a neat trick that your pet just learned?

How many times today have you…..
a. Said, “Just a second, I have to check my email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.?
b. Checked in to the same Starbucks, etc. on Four Square?
c. Reach for your smart phone during a meeting, just for comfort?
d. Realized you left your smartphone at home, and when you’ve gone back and retrieved it breathed a little easier.
e. Panicked because a co-worker caught you playing Solitaire, Words With Friends or your favorite game?
f. Nearly walked into someone or something while checking your phone?
g. Tweeted or answered an e-mail from the toilet?

Now add your score enter 2 points for every activity you’ve indulged in, now come on let’s be honest.

0-10: Don’t change a thing. This tongue in cheek blog was written for your eyes.
11 + 19; Turn your cell phone off for a few hours just to see how that feels.
20 +; I’m not saying you have a problem but your boss or significant other may think you have a problem.

Recently I watched a TV show that took 5 coeds who typically rely on their smartphone and the producers asked them if they’d be interested in participating in this week long experiment. This being Southern California, the breeding  grounds for reality shows and endless reality “stars.”  What coed wouldn’t join in? The results were interesting. One of the girls became a stark raving bitch (her description) after just one day. On the other end of the spectrum one of the coeds didn’t really mind and the other two were in the middle. Scientific? No, but it was interesting to watch Coed #1 lose her marbles.

There are hundreds of similar studies being conducted to determine how our daily activity has changed; what that means, if anything at all. Can we actually be addicted to the activity and time spent with our gadgets?

When will the first case of LSAS (Lost Smartphone Absence Syndrome pop up in front of a judge? Which ambulance chasing lawyer use it as a defense?

One more time and then I’m walking away from this laptop for the day. I was watching a couple at my favorite nearby restaurant, sit and play with their phones while completely ignoring their dinner mate. They continued this way even after their food was delivered to them. They didn’t say 10 words to each other. This is the type of addiction that I’m referring to.

Sage Summit 2013

See you at Sage Summit 2013
July 21-26
National Harbor Gaylord Resort and Conference Center.

Bill Kizer
760.518.2493
San Diego, CA. 92083
williamkizer52@gmail.com 

Bill is recognized as a top performing senior level executive with multiple years of proven success in sales, management and business development

He’s considered a leader in Sage Software ERP solutions, business-to-business direct sales and business development. He’s developed successful sales teams. He’s adept at analyzing growth opportunities to meet corporate objectives. He’s also been successful in building an online Sage LinkedIn Community with 8,300+ World Wide members.