Jim, Unfortunately I am unable to attend the conference. I have other obligations that preclude just about anything over a weekend. I am arriving on Monday evening after the conference to pickup some more training in 7.5 and R:Web.
Jan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Schmitt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "RBG7-L Mailing List" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 10:09 AM Subject: [RBG7-L] - Re: AHHHH.....the power of the R:Base demo > Hi, Jan: > > Yes, we could do a demo of the demo at the conference,. If anyone is > interested, let me know. > > I've been through the RFP cycle many times with the words ' must be > existing software only'. Thats a bummer. > See you at the conference. > > JIm > At 07:44 AM 10/18/05 -0700, you wrote: > > > >Jim, > > > >Great story! How about a demo of the demo ;) > >I can tell you as screwed up as our cities billing system is I have thought > >about tackling it. > >But as you also mentioned, it is sometimes who you know and who knows about > >you before > >you get the opportunity to strut your stuff. > > > >I had received a RFP several months back. It would have been a huge project > >but something that > >could have easily been done in R:Base. They even had the existing program > >that we could have converted. > >But 3/4 of the way through the 200 page document was the clause, that > >consideration would only be given > >for existing software. Didn't have time to pursue so I had to let it lapse. > > > >Congratulations! > > > >Jan Johansen > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Jim Schmitt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: "RBG7-L Mailing List" <[email protected]> > >Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 7:11 AM > >Subject: [RBG7-L] - AHHHH.....the power of the R:Base demo > > > > > >> Good Day to all: > >> > >> Thought I would just share this one with the list. Let me preface this > >by > >> saying that we have done city and village utility billing software on > >> various computers, and even have a couple of clients running utility > >> billing under 4.5++. > >> > >> About 10 weeks ago, I received a call from a fellow I know at American > >> Electric Power (they supply electric power to smaller towns and villages > >in > >> Ohio), and he told me of a village in northeastern Ohio that was very > >> unhappy with their utility billing software. He gave me the name and > >> number of the person to call. Well, I had no sooner hung up the phone, > >> and received another call , this from the woman in charge of the village, > >> calling to see if I could do a demo. > >> > >> I gave my best sales pitch, and told her that we have utility billing, but > >> it is in DOS, and not windows. She said that she wanted it in windows, > >> Ibut I convinced her that she should take a look at our DOS version, as > >she > >> may gain some new ideas. She agreed to look at our DOS version, and we > >> set an appointment, and I told her that would come to her site (about 120 > >> miles away). So, the day before the appointment for the demo, my laptop > >> died. I didn't have time to get a new one, so I lugged a full computer, > >> with 19 inch monitor up to the village. I met with about eight people, > >> and demoed the 4.5++ version. They seemed impressed with our DOS > >version, > >> but said it had to be in windows. > >> > >> Now, we were the first firm to do a demo for them, and I asked who else > >> they planned on seeing. They indicated that they had contacted two or > >> three other software firms who specialize in utility billing/government > >> accounting (these were the 'big boys' of government software in Ohio). I > >> asked them if, after they reviewed the other firms software, I could come > >> back and do another demo of utility billing system in windows. They > >> hesitantly said yes, and that I only had about 6 or 7 weeks before their > >> final decision. > >> > >> Well, I couldn't just stop progress on my current accounts for this > >> potential client, so I committed my early morning, and late evening hours > >> to this project. I figured that, even if they did not buy from Ohio > >> Software, we would have a windows product for future sales. So, before > >> every working day for the next seven weeks, I started my day at 5:00 AM, > >> and worked from 5:00 unit 8:30 AM, converting the 4.5++ DOS version of the > >> system into a 7.1 windows version. I also worked on it in the evening > >> for a few hours a night. After 7 weeks, they called and said they had > >> reviewed the others' software, noting who they had preferred of the other > >> vendors. They said that I could come back and show them what I had, IF I > >> WAS STILL INTERESTED. I told them yes, and we set a date. > >> > >> Did I finish this system in this short period of time and make everything > >> work ? Absolutely notI But I finished all of the screen layouts, and > >> many of the report layouts. > >> > >> Loaded with a new laptop, and the 7.1 Windows R:base product (not yet > >> completed), I drove to the village. This time, only two people were > >there > >> for the demo, BUT, these two were the main two. I told them that the > >> system was not yet finished, and only about 70 percent completed. I > >> demoed the system, and took notes on what they said the others' had, and > >> that I didn't. > >> > >> Well, I sent them my proposal., and the rest is history. They called two > >> days later, and said that we had the deal. I asked what swung this our > >> way, and they said that they were so impressed by the software of our 2nd > >> demo, and said they were blown away with what we had done in that short > >> period of time. Boy, did I feel good. I was almost ready to do a back > >> flip.....well, not quite. It's not very often you go up against the > >> big boys, and win. But, when you do, it feels great. > >> > >> We signed the contract, ordered their version of R:Base, and installed it > >> last week. They absolutely love the software > >> > >> AAAAAA.......the power of the R:Base demo. > >> > >> Jim > >> ======================================== > >> Jim Schmitt > >> Ohio Software Services > >> 2211 Lake Club Drive > >> Columbus, Oh 43232 > >> Phone 1-614-863-1850 > >> Fax 1-614-863-0325 > >> E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> ======================================== > >> > >> > > > ======================================== > Jim Schmitt > Ohio Software Services > 2211 Lake Club Drive > Columbus, Oh 43232 > Phone 1-614-863-1850 > Fax 1-614-863-0325 > E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ======================================== > >
