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] > ======================================== > >
