 On this Memorial Day my family thanks those who’ve served, who’ve sacrificed, and for those who paid the ultimate price. Freedom isn’t free.
My father, God rest his soul, served in WWII as an enlisted man in the Navy (under age), went to University of Missouri on the GI bill then got drafted into the Army in the Korean War. He never much talked about it, and it’s today that I so admire what he did for me and our country. Miss you Dad and God Bless the USA.
I thank each and every service women and man who continue to protect us and put their own lives on the line.
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 prog·nos·ti·cate - To predict according to present indications or signs; foretell.
I’ve seen the future and I’m not sure I saw a Blackberry.
First, I’m not a technologist and can’t explain technical details of why the Blackberry may have already seen its best days, I’m simply a user. A long time user. And today in a mobile world it’s all about usability. I’m also in the business of providing business technology: CRM (SalesLogix, SageCRM, ACT!, SugarCRM) and ERP software (Sage MAS 90, MAS 200, MAS 500, ACCPAC ERP, Acumatica). It’s clear that our clients and prospects are looking toward becoming increasingly mobile. Our software vendors are also gearing up for the mobility revolution.
In order to be a successful mobile user, the hardware needs to make using these applications, well, usable. Having tried hardware like the iPad, Android and iPhone and comparing those to using any of the Blackberry solutions, I fear Blackberry may not win this competition.
Does the Blackberry go the way of the Tyrannosaurus Rex? I think it does, unless RIM reinvents itself, and fast. I’d love to hear other thoughts on this so comment away.
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 President Obama’s new health care legislation isn’t going to pay for its self. We all know that. But how do 1099 regulations come into the conversation?
Businesses give 1099 tax forms to vendors for SERVICES, that’s old news. Now every vendor that sells you more than $600 worth of GOODS, needs to have a 1099.
New computer from Apple, 1099. Office supplies from WB Mason, 1099. RENT to your landlord, 1099. Cleaning crew for your office, 1099. HOTEL stay for a week-long conference, 1099.
That’s right, starting in 2012, small vendors and huge corporations alike will need to give you their tax ID and you’ll have to file 1099s for each of those companies. Let the paper-work nightmare begin!
How did this happen you ask? Legislatures who still remain nameless (really, no one is owning up to it) buried it in the 2,409 page Health Care Bill. The 1099 expansion plan has been in the works since 2008, and we all know revenue is badly needed to support the new legislation.
But how much will this tedious move help funding for the feds? Back in 2007, the Senate Finance Committee asked the government’s General Accountability Office to conduct a tax-gap study. That study deduced that the 1099 legislation could result in $345 BILLION in new (or previously unreported) tax revenue.
Ah now we get it!
How will you deal with this impending paper trail mess? Build spreadsheets with each vendor’s tax ID and every purchase you’ve made? That doesn’t sound safe or efficient.
Sage Accpac, along with other Sage accounting products, will track 1099s and tax ID’s and handle all IRS reporting requirements for you.
Ask us how we can tidy up your daunting 1099 mess; it’s easier than you think!
For more information on the hidden 1099 regulations, check out CNN’s coverage.
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If you’re a frequent flyer like me, air travel has become a drag. Cramped seats, bag charges, getting through security, stress and then the infamous meal plan. Right, no meal plan. Well ok, maybe nuts and crackers if you’re lucky. Or if you’re real lucky you get to buy a meal, if they don’t run out before they reach the 12th row. It’s an understatement to say that air travel just isn’t fun anymore.
I’ve held fast to that unfavorable impression of air travel, until yesterday. Thanks to two Jet Blue flight attendants, my seemingly ordinary Denver to Boston flight was pleasurable and fun. Yes, fun.
In typical fashion I joked with the flight attendents as to what time my steak would be served. What happened next was fantastic. During the flight instructions that we all listen to so attentively, one of the attendants that will remain anonymous (Suzanne) mentioned that there would be no steaks served on this flight Mr. Ward. That got a chuckle out of me.
Then as the typical snacks were being offered, I was presented with a special serving.
 My Airplane Dinner A beautiful white paper towel as my table cloth, plastic flatware, followed by pictures of a rare steak, desert and of course my cold roasted nuts (they were real). Yes, it made me feel special and I laughed as did all the passengers around me!
So, you think you’re selling a commodity? What can you do that makes you different. People make the difference in a world filled with same old, same old. Thanks JetBlue for the customer experience!
 Suzanne and Gina And thank you Gina and Suzanne!
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 Sitting at the airport in Denver, Colorado, I’m reflecting on my week at Sage’s annual conference for business partners, Sage Insights. I remember when we first became acquainted with Sage in 2001. At that time we were a SalesLogix reseller and the company that owned SalesLogix (Interact Commerce) sold to Sage (know at that time as Best Software due to naming trademark issues in North America).
My first impressions of Sage were that we had finally found a vendor focused on the business partner and helping our company deliver great products and teaching us how to be the best service vendors. Over the years, there have been various leadership changes that had taken the blush off the rose a bit. Don’t get the wrong impression, it’s been my personal opinion, that Sage still provided business partners like us the best partner programs in the software industry, bar none.
Today, while awaiting my flight, I’m feeling like I did back in 2001. Excited, refreshed and confident. This new Sage under its current leadership has invigorated this company in North America. There’s a commitment to its product lines, and now heavily focused in the customer experience. Something I’ve personally taken so seriously that I truly believe that one can no longer create customer satisfaction. Satisfaction simply isn’t enough. One must create customer delight!
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 Dolby the Rat Terrier was so pleased with the office that he decided to become BrainSell's interim president. Industry conventions can make offices desolate places for 2 or 3 days. With members of the BrainSell team out at Sage Insights in Denver, Colorado, things have been pretty quiet in the Massachusetts office. Nothing spices things up like a visit from a family pet.
What do you do to keep things interesting when most of the staff is out?
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 Today, Sage released details on the FRx replacenent dubbed Sage MAS Intelligence. When Microsoft announced a retirement date for FRx, Sage began the search for a replacement immediatly. Read what Sage has to say below…
“FRx Replacement – Sage MAS Intelligence coming soon!
Sage MAS Intelligence will soon be introduced as the ideal FRx replacement product for Sage MAS ERP. On target to be released this summer, Sage MAS Intelligence offers powerful and easy to use graphical financial reporting capabilities to access business-critical information, and makes complex reporting easy using a new report designer. Going beyond General Ledger reporting needs, Sage MAS Intelligence will provide Business Intelligence across the entire Sage MAS ERP system, including CRM and Abra.
Sage MAS Intelligence benefits will include:
• Quickly identify and respond to trends using sophisticated, customizable dashboards
• Empower your staff with timely, meaningful information and trend reports
• Easily create in-depth financial, operations, customer, and vendor reports
• Efficiently view, manipulate, analyze, and distribute reports in a familiar Excel format
• Extract up-to-the-minute high level summaries, account groupings, or transaction details
• Effortlessly consolidate data from multiple companies, divisions, and databases
• Streamline customized work in Excel
Sage MAS customers on plan will be provided with a trade-in option for existing FRx licenses. Details on this program will be provided very soon.”
For in-depth details, read Sage’s full report.
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 Purchasing and implimenting a CRM system can be a daunting task. Sometimes you can buy directly from the software vendor and other times you can buy through a Value Added Reseller (VAR). BrainSell President Jim Ward addressed the topic of who to buy from as a guest blogger on the Sales Opperation Blog this week.
Jim focused on the pros and cons of buying direct and buying from a VAR. Here are some of his points in short… to read the entire post, visit Marci Reynolds’ Sales Opperation Blog.
Definitions:
Direct Sales: A direct sales model for a CRM software vendor means the vendor employs their own sales force and you do business directly with the vendor.
Value Added Reseller (VAR): When buying through a VAR you’re buying through a company certified to resell the vendor’s software. VARs offer additional services such as training, development, consulting and implementation to add “value” (the “V” in VAR) to the sale.
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 2010 SugarCon speaker Jan Sysmans, Director of Product Marketing at SugarCRM, made a very compelling SugarCRM vs. Salesforce argument. Below are some of his points.
SugarCRM’s Flexibility is Superior
* With SugarCRM, you can… easy drag and drop UI for customization. Create your own integrations in PHP (open language) – Salesforce has a proprietary language (NOT open source).
* SugarCRM has… 5,000+ integrations with other applications – Salesforce has under 1,000
* SugarCRM has no limitations to the number of custom modules and work flow – Salesforce DOES have limits
With SugarCRM, you get more Control
* With SugarCRM, every customer has their own database – Salesforce users share one multi-tenant database.
* SugarCRM does weekly database backups with object relationships intact – Salesforce only does monthly backups without object relationships (they’ll charge you if you want to back up more frequently)
* With SugarCRM, you’re free to deploy on-demand or on-site or virtual private cloud and easily move your deployment from on-demand to on-site – Salesforce is locked into a Salesforce data center – that’s not very nice.
PRICING
SugarCRM Professional Edition = $30/user/month
Salesforce Enterprise Edition = $125/user/month
SugarCRM Enterprise Edition = $50/user/month
Salesforce Unlimited Edition = $240/user/month
You be the judge…
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