bill@twg.bc.ca (Bill Irwin) (10/15/90)
I would like to ask the Net readers' opinion on several posturing
statements currently being considered for use. We find ourselves so
close to the organization that it is difficult to step back and see
ourselves as others do.
The Net is a wonderfully objective audience that is well known for its
willingness to offer up opinions, and occasionally unsolicited ones.
Well, this is definitely a solicitation to ask you to take ten minutes,
read the following overview of our organization to get a "feel" for what
we are, than score the posturing statements that follow based on how well
you think they describe us.
I will tally the scores that I receive and after they die down, I will
post a summary so that you can see how your personal favorite did
overall.
Our organization is a full support business computer systems integrator
to small and medium sized businesses, excluding very small (under
approximately 10 employees) organizations. We are not a classic
vertically oriented VAR in that we have no specific solutions that we
promote. Our posturing is such that if the required sales or service
related functions we provide are either UNIX based (meaning all
derivatives), or PC networking requirements inclusive of MacIntosh or DEC
VMS connectivity, we will take on the project. There are many
organizations who have great difficulty locating support for such
disparate configurations especially if they are too small to justify an
MIS staff of even one individual. For these organizations, we become
their computer systems department.
The normal arrangement is that they become a customer under our support
arrangement or Systems Support Service Agreement. This is a standard
on-site hardware maintenance contract, without limitation to any brands
as long as we can apply the "open systems" test generally, combined with
unlimited software operational and applications support, all for a base
fixed monthly fee and certain hourly charges for items not specifically
covered (custom programming or site wiring). Usually, the customer
already owns the existing system when they become our customer. Often
they are alone due to their original VAR vendor disappearing, or they
slowly acquired pieces through non support retail channels, or other
circumstances. Once we start dealing with them under our "Mercedes Benz"
support arrangement, we easily earn the right to all future component
acquisition and upgrade sales to the respective client. A desirable and
"earned" account control.
Our marketing strategy therefore differs from most. While we are
interested in selling all of our products and services offering,
including:
Hardware & Software Components
Custom Software Development & Modifications
Installation, Configuration & Training Services
On-Site Hardware Maintenance & On-Line Software Support,
we develop new accounts exclusively through the service contract channel.
This is because we do not believe that appropriate margins exist in new
systems sales opportunities or retail sales approaches as the primary new
account development channels. However, we have proven to ourselves over
many years that soliciting existing sites who already retain similar
support arrangements of our type, or who seek and/or need same, produces
"our type" of accounts.
We seek assistance in determining a posturing statement that conveys the
right "hook" to use in conjunction with our name in all of the
applications where our name will be used, such as stationary, signage,
service vehicles, etc. While our name could be changed to convey part of
our posturing, which it currently does not do at all, there are some
underlying reasons why it will not be changed.
Now that you have the background...let the scoring begin! Please score
each of the following posturing statements; 0 being poor and 10 being
superb. Also, we encourage and welcome new and better ideas.
SCORE
[__] Keeping MultiUser Computers & PC Networks Up and Running
[__] The Up and Running Computer Systems Company
[__] Turning Components into Reliable Computer Systems
[__] Computer Systems Integration & Support Services
[__] Computer Management
[__] Everybody Sells Computers. We Make Them Work!
[__] Your Computer Systems Partner
[__] We Make Computer Systems Work
[__] Your Computer System's Strategic Alliance
[__] Turning Computer Components into Up & Running Systems
[__] We'll Get Your Computer System Up Running & Keep It There!
[__] Nobody Else Keeps Computers & Networks Up 100% of the Time.
Nobody.
[__] Open Systems Computers & Network Connectivity
[__] UNIX * NOVELL * ACCPAC * SUPPORT
[__] All Brands Computing - 24 Hour Support
[__] Total Computing Support
[__] We Are Your Computer Systems Best Kept Secret!
[__] Your Insurance for Maximum Computer Systems Up Time
[__] Dedicated to Open Systems Computing Support
[__] MultiVendor MultiUser Network Computing Support
[__] Fast Dependable Support for all your MultiUser & Network
Computing Needs
[__] Rapid Computer Support
[__] Turning Computers into Knowledge
[__] Turning Computers into Reliable Information Systems
Please reply by mail to the address below and, as I said, I will
summarize the responses. Thank you for your mind share.
--
Bill Irwin - The Westrheim Group - Vancouver, BC, Canada
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
uunet!van-bc!twg!bill (604) 431-9600 (voice) | UNIX Systems
bill@twg.bc.ca (604) 430-4329 (fax) | Integrationpww@bnr.ca (Peter Whittaker) (10/15/90)
In article <283@twg.bc.ca> bill@twg.bc.ca (Bill Irwin) writes: >I would like to ask the Net readers' opinion on several posturing >statements currently being considered for use. We find ourselves so etc, etc, etc.... >summarize the responses. Thank you for your mind share. >-- >Bill Irwin - The Westrheim Group - Vancouver, BC, Canada >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >uunet!van-bc!twg!bill (604) 431-9600 (voice) | UNIX Systems >bill@twg.bc.ca (604) 430-4329 (fax) | Integration Bill: are you prepared to pay each and every respondent the consultancy fee to which they will be entitled for having provided your business with this marketing/PR research? Just curious.... Peter W. P.S. Bill's post strikes me as being right on the line as to what is and is not acceptable on the net: it's not an advertisement, but it's close.