How we manage project proposals and tracking

1. How we manage project proposals and tracking • Patricia Egen Consulting • Presentation at Sage Partner Conference - 2009

2. Our Methodology Listen, Listen, Listen Our main methodology is to ask the right questions, then shut up and listen to the customer. They will always tell you what they need, even if they were going to say something else. We have no crystal ball to tell what’s in the customer’s head. It is the job of the consultant to plant seeds in the form of questions and ideas so that information will grow from those seeds. It’s the “food” or information gleaned from those questions that feed the entire rest of the project

3. Managing the Process • Any project, ACT or otherwise, has a 6 part lifecycle • Planning and Analysis are to us the most important part of the project and demand the most attention • Once you have documented the plan and the scope of the project, it’s all down hill to do the implementation and follow up

4. Our Proposal Steps –Planning Phase • Hold a planning meeting with the client • Ensure the decision makers AND the users of the system are in the planning session • If the Users are included you have a good chance of getting their buy in. Leave them out and they immediately put up barriers • This should be a very active brain storming session • Ask the right questions - This is your main chance to get this project right • Here’s a question I like to ask: “What do you ultimately want to have in place when this project is done. “ • I sometimes phrase it as "in a perfect world, where money was no object, .... • Get the basics • Do they have the right hardware, how many people, how much data, how dynamic is the data, will they have a lot of attachments, do they need custom reporting, where is their data today, etc. • Getting the basics is where you will run into any roadblocks to a project. • Example – they say they want web only – but then you find out later they need to use very complex Word templates making them not a good candidate for the web • Ask what is their budget • Good luck – I call this the “Holy Grail” question

5. Our Proposal Steps – Analysis Phase • Write up the analysis of the meeting and discuss within our group • As part of the planning process, we have the client fill out a planning document with hardware details, user names, locations of equipment, windows versions, location of existing data, who has VPN access, etc. • This is submitted to us prior to our preparing the proposal • We map up a possible implementation plan and proposal and then throw darts at it to find holes and areas of weakness • Do your homework • Search on the internet to find out about competitors, details about the client, the product market • You can make suggestions about fields, areas to track etc. • Know your product • Based on the answers to the questions you should be able to determine which version fits their requirements

6. Our Proposal Steps – Writing the Proposal • Write up the proposal • We use a SOPPADA format for the document • Subject, Objectives, Problem, Proposal, Advantages, Disadvantages and Action • The proposal also includes a Statement of Work which needs to be signed by everyone. Think of it as a contract. • This document clearly defines the scope of the project, when it will be implemented and when it is finished • Depending on the nature and size of the project we may include a complex contract that covers confidentiality etc

7. Using SMART to define Objectives and manage Expectations • When defining the objectives section of our proposal, we ensure that it follows the SMART rules meaning the objectives are: • Specific • Don’t include anything not listed on the requirements (unless it’s a side benefit) • Measurable • Note what will be installed, when, where, how and go back and measure when done • We ask the client to let us know how we did • Attainable • Don’t put in “pie in the sky” goals even if the customer as asked for them – if you do you are aiming for failure • Relevant • Does the proposal match the requirements • Time-based • Publish dates for tasks and keep to the dates.

8. Our Proposal Steps – Proposal Writing Tools • We have built a Word tool that has a set of canned paragraphs that we can “insert” into a proposal • If the analysis is done correctly, it should be a question of “fill in the blanks” on the proposal document • This is a work in progress so that we can have multiple people preparing proposals. • Since we use ACT, our contracts, proposals, quotes and statements of work are all templates that can be invoked within ACT

9. Dealing with Sticker Shock • If/when money is an issue, having an ROI document as part of the Advantages section in your proposal helps with sticker shock • During the analysis phase ask the client what is the profit from one of their sales • In your ROI document, show how much money they will make by just increasing their sales NN%. You will know the percent based on the question asked about the profit from a sale

10. Our Proposal Process – Presenting the Proposal • When we present our proposal to the client, we place the Statement of Work (SOW) as Page One • The SOW includes the price, what will be implemented and when it will be done • The customer ALWAYS is looking for the ultimate cost and will want to know that first • Show it to them up front and then talk to the numbers • Show them the Advantages section in your proposal • Make them realize they can’t afford not to implement the project

11. Our Proposal Process - Pricing • Since we are Platinum Resellers we pass on savings to clients on software • We generally do not quote Fixed Based Pricing • We group project stages and show total hours per section • If price is an issue and the client wants to carve away at hours we suggest a phased approach • For Example – if they want to connect to another system to import data, we move that to Phase 2 • Custom reporting is another item that can be moved to another phase • Note – we insist that training is not one that is removed

12. Keeping on Track • As part of the process we define who is the main person we interact with during the project implementation. This is who we deal with on a daily basis • Keep to the project dates • If you are going to run late, let the customer know immediately and explain why you are behind • Always keep the customer abreast of the status of the project – people in the dark “invent” problems and issues • Depending on the length of the project schedule daily, weekly or monthly calls to update the customer and to check in to see how things are running on their side

13. Keeping to Scope • The statement of work (SOW) clearly outlines what we are doing and when • If the customer asks for something that is outside of the Scope of the SOW we have a meeting and discuss “adding” it to the project plan • This generally means it also falls outside of the cost so you need to negotiate the additional fee • You also then need to adjust the project completion date to accommodate any adjustments to scope • Get the additional work requirement in writing and signed off by the customer

14. STATEMENT OF WORK • Mainframe Communications & Network Design review: • Target Start: November 2003, Target End: January 2004 • Services to be Performed • Communications environment review to exploit latest features, expose any single points of failure and provide solutions/recommendations. We understand this project and hours could change. Shaw is looking for a more efficient network, removal of any potential single points of failure and skills transfer. • Based on recent conversations, we understand that this project will entail at least the following: • A review of the IBM Mainframe OSA-2 adaptor • Review of the mainframe TCP/IP parameters and recommend any changes where appropriate • Review the Cisco hardware and provide recommendations on improvements or alternatives • Research and recommend monitoring tools for both the mainframe and the distributed networking environments and their deployment • Develop a methodology and approach for exchange of monitoring information between the mainframe and distributed environments in order to derive a complete picture of the Shaw networking environment and health. • Provide skills transfer • Estimated man day effort: • Based on services to be performed (and the information we have at this time), the estimated number of man days to complete this project will be 25. • We will use the following personnel for this project: • Don Egen Mainframe networking expertise • Melvin Lumley Distributed networking expertise • Patricia Egen Report generation and production • Fees: • The fee for this effort is $NNN per hour. • Cost: • The estimated cost for this project $nn,nnn.nn • This cost is based on the following: 25 man days (200 hours) x $nnn/hour • Project deliverable: • Delivery of a communications environment review document with clear recommendations for enhancements. • Recommendations on monitoring tools and assistance with initial implementation. • Skills transfer • CONSULTANT: CLIENT: • PATRICIA EGEN CONSULTING, LLC _____________________________ • By: _______________________________ By: _____________________________ • Patricia Egen, President Name:___________________________ • Title: ___________________________ Examples of some of our Statements of Work

15. Another SOW Example STATEMENT OF WORK ACT Upgrade and training : Services to be Performed • Hold Preliminary planning meeting with client to gather userids, contact details, location information, etc. • Validate current configuration • Convert prior version databases (onsite at our facilities) and merge into Master database • Upgrade or install new 40 copies of ACT • Upgrade Server • Re-cut Remote databases if necessary • Train new users and show existing users new features • Hold follow-up meeting to validate installation Resources: Pat Egen Don Egen Harold Pritchett Costs: The price quote for the consulting on this project is $nn,nnn.nn • This quote assumes that all work done will be via internet connectivity to workstations and that no travel is involved. It is also assumed that there will be onsite personnel to assist with starting internet connectivity on the machines. Project deliverable: • All existing users will be upgraded and pointed at the new upgraded database. New users will be installed and pointed at the new database. The ACT 6.0 databases will be checked and repaired, scrubbed of any invalid entries or activities and merged into the master database. Any remotes will be re-cut and syncs will be validated. Training will be held on new features for existing users and end user training will be held for new users. CONSULTANT: CLIENT: PATRICIA EGEN CONSULTING, LLC _____________________ By: ____________________ By: __________________________ Patricia Egen, President Name:_________________________ Title: __________________________

16. Schedule a Follow Up Meeting • Schedule a meeting to occur a month after your project is completed • Ask the client for a review of your work • Ask the client if they are ready for some additional training, custom reports or enhancements • Schedule a 6 months review meeting to go over progress • Suggest that your client take a snap shot of sales numbers at the start of the project. • Have them do the same thing in 6 months and compare the difference • This highlights the value of the program • If processes have not improved or sales have not increased, this is a good time to hold a brain storming session again to see what are the issues. • We’ve seen this happen and it turned out to be a simple issue of VPN connectivity. Nobody would mention the issue – so nobody did their syncs. The issue was resolved in a weekend and the next report was dramatically different. • Lesson learned here is to stay in touch with the client a bit more frequently. Depending on the size of the project you may want to meet in 3 months instead of 6.

17. Summary – Key Steps • The customer knows what they want even if it doesn't always seem that way • Ask the right questions up front, listen, document what you heard, present it back to the client with a solution and you will have successful projects • Agree to agree and agree to disagree • Prepare a statement of work (SOW) that spells out what will be done to keep scopes clear and in check • Anything outside of the scope of the statement of work sends everyone back to the drawing board • And finally – LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN to the customer.