"Passport to Profit"

Over the past years, the AccountMate Business Partner Summit has grown into the largest and one of the most important events for AccountMate Business Partners. Dedicated business partners from different parts of the world come together and use this as the avenue to exchange ideas, share expertise, promote mutual support, and foster comradeship.

Softline AccountMate will kicked off the 2003 Business Partner Summit, February 9-12, 2003 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Marin County. This conference featured 2 ½ days of workshops, panels, Exhibitor Fair, main stage speakers, Business Partner awards, entertainment and more - it was the "not-to-be-missed" Softline AccountMate event of 2003.

From the President, Murray Aston

Murray’s opening remarks addressed past issues, as follows:

• He spoke of previous product offerings in the year 2002, including the fact that .NET Visual Basic’s development plan had been frozen because that product did not fit the marketplace at that time.  Obviously, development has changed significantly since then. 

• Murray underscored the fact that Visual FoxPro is the language of choice for Softline’s business partners. 

• Murray described how Softline AccountMate had introduced a new pricing program for business partners, which includes discounts based on actual performance.

• Softline AccountMate has eliminated the Modifier program for business partners. 

• Softline AccountMate is repositioning itself as an international solution.

• The company is achieving greater press coverage and success.

• In 2003, Softline AccountMate moved to a newer, more modern facility, which could accommodate training sessions.

• Future endeavors were the topic of the remainder of Murray’s speech, with a focus on asking himself some tough questions in order to develop a successful product and support.   The theme question that he concluded that customers would want to know the answer to from any company is, “Why should I buy from you?”  The idea that he put forth, was that the more questions we as business people ask ourselves, the more answers will arise.

• Murray compared the differences between information and knowledge, saying that to have knowledge means that a person knows what to do with the information.  “As Techies, we blind customers with science.  They don’t need to know what we know.” Murray concluded.

Some of the other major points that Murray Aston spoke of were:

• Businesses need to differentiate their products and services in order to stay competitive.  If differences are weak, then prices (and profits) will fall.
• Successful businesses focus on number of customers their company supports.
• Successful businesses adapt to change and ask the right questions.  He suggests that a good question is, “Where will I be in three years?”
• Develop a tangible, documented plan for the three year goal.
• Offer the customer a “one stop shop” and plan on how you are going to make it easier for customers to do business with you.
• Hire for attitude, train employees the skill you want them to have.
• Focus on working ON your business rather than IN your business.  He explained that business owners should “step back once in a while”.
• Attract new customers while keeping current customers.
• Communicate with your customers.
• Establish customer intimacy.  He reminded the audience that customers can get frustrated when they can not communicate with a live person.  He referred to this phenomena as being in “voice jail”.
• Timely service is crucial.  Prioritize so that tasks can be accomplished by deadlines.

 Go back to the main AccountMate Summit 2003 page, or visit our home page featuring reviews of all the top products. 

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