Interview with

Amy Reynolds

Director of Marketing

Open Systems, Inc
By J. Carlton Collins, CPA

 

We asked Amy what she wanted prospective purchasers of accounting software to know about Traverse.  She responded:

TRAVERSE offers source code at no additional cost to the purchaser. This enables you to have the flexibility of customizing your solution (anywhere from a minor form change to integrating the accounting system to other areas of your organization). And because we are 100% Microsoft, the tools used to access information are not only readily available and at your fingertips, but are also common for your organization because of Microsoft.

Underestimating the relationship with the reseller and vendor

We have seen many end users choose a solution based on technical aspects or product features, only to see them rendered worthless in the hands of the wrong reseller.  Okay, we've established that the resellers are important to the success of the implementation.  How should we perform due diligence on prospective resellers, Amy?

You need to check references and have a comfort level with the reseller. 

 

She added:

 

As far as critical measurement, it is obvious that the software must meet your overall needs. If changes to the software are inevitable, then the software must be able to comply. Also be prepared to change internal processes if need be.

How often does the typical company change it's accounting system and what are the main reasons for change?  

I would estimate that a typical mid-market user changes accounting systems every 7-10 years. It’s a big job to change, so most organizations will try to make their existing system work as long as possible. 

Although we have seen users change systems more often than that, we agree that it is a huge undertaking to change systems.  That would explain why many organizations keep an existing system longer than they should. So what makes them change? Amy responded :

1). Companies out grow their system and need additional features 

2). People want integration to the web

Since we agree with Amy that there is significant pain involved in implementing a new system, there has to be a significant reason for an organization to change.  A move to a new solution could be driven by technology advances (like the web as Amy mentions) or by pressure from competitors - increased customer service, for example.  Buying decisions are being influenced today by non-core functionality. Users are seeking productivity enhancements like e-mail alerts, executive information systems, remote synchronization tools, and expect that the core features will be there.

We wanted Amy to tell us what a prospective buyer should ask a reseller when evaluating an accounting software package, she said:

Can the system do what I want it to do for my organization?

We would change her question slightly to "Can the system do what I want it to do for my organization today and in the future?"  Software like Traverse, which provides source code and uses Microsoft-compliant tools, should be well suited to meeting the needs of an organization, however the organization changes in the future. 

   

Respectfully,