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A Guide to Selecting a Business Software Partner NATIONAL LOCATIONS ATLANTAGA ○ COLUMBUSOH ○ COLUMBIASC ○ DALLASTX ○ DENVERCO ○ GREENVILLESC LAGUNA HILLSCA ○ LOS ANGELESCA ○ MINNEAPOLISMN ○ TAMPAFL
Welcome to Blytheco! We look forward to becoming your partner for business software solutions. Blytheco offers you more than thirty years of experience, expertise and commitment to client service. With a national staff of 130 members, Blytheco boasts a broad knowledgebase that includes: • • • • • •
IT experts Certified public accountants (CPA’s) Application and industry professionals Award-winning trainers Business operations consultants Support personnel certified in their areas
As your business partner, Blytheco is dedicated to providing outstanding service and to helping you meet your goals and objectives. We look forward to tailoring your software package to help your company work as efficiently and economically as possible. And we’ll train and support you as you move ahead. Blytheco is the company of choice for some 4,000-plus clients nationwide. In fact, we are the number one partner for Sage’s business applications. In addition, we are honored to share just a few of the accolades we’ve received from our vendors, our industry peers, and our communities: • • • •
Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Orange County Business Journal’s CFO of the Year 2008 Community Service Awards Orange County Business Journal’s Family-Owned Small Business Award Catalyst Magazine’s Top 50 Entrepreneurs
After you review this “Guide to Selecting a Business Software Partner,” we invite you to review our “Guide to Business and Accounting Software,” “Guide to Human Resources Management Systems,” and our other helpful resources online at www.blytheco.com. You are in great hands with any member of the Blytheco staff. I also invite you to contact me personally if I can help with your business needs. Sincerely,
Stephen Blythe CEO
Why Work With Blytheco? The Leadership: Our Executive Leadership:
Blytheco’s executive leadership is a team of industry veterans with diverse strengths and skills. Each brings a unique perspective and contribution to the firm. Stephen P. Blythe is CEO and founder of Blytheco, LLC. His experience at Price Waterhouse and Ernst & Young and over thirty years of leadership in business system design and implementation has provided him the insight and experience to help businesses obtain their goals. He is based in Blytheco’s Laguna Hills, CA office.
Ruth Menter leads the consulting team as President and COO of Blytheco, LLC and is based in the Atlanta, GA office. Her extensive experience in analyzing business processes has made her an expert in translating requirements into technical solutions. Ruth provides guidance on delivering client solutions involving complex business systems.
Nicholas Hoad is Vice President of Technology Solutions in Blytheco’s Atlanta, GA office. Nicholas oversees Blytheco’s research and development efforts and coleads the Sage ERP X3 initiative. He has extensive experience in multi-systems integration, including the development of several new modules for the MAS 90-200 and SalesLogix product lines.
Danny Baker Vice President of Development in the Greenville, SC office has over fifteen years of product implementation, development, and support experience with major professional service organizations. Danny manages Blytheco’s development team, collaborating with team members to design innovative complementary solutions for Sage applications.
Tim Baker, CPA, CMA is Vice President of Consulting, based in the Columbia, SC office. Tim leads the MAS 500 consulting team and co-leads the X3 initiative. He has over seventeen years of business consulting experience in the public and private sector and extensive experience in system selection, design and implementation. Phil Sim is Blytheco’s Vice President of CRM, and works from the Denver, CO office. Phil specializes in business process evaluation, workflow optimization, and integrating Customer Relationship Management systems with vertical applications. Donna Baeza serves as Director, HR & HR Business Solutions and works from the Blytheco Laguna Hills, CA office. She has over fourteen years of experience in Human Resources management and serves as an industry expert for the company’s HRMS division.
Judy Peterson is Vice President of Consulting for the MAS 90-200 product line, and is based in the Minneapolis, MN office. Judy has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Minnesota and has over 20 years experience in the industry. Stuart Langer, CPA is Blytheco’s Vice President of Sales. With a strong background in business process analysis and enterprise software solutions, he leads the company’s sales efforts and guides the sales team in designing and creating systems that help companies meet their objectives. He is based in the Atlanta, GA office. Anne Alario is Blytheco’s Controller, and works in the Laguna Hills, CA office. She works closely with the corporate leadership team and provides financial accounting, forecasting, and reporting services for the company.
Questions to ask when choosing a business solutions provider Choosing a Sage Partner to assist you with managing your system is not an easy process and requires careful examination. There are several things that you should research before making that final decision. Please consider this brief guide to choosing a Sage partner. Below are just a few of the considerations for the decision-making process. If you have already chosen a Sage partner, it isn’t too late to ask for this information before you go too far down the road and find out you really don’t have the support you expected to have. We also urge you to choose a partner before you need urgent assistance. You are better able to carefully evaluate and make an informed decision when not in “panic” mode!
What is the size of the organization? The size of the organization is a good indicator of the company’s stability. If the company has been able to grow while also controlling debt, you can feel confident that they will most likely be around for a long time to come. A larger firm can provide the depth and diversity of consulting skills that smaller companies do not normally have. More consultants are available to provide on-the-spot support when necessary.
How long has the company actually been in business? Longevity is typically a sign of stability and experience.
What are the qualifications of the staff? How long has the partner been working with Sage software solutions? How many people within the organization have meaningful experience on your particular software application? Don’t be afraid to ask for the names of and background information about the consultants who will be available to support your system.
Do they provide in-house support for hardware and operating systems as well as software, or do they sub-contract to hardware vendors? Working with separate software applications, OS and hardware partners often creates a time-consuming “finger-pointing” environment when compatibility issues arise. Having one provider for your complete business system needs eliminates this frustrating situation, saves you valuable time, and ensures that the firm caring for your system sees the complete picture before issues arise. Look for the firm that has the depth and expertise to do it all.
NATIONALPRESENCE LOCALTOUCH Do they support a wide range of business management tools? While you may currently only need support for one or two Sage software tools, as your business grows or changes, a need may arise for complementary systems, to manage sales forecasting or human resources compliance, for example. Most clients find it easiest and most efficient to work with one partner who understands the full range of business management systems, from ERP to CRM to HRMS. Having one partner who understands every aspect of your business dramatically streamlines management of your systems.
Do they have the latest information about new releases and technical updates for your system? Having a partner with a close relationship with Sage has many advantages for users. These partners have access to product news, technology information, new releases, vertical solutions, and other tools that can help you increase efficiencies and maximize your software investment.
What is their consultative approach? Your projects are important, and deserve professional project management by consultant with years of practical experience and expertise. Today’s technology implementations inevitably include some degree of risk, and should not be handled by junior consultants who are not closely supervised.
Are they a Sage Authorized Training Center (ATC)? Access to classroom training ensures that your staff members are always up-to-date on current products and versions. Sageauthorized training provides a high-quality, standardized training environment and Sage training materials. What is the process for obtaining support on an on-going basis? What is the turnaround time to get someone to call you back once you have reported your issue? Easy and fast access to reliable support is absolutely critical. When you have a problem with your system, getting an “after hours” message or waiting hours for a return call are not acceptable.
What do their clients say about them? Make sure that the partners you are looking at provide references and take the time to have a detailed discussion with them. Suggested questions include: what would they say is the greatest strength of the partner? What would they say is their greatest weakness? Ask them to describe a difficult situation that has come up and how the partner handled it. How do they feel about their billing practices? Do they meet their time lines and budget commitments?
Is the partner an active and responsible member of your business community? Business no longer exists in a vacuum. In this highly interconnected environment, we all feel more comfortable conducting business with reputable, transparent companies who align with our values and are active in our communities. Blytheco is active in and supportive of its local community. Staff members regularly participate in fundraising activities for the American Cancer Society and Orangewood Children’s Home, and CEO Stephen Blythe is a pilot volunteer for LIGA, Air Life Line, and Angel Flight.
Why Work With Blytheco? The Company: Our track record Blytheco has served the business community since 1980, and has achieved the highest levels of recognition from Sage and from industry experts. Our company is honored to have been named Sage’s Business Partner of the Year for eleven consecutive years (since the inception of the award), and we have consistently received recognition in Sage’s Chairman’s Club, Sage’s President’s Circle and Sage’s Million Dollar Circle. The Sage community looks to Blytheco as an industry leader. Our development team is the primary resource for Integrated Solution Vendors (ISVs) seeking to create integrations to 2008 Sage products. Our industry’s press has consistently named us a “Technology Pacesetter.” We frequently collaborate with other Sage business partners to provide their clients optimal solutions, and we have an extensive network of CPAs that refer their clients to Blytheco to serve as their primary business technology resource. Blytheco has also received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Ernst & Young in 2004, the Family Owned Business Award from Cal State Fullerton in 2004 and the OC Business Journal CFO of the Year, Top Ten Fastest Growing Private Companies in 2008 and OC Business Journal Community Service Award in 2009. Blytheco is very active in the communities that we serve. Our executive team and staff regularly participate in events like the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, Liga International, Flying Samaritans and Angel Flight. Most importantly, we have served over 5,000 clients nationwide, and our clients recommend us. Visit http://www.blytheco.com/testimonials.asp for just a few of our success stories!
Lowest-risk and highest value At Blytheco, clients and partners benefit from our success as we are able to offer the best pricing available for Sage products. The value of our products and services, together with our commitment to superior customer service, means that working with Blytheco, LLC is the BEST choice for your business.
Why Work With Blytheco? The Company: Locations and staff Blytheco truly has a National Presence, with a Local Touch. With thirteen nationwide offices and over 130 staff members, the Blytheco organization serves you when and where you need us. We are a Sage Certified Support Center, and offer twelve hours of available support per day nationwide – more available daily support hours than any other Sage business partner. Our team of consultants and trainers is the most experienced in their field; they work with clients to understand their business goals and provide creative, cost-effective solutions.
Blytheco has one of the largest consulting teams in the industry. Our consultants combine years of practical experience with technical knowledge; all consultants and trainers meet stringent Sage certification and continuing education requirements. Without a doubt, they are experts in their field. Blytheco’s Sage-authorized training centers have consistently won service quality awards, including the ATC Quality Achievement award, the Highest Attendance award, and Trainer of the Year Award. Training of your staff is critical to your company’s successful implementation and utilization of your software. We provide classroom, web, video, and personalized one-on-one customized training.
Why Work With Blytheco? The Products:
Blytheco offers the widest range of Sage-related solutions in the industry, including all major Sage product lines, and a wide variety of enhancement products. Blytheco’s consultants and engineers are highly trained and specialize in the integration and customization of all Sage software components, such as ERP, CRM and HRMS. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Effective management of the core accounting, asset management, distribution, supply chain, and manufacturing functions is the foundation of your business. Blytheco offers flexible, scalable systems with the power to deliver the competitive advantage required for business success. Available customizations and reliable vertical enhancements ensure that your system meets your needs today and allows for future growth.
Sage MAS 500, MAS 200, MAS 90, Sage ERP X3, Sage Pro, Sage FAS, BusinessWorks, Sage MIP Fund Accounting, Sage Fundraising Vertical Products and Enhancements: Blytheco has established relationships with high-quality vertical solution providers to extend your standard solution to meet your industry-specific needs. We work with hundreds of product enhancements to help solve your business problems, or simply to tailor your system to the way you work. EDI, Sales Tax Automation, Document Management, Field Service Management, Supply Chain Management, eCommerce, and much more
Why Work With Blytheco? The Products:
Customer Resource Management (CRM): The way you interact with your customers through sales, marketing, and customer service is one of the most important aspects of your business. Whether you choose a hosted or onpremise solution, Blytheco offers integrated CRM systems with a variety of delivery options (Web, mobile, remote PC) that enhance productivity by providing users with a complete view of your customer data.
Sage SalesLogix, SageCRM, ACT! by Sage
Human Resource Management (HRMS): Management of your workforce, including payroll, time collection, benefits administration, and much more, is essential to reducing administrative costs and retaining the talent your organization requires to meet its goals. Blytheco’s HRMS options help you meet these needs with complete compliance, comprehensive security, and robust reporting.
Sage Abra HRMS
Why Work With Blytheco? The Services: We provide complete services for Sage systems so whatever the need, Blytheco is the one resource that can support and service Sage systems thoroughly and effectively. LLC
ProfessionalServices
CONSULTING Blytheco’s consulting team works using proven methodologies and standardized processes. Projects are managed professionally with effective change management and the lowest-possible risk.
The team specializes in: System upgrades: Our comprehensive upgrade planning process will ensure that systems are upgraded efficiently, with minimal downtime. We assess all potential impacts, and provide clear, inclusive pricing estimates to avoid any post-upgrade “surprises.” The Business Process Review allows you to understand your client’s business, so that you may help them do their jobs better, faster, easier, and more effectively. We identify inefficiencies in current processes and offer cost-effective options to maximize their technology investment. Often we find that significant gains can be found within the system they own today, without the need for additional products! Blytheco Consulting Services include: • • • • • •
Project Planning and Management Implementation services System Review Consultative Training Report Design Help Desk Support
Blytheco clients nationwide can call 1-877-411-2339 to speak to a Blytheco representative and have system issues resolved quickly and efficiently. This single nationwide phone number, along with our uniquely efficient system for managing support calls, ensures that Blytheco clients receive fast, expert support for up to twelve hours each business day, from 8:00am EST to 5:00pm PST. We can travel to your offices to work directly with your employees, or use webbased remote support tools and screen-sharing capabilities to resolve your issues.
Why Work With Blytheco? The Services: DEVELOPMENT
What Can Dev Do For You? As Sage Software’s first Master Developer, Blytheco, LLC has provided custom programming solutions for Sage MAS 90, MAS 200, MAS 500, SalesLogix, SageCRM, ACT! and other applications to thousands of businesses nationwide since 1988. Sage Software’s Master Developer program was designed based on the services Blytheco offers to our clients.
Solutions...
Does your industry demand specific processes or outputs that are not part of your standard accounting system? We create enhancements or modules that fit the unique requirements of your industry. Our catalog is full of predesigned enchancements and modules to fit most business needs.
Are you using multiple systems or moving data in and out of your MAS system manually using Excel or another database? BlythecoDev specializes in integrating any external system to MAS, eliminating the time and cost of redundant data entry and putting the data you need at your fingertips.
If your clothes don’t fit right you don’t feel comfortable. The feeling can be the same with your business system if it does not fit your processes. BlythecoDev has a suite of tools including industry-specific products that allow us to create and tailor the system to fit your processes perfectly. Giving you the comfort and confidence you need to operate your business efficiently.
Your users are most productive when the fields, screens, and reports they use most frequently are readily available. We work with userdefined fields, screen modifications, and Crystal Reports to make systems work the way users do.
BlythecoDev has the largest development staff in the industry, and our nationwide locations and responsive service ensure that projects are managed professionally, on time and on-budget. We are committed to your relationship with your clients and work exclusively through Sage partners. Stay tuned for our email series highlighting the ways that BlythecoDev can enhance your clients’ satisfaction with their systems, or visit our website to start exploring the possibilities.
Train the way YOU want to!
CLASSROOM INTERNET
ONSITE
SAGE AUTHORIZED TRAINING CENTERS (ATC’S) Blytheco has 4 Sage ATC locations and can provide classroom training in a professional business setting for the Sage products we sell. Our trainers and facilities meet Sage certification criteria, and each student receives course documentation to keep as reference material.
Train at one of the leading Sage Software Authorized Training Centers in the Nation! Blytheco has training centers in the following convenient locations!
Blytheco is your complete resource for Sage Software product education that fits your budget, your schedule, and your business needs. Visit our website at www.blytheco.com/seminars for regularly scheduled web events to help enhance your system knowledge. These free-of-charge sessions, featuring both recorded and ‘live’ events, include previews of new releases, demonstrations of system capabilities, and highlights of in-the-family Sage integrated solutions. Convenient one-time registration allows you access to all events, so you can return as often as you wish!
RISK MANAGEMENT At Blytheco, we are concerned about potential risks to projects that may occur before, during and after completion. We know you are particularly interested in how we have helped businesses overcome challenges that might be similar to your own.
Purpose of Risk Management Projects contain uncertainties and thus involve (a) the probability that something could go wrong, and (b) possible adverse consequences. The product of these two factors is called risk, and taking precautionary steps to minimize risk is called risk management. Moreover, project risk management refers to assessing, reducing, and controlling risks so that project performance, schedule, and cost objectives are met. For many organizations, including Blytheco, the most challenging and interesting work is that which deals with novel technologies, new applications of those technologies, and/or unusual environments for deployment of new or stable technologies. These are the opportunities that can have the greatest positive impacts on the client. Commensurate with that opportunity is risk. Generally, the greater the opportunity for making a difference, the greater the risk that something will go wrong. To leverage the opportunities, we need to address the sources or the consequences of the risks, to ensure a successful project. We cannot leave the results to chance. We need to be concerned about risk management at two points in every project: 1) when we initially consider a project being proposed for a customer; 2) as we manage a project. As we evaluate a prospective project, we want to understand any potential problems that could cause excessive cost, force the project to exceed the required time frame, compromise the functionality, or generate adverse publicity. In addition to the usual project management challenges, we want to identify the uncertain areas (the risks) that threaten the project.
Risk Management Process Identifying Project Risks Potential risks to the project need to be evaluated to be able to build a project plan that maximizes the probability of project success. Analyzing Risk Consequence The Project Management Team will estimate the total adverse consequence for each of the risks identified. These consequences may be in terms of performance, shortfall, schedule overrun, or budget overrun. Prioritizing Risk Next the Project Management Team will prioritize or rank the respective risk items identified.
Blytheco’s Implementation Methodology Project Planning and Management Only Blytheco has the experience to manage your project proactively and help you obtain the greatest possible return on investment. As part of our comprehensive implementation methodology, we provide the following: Project Kickoff We generally schedule the project kickoff meeting within one week of signing the agreement. At our kick-off meeting, we will: • Discuss the specific objectives to be attained by the project. • Develop plans and schedules. • Define responsibilities and allocate resources. With a thorough understanding of the objectives, Blytheco will propose an initial outline for milestones and events. Implementation Planning After the kickoff meeting, Blytheco designs a specific implementation plan and allocates resources. We also schedule and initiate tasks for requirements definition, data conversion, system installation, testing, and integration. Functional Requirements Definition During this phase of the project plan, Blytheco identifies the needs of each user area. Defining the client’s Functional Requirements involves a series of interviews between Blytheco consultants and departmental managers, users, and supervisors. Equipment Installation and Site Preparation To ensure that software installation and training go smoothly, it is crucial that the necessary equipment be installed well in advance. Product Installation and Setup Parameters During this important step, we install and test the software on your hardware platform after we have mutually agreed that the hardware and operating system environment meet our requirements. We ensure that basic product performance is satisfactory. Training Blytheco strongly recommends a comprehensive user training program as part of any solution implementation. Learning how to effectively use your Sage software solution is an integral part of ensuring a successful project. We provide high-quality training programs that give each team member the individual attention they need. Data Conversion To determine what information needs to be transferred from current system, we review data files and printed reports from the existing system. Customization Blytheco can make custom enhancements throughout the course of the project. Any requested customizations will be implemented in a phased approach. We prioritize each need into separate categories and phases. For each phase, we identify which functions need customization. As much as possible, we divide each customization into simpler components that can be rolled out to users quickly for evaluation and testing. Roll-Out/Go-Live Assessment Rollout begins only after your database system has been thoroughly tested and users are comfortable with the system. Post-Implementation Review After the database has been used for ninety days, we recommend a Post-Implementation Review.
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