AccessWare
Marketing Strategy
AccessWare's goal is to be the Process-Center
software product leader in the markets we serve. We are pursuing corporate
partners in vertical industry channels as well as regional sales representatives
to expand into crossindustry (or horizontal industry) applications.
AccessWare's exceptional price and high performance are expected to drive the
market share through flexible multichannel, multitiered distribution. This
distribution provides the basis for our "Virtual Organization" where
partnerships with other companies develop into centers of expertise and leverage
their core competencies into market dominance. The sales approach is simple,
creative, flexible, and aggressive. This strategy balances partners,
incorporating their resources with our own to gain market share.
Today's
Difficulties
In today's market, corporations (endusers &
vendors) are struggling against stiff competition. Most affected are those
companies that have found themselves in a commodity product classification. This
classification incorporates not only hardware vendors but also software vendors
whose products may have been missed by the ever changing and short lifespan of
modern technology. In this environment, companies are looking for unique ways to
differentiate themselves. Product reliability, cost control, service, customer
solution as well as meeting competitive challenges are at the forefront in
corporate strategy.
Organizations have begun to realize that the true
cost of contemporary systems is customer support. Support includes life cycle
issues such as specification, evaluation, training, implementation, acceptance,
operations and obsolescence. Because the technology changes so rapidly and
training is provided to only a select few, software becomes obsolete quickly and
its success is subject to retaining the trained personnel. Companies are finding
that due to these circumstances, investment is at risk. In an effort to reduce
exposure to risk, maintain lean organizations, and concentrate on their own core
competencies (i.e. make product not software); companies have moved toward
establishing standards and using contractors and integrators to focus on
automation and technology needs.
Specific groups of software vendors have emerged
to accommodate this need. Some vendors have narrowed their scope of supply to
specific, industries or functionality while others have positioned themselves as
generic supplies appealing to a broader market. AccessWare products fit into the
latter category.
AccessWare's
Solution
To address these problems, AccessWare's strategic
focus has shifted. We provide not only SCADA but also MESSCADA with Microsoft
MMI for a more complete solution. AccessWare's technological strategy is to:
Our Sales Strategy
The AccessWare sales strategy is to pursue
selected vertical industry opportunities. These are industries/markets which
AccessWare has already entered and can build sales quickly. This strategy
includes finding and targeting major key suppliers for a possible AccessWare/OEM
(Original Equipment Manufacturers) partnership.
The implementation of our sales strategy
encompasses a three pronged approach; focusing on Original Equipment
Manufacturers (OEM), Value Added Resellers (VAR), and Systems Integrators (Sl)
representatives. AccessWare's utilization of third party representatives (or
integrators) as the 'Virtual Organization', coordination with third party
technology and development of custom solutions is consistent with the needs of
the OEM and vertical markets.
Market identification and qualification are key
to this sales strategy. The optimum approach to selling MES software is
targeting and working with a market leader who understands the business and its
specific technology needs. Market leaders can be system integrators, hardware
suppliers or other third parties such as consultants who compliment existing
customers or undertake an entirely new approach.
Trends indicate that suppliers will provide
suites of tightly coupled products from different specialized companies in an
effort to satisfy the customers desire for a broader range of capabilities. This
trend necessitates the formation of marketing ventures, joint development, and
acquisitions; thereby increasing the need for vendors to provide internally
tailored solutions.
The direct sales approach is based on customer
volume and production costs. However, direct contact with all elements of the
sales channel is imperative. Quality communication of customer needs and
prioritization of resources is best done through direct contact and is vital to
the early stages of market strategy implementation.
Major accounts are qualified by their potential
for developing AccessWare as a strategic partner (standardization). OEM's are
qualified based on their need/potential to use our products as a private label
" bundled" or price book offering. System Integrators or VARs are
convinced that the system can provide benefits consistent with a reduction in or
efficient use of man hours and an economically justified solution. They also
leverage the systems capabilities into layered products (reusable application
specific software). This translates into a product that demonstrates quality
price and performance and is sophisticated enough to handle large projects yet
is easy to learn and use. By combining the expertise and resources of others
with our own product, this strategy provides AccessWare with multiple channels
to multiple markets.
The OEM who selects AccessWare as a strategic
partner will realize the following competitive advantages:
LINUX
Rules !