[thelist] [fwd] Microsoft PWS

[the head lemur]

> 4. I have requested that all Customer Service personnel have access rights
> to see the server in Prep so that when a customer calls in with questions
> or concerns, they can simply use Acrobat Reader to open up the pdf file
> located on the Prep server. This has been rejected for various reasons
> none of which I can understand.
I will whack at this one.

I do not know where you work, but i have seen this movie before and here is
a recap of what is going on.
==================
Company policy strictly dictates that sales personnel be kept in the dark
and fed a constant diet of BS.

You are working in a vertical organization with clearly delineated boundarys
and meetings galore. You are stepping over the line into customer service
and employee empowerment.

God forbid that the sales staff should be up to date on work in progress.

This may lead to upselling and more money for the company. The sales reports
will be out the window then and the managers will not be able to say that
sales are going up without a complicated proposal for measurement and ROI
analysis in bottom line performance leading to an examination and removal of
sales managers as a unneccesary layer of employees not needed.
======================
But you must persevere. I have built a number of websites for real estate
auction companies whose primary method of contact with prospects is the
auction brochure. Snail Mail is still king here but this is changing:)

In most cases, from the auction contract is signed to the gavel opening up
the auction, you have 90 days. There are printing companies on every corner.
Auction companies live and die by the brochure turnaround time.

Auction Printers can usually create a brochure in PDF send it to the client,
make changes, receive approval, print and deliver brochures in less than 5
days.

This cannot be done without the printer's salesman having access to the
brochure comps.

(you are on the right track-it is an uphill battle)

As a web developer for auction companies, I can upload the brochure as a PDF
to the client site for downloading by visitors and new prospects.

I did an auction site selling 5 hotels in two states. The anticipated
revenue was 5 million dollars. When the auction was over the proceeds werein
excess of 7 million dollars. Three of the successuful bidders discovered the
auction on the web and downloaded the brochures.

Hopefully this will help you sell the idea. you can email me off list for
details and web addresses.

I am off to play bingo now.

the head lemur
http://www.lemurzone.com