On one of my crossings, I was in Springfield, MO and got word of a restaurant named Lamberts. It's just off route 65, and I was lucky enough to get there in time for what they called the 'pass-arounds' during a very busy lunch time.
I'm a fan of Southern country cooking, and nearly couldn't get enough of the goodies on the fare that included black-eyed peas, fried okra, fried potatoes, and macaroni with tomatoes (mind you, that's NOT pasta). The place gets some of the crowd from Branson, but that all depends on the time of day and the weather.
But anyhow... I've been hearing a lot about different versions of software, different ways to market applications, and different ways to deploy software. To me, the specifics of any deployment are only important in so far as they affect the needs of the organization installing it.
That means that if there are 20 different ways to deploy software, there is likely to be at least one way that is a best fit for any particular company's needs. And there are plenty of companies in the US that are either currently engaged, or planning to install some kind of EDI application. So, why is it necessary to be deceptive when trying to sell an application to any particular company?
I guess the answer is that the software company either doesn't fully understand the benefits of their version of the solution, or they've been so spooked by another company's propaganda, or maybe it's a combination of both, and they really think that their product is inferior to their competitor's. Whatever the reason, it's bad business and bound to create bad karma.
In the last three months, I've had to step in four times with deployments that have gone wrong. They haven't gone wrong because of anyone's incompetence. Rather, they were simply not what the customer organization had been told they were buying.
I do have my personal preferences with regard to the technology used to deploy EDI applications, but that's not the point here. If a customer wants a specific technology, for whatever reason, it is incumbent on the sales team working with the customer to provide a true assessment of the product they are selling. It may be necessary for them to go the more difficult route, and actually let the customer understand the reasons their product IS the best for their situation. But that's called SELLING. What I've seen in the last few months is what I call lying.
I'm not naming names here, but I know that some of the customers who have had to do double the work they expected, are not amused with the tactics they experienced. My advice to all (buyers and sellers) is to ask the right questions, and give the right answers. Truth is truth, and is always the only right way.
Anyhow, I'm not sure when I'll be passing through Springfield again, but I know where I'll be stopping for meals. See you there.
Cheers
Cecil