Chris Parkes: A PC is not just for Christmas... : Demo Showcase, Sport

The Demo Showcase Team Photo

chrisp — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 15:05:00 GMT

Hopefully, you are all aware of the Demo Showcase team line up - if not, you can review my earlier post here :)

Given that the new season is about to get underway, the people from that fine organisation Contoso got together to have their photo taken, in true football/soccer style.

As well as pictures, you can also find team profiles for each individual (although you'll need to at least be a registered Microsoft partner to access in depth information) such as demographics, work, psychographics, a day in the life and roles and responsibilities on the Demo Showcase home.

Now, is it just me or do others think that Tim Litton, IT Manager at Contoso should have a nice sideline business running as a Tom Hanks lookalike?

Ciao for now :)

The Demo Showcase Team Tactics

chrisp — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 13:07:57 GMT

Right then, Monday morning and my season's kicked off, so time to head back over to the football/soccer analogies...well, if tactics equate to marketing campaigns that is!!!

Find below a list of the market campaigns that the Demo Showcase aligns to when talking to midmarket customers.

Build Customer Connections
Drive Business Performance
Drive Real World Business Processes
Enable Your Mobile Workforce
Find, Use and Share Information
Optimize and Secure Your Core Infrastructure
Optimize Your Application Platform Infrastructure
Optimise Your Business Productivity Infrastructure

And also, a list of campaigns that the Demo Showcase aligns to for the small business specialist.

First Server, Right Server
Financial Management
Mobility
Sales and Marketing

As for my team this weekend? Losing 1-0 at home, we went 2-1 up only to concede a late equalised in a 2-2 draw. Not the worst start to the season on reflection, a fair result I feel...

Ciao for now :)

The Demo Showcase Line Up

chrisp — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 15:57:00 GMT

I played football at the weekend (that's possibly known as soccer to any non UK folk listening - hey, what do we know, we only invented the beautiful game! ;)

I play for a Sunday League side, nothing serious, that's run from a local pub called The Holden Bridge Hotel. The team played really well, and we stuck to a rigid 4-4-2 formation throughout.

I don't truly understand the way my brain works and so have no idea why I decided to relate this to the Demo Showcase, but, any good team is always role based so I thought I'd use this as an analogy to introduce you to the Customer Roles we currently have residing in the newest and best People Ready Business sales tool...

In goal, (1) Bookkeeper
Right back (2) Information Technology Services
Left Back (3) Office (player) Manager
Centre Half (5) Human Resources
Centre Half (6) Finance
Right Midfield (7) Marketing
Left Midfield (11) Service Technician
Centre Midfield (4) Operations
Centre Midfield (8) Sales
Centre Forward (9) Chief Executive Officer
Centre Forward (10) Small Business Owner

As you can see, there's a pretty solid back line there, the Bookkeeper has a great safe pair of hands and patrolling the back four, really underpinning the teams' success we have IT Services, the Office (player) Manager, HR and Finance. Keeping the side running in midfield, Sales, Marketing and Operations line up alongside the Service Technician. Then, pushing the team forwards, up front we have the CEO and the Small Business Owner looking to create and take as many opportunities that the midfield can provide whilst also trying to make and take their own chances either solo or by working in partnership...

Finally, for anyone interested, I bagged the first and the third then set up two more in a 6-0 away win in our final pre-season friendly... Season starts next week, might keep you all up to date on the results as we go along...

Ciao for now :)