Microsoft Great Plains is main Microsoft Business Solutions accounting package for the US market. If you are mid-size of small company, or cost control is really an issue for you, then you should look for the most cost efficient solution and select consultant or Microsoft Business Solutions consulting partner accordingly. We would like to give you some hints on the selection options and process.
1. Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains enhancement program – well, in our opinion all software vendors use the same technique, you purchase the software and then you have to pay annual enhancement/maintenance or other type of fee, which allows you to get new versions of software and receive discounted support from software vendor help desk. Again – this is common practice and you have to pay for using industrial-strength system, such as Great Plains, Navision, Solomon. Of course you have and option not to pay – and still use your current version. Unfortunately – when you need new version – when say your system becomes outdated – if you are not in the support plan – you have to pay penalty to be reenrolled.
2. Types of MBS consultant- there are several consultant profiles. First – Nation-wide established company, usually owned by one of huge auditing enterprises: CBIZ for example. The only problem here – they are very expensive, but I’d say reliable. Second – regional partner. They usually serve in one business metro, such as Chicago or Los Angeles. Their price is a little bit lower, but still high enough. If you are nation-wide company – you may have issues supporting remote offices, however even if you pick nation-wide provider from #1 – their offices are usually not tight together and you will have to repeat your story to the second regional office.
3. Individual Consultant – these people are heroes of the consulting practice. They somehow mastered to survive recession and their good points are their low prices and top level of the expertise – they live from their expertise. These people are probably the most wanted – but unfortunately they are hiding out and not advertising – it is really hard to find one.
4. New Nation-wide small consulting companies – yes – things are changing and post recession time requires nation-wide presence and low prices with top level quality. The only way to achieve it is remote support. Fortunately, technology allows it via VPN, Remote Desktop connection and various web-session technologies. Our company is pursuing this business model.
Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies USA nationwide Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization company, based in Chicago, California, Texas, New York, Georgia and Florida and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.
