From The Editor
Inside ConnectWise User Group, Chicago - Day #2
April 16, 2009
 Editor Gennifer Biggs is blogging from the ConnectWise User Group event in Chicago starting Tuesday, April 14. She'll bring you insight from the dozens of ConnectWise users, most of them managed services providers, as well as an exclusive conversation with ConnectWise CEO Arnie Bellini.Click here to read a recap of day #1 Day #2: CEO Bellini Talks Behind-The-Scenes On Day #2, users Tom Fox, president of Tech Experts, and Wendy Gauntt, president of CIO Services, facilitated discussions about tricks being used by the attending solutions providers to grow their businesses. Topics covered included: filling the customer pipeline, marketing, project management, recruiting/hiring/training, and tricks users had for better using ConnectWise’s DownStream IT, customized service boards, and its workflow function. While that conversation was going on, I ducked out with CEO Arnie Bellini to catch up on the two upcoming ConnectWise version releases (8.1 in June and 8.2 in November) and his take on his company’s role in the MSP community. “We think that marketing is a weakness for many, many of our IT companies, so we want to really focus on marketing to prepare MSPs for the increased competition coming from larger vendors (such as Dell, which unveiled its direct to SMBs ProManage managed services offering during the ConnectWise event),” says Arnie. As part of that effort, ConnectWise has invested heavily in its own production studio as it prepares to launch ConnectWise TV, online video offerings that will feature successful users and the tricks they have for building business through marketing and other means. “We want to make ConnectWise a resource for these guys.” He admits he tries to be as blunt as he can with his company’s users, pushing them to improve marketing and business practices rather than focusing solely on the technology. “I truly understand the entrepreneurial experience because we’ve been there, but I had a tremendous advantage because of the great business education behind me,” he adds. “We want to help them build smarter businesses.” In addition to the new web video series, the vendor is preparing to launch its version 8.1 this summer, followed by version 8.2, coming at the end of 2009, which is expected to carry a hefty number of enhanced marketing integrations. In the meantime, an expanded mobile offering is also coming that will allow users to utilize ConnectWise on both iPhones and BlackBerries. To facilitate more collaboration between users, the company is opening up its API to allow users to push out customized templates, workflows, marketing plans, project plans, and reports for use by other users. All in the name of spreading best practices throughout the company’s user base. But regardless of the enhancements that ConnectWise strives to constantly create (75% of them are driven by user requests), Arnie is firm in his belief that the software tool is not enough. “We have to educate them; we want to give them an MBA that is focused vertically on IT,” he says, adding that the company works to do that through user groups such as this one, through online training at ConnectWise University, through print, and now through video. “Everyone learns in different ways, and it is our challenge to figure out which ways work for the most people.” For those who couldn’t get to user groups being hosted around the world by ConnectWise, mark your calendars: the ConnectWise Partner Summit, which draws about 1,500 users, is schedule for Nov. 4-6, at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel and Space in Florida. |
