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MSDW Podcast: Rethinking enterprise software services in the SaaS era

by Jason Gumpert
Editor, MSDynamicsWorld.com

On this episode we welcome back Jeff Bacon and Elliot Fishman of Catapult ERP. Elliot recently published a two partpiece on MSDW that explains how his firm will adapt its business model to serve clients in a SaaS era that no longer aligns with older time and materials or fixed price models for services delivery. Cloud adoption, a preference for subscription pricing, and a trend away from customization in favor of packaged add-on solutions all lead Fishman and Bacon to the conclusion that services firms that want to survive in this era must rethink their engagement model from the ground up.

Show notes:

  • 2:00 - The changing tendencies of the customer engagement model - from upfront investment to consumption
  • 5:45 - Software deployment as a risky enterprise for customers (historically)
  • 10:00 - Where's the risk today?
  • 12:45 - Are Dynamics 365/CRM and NAV customers trending toward standard ISV solutions?
  • 17:30 - How digital engagement is driving decisions.
  • 22:15 - The challenge of creating meaningful career paths with the right skills but accessible to more people.
  • 25:40 - How does a partner help clients understand the difference between older and newer engagement models.
  • 27:45 - What a SaaS model ought to mean for a reallocation of resources
  • 32:00 - Highlights of the eight point plan - the executive level
  • 36:00 - Can a new model empower customers and service providers?
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About Jason Gumpert

As the editor of MSDynamicsWorld.com, Jason oversees all editorial content on the site and at our events, as well as providing site management and strategy. He can be reached at jgumpert@msdynamicsworld.com.

Prior to co-founding MSDynamicsWorld.com, Jason was a Principal Software Consultant at Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC), where he implemented solutions, trained customers, managed software development, and spent some time in the pre-sales engineering organization. He has also held consulting positions at CSC Consulting and Monitor Group.

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