Tuesday 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM — What Happens with Customers, Stays with Customers
Tuesday 11:30 AM - 12:30 PMLocation: Antigua A
- How to automate your services organization, incorporating the experience of PRTM, a global operational strategy consulting firm
- Benefits of an integrated PSA solution
- Services management tips from an operational strategy consultant to the Global 2000
Why You Need to Attend This Session:
Looking for a PSA system to automate your services business or simply want to learn how to operate your services group more efficiently? PRTM is a global management consulting firm that advises Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies, including leading services companies. Hear straight from the source how they successfully implemented OpenAir’s PSA solution at PRTM and what they learned in the process to help streamline their own internal operations. This session is for those who are looking for the latest in operations science as it is applied to the services world today.
Abstract coming soon!
About Eric Finch:
Eric Finch is a PRTM partner based in Silicon Valley where he leads PRTM’s Software Industry Practice. He has over 20 years experience helping clients achieve breakthrough results from internal operations. His functional experience includes product development, product marketing, customer service and support, and information technology. He also serves as Global CIO, managing PRTM’s internal IT strategy and resources. Prior to joining PRTM, he held senior positions in R&D at Gensym Corporation, a successful software startup where he was responsible for all aspects of product development, launch, and support. Eric has a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Davis; earned a Ph.D. studying artificial intelligence at MIT; and received his MBA from the Fuqua School at Duke University.
About Morris Panner:
Since 2001, Morris Panner has been CEO of OpenAir, a global provider of SaaS project workflow solutions. OpenAir has been named a Fastest Growing Private Company in New England, a Deloitte & Touche Fast 500 Company, a Finalist for the SIIA CODiE awards, and a Top 25 Global Service Provider by ASP News. Prior to OpenAir, Morris was a Federal prosecutor and spent a year fighting narco-terrorism at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia. Morris is co-chair of the Board of the Software Division of the SIIA and has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, and Fast Company.
Tuesday 2:30 PM - 3:30 PMLocation: Antigua A
- How an SMB product company can deliver world-class technical support for enterprise-class products under tight budgets
- The right ingredients for enhancing quality of support
- How to deliver support 2.0
Why You Need to Attend This Session:
This case study debunks the myth that world-class partnered technical support is only for large companies with hundreds of customers. Mirapoint will talk about how they have successfully debunked this myth and leveraged MindTree’s framework in cost-effectively supporting their customers without sacrificing their core activity of developing innovative solutions.
Presentation Abstract:
Building and growing a competent technical support team for complex products in the face of an ever-growing customer base is a daunting task for any product company―more so for SMBs. At the same time, handing off customer-facing activities to a partner is a difficult decision fraught with significant risks. A few questions SMBs battle with are:
- Does the partner understand and have the capability to support my savvy customers who are using technically complex products?
- Can the partner help transform the technical support function with the latest trends, such as collapsing layers of support and adoption of Web 2.0 technologies?
- Can the partner help the SMB through the journey of support maturity levels of Reactive -> Organized -> Demand Reduction -> Value Added Support?
Can an SMB achieve this support nirvana by retaining focus on its core business and on a shoe-string budget? Most of the SMBs do not think about these questions, as they feel they do not need and/or cannot afford a full-time tech support arm. Engaging a partner is not an easy choice for an SMB, as the partner always wants volume business to provide affordable services. This is not true anymore. Tech support is not just for large companies. This case study debunks the myth that world-class partnered technical support is only for large companies with hundreds of customers, large budgets, and high call volumes. In fact, it is often more productive for SMBs to look at partners to offload their support requirements. Mirapoint will talk about how they have successfully debunked this myth and leveraged MindTree’s framework to cost effectively support their customers without sacrificing their core activity of developing innovative solutions.
Vanessa has 23 years of experience in leading global support organizations at technology companies. She had built and managed highly competent support teams spreading across multiple time zones serving technologically savvy end customers. She has extensive experience in leveraging partners in delivering high-quality support services. Prior to Mirapoint, Vanessa was the director of sustaining engineering at Attachmate Corporation, and prior to that she was the director of sustaining engineering at The Wollongong Group. Vanessa has a degree in computer science from Kingston University, UK.
Srinivas has 20 years experience in the IT industry and currently heads the technical support practice at MindTree. He started his career as a design and manufacturing consultant for CAD/CAM. With core expertise in Unix system administration, he supported fault-tolerant HP NonStop-UX systems and Mirapoint’s enterprise secure messaging appliance servers. He led teams that developed test suites for fault-tolerant features of NonStop-UX. In his current role he is responsible for technical support service delivery excellence, building world-class support teams, technology learning initiatives, and customer relationship management. Srinivas has a master’s degree in machine dynamics and robotics from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.
Tuesday 2:30 PM - 3:30 PMLocation: Antigua B
- Key measurements and metrics for knowledge-focused organizations and key implementation lessons learned
- 2010 strategic initiatives and current investments in social media
- How to motivate and incent knowledge workers
Why You Need to Attend This Session:
The twist on this Las Vegas slogan has never been truer with the pressures of today’s market demands. Every interaction you have with your customer becomes part of a total experience that either helps build or destroy your brand.
Presentation Abstract:
Learn from industry-leading experts how they have implemented and utilized knowledge to significantly improve the customer service experience. Whether you’re providing technical support for mission-critical networks, or assisting field technicians in the repair and maintenance of complex gaming machinery, the requirement for fast access to accurate answers is becoming increasingly important.
InQuira customers, Juniper Networks and IGT along with industry partner DB Kay and Associates join forces in an interactive panel discussion. Join us to learn the trade secrets and best practices.
Chris Hall brings over twenty years of business experience as a senior marketing and product strategy professional in the enterprise software industry. Prior to joining InQuira, Chris was the vice president in charge of the global product strategy initiatives at KANA Software. Chris has been vice president of Worldwide Marketing for Chordiant where he pioneered the company’s customer experience (Cx) branding and was senior director of Product Management for Silknet Software which launched a successful IPO in 1999.
Keith Redfield joined Juniper Networks in 2005 as the director of eSupport and Global Support Technology and has over 25 years in the high tech industry including over 15 years designing and implementing assisted and self service strategies for complex networking products. Keith is responsible for customer self-service and collaborative-service initiatives and the infrastructure supporting Juniper’s award-winning global support operations. Keith has previous experience across a wide range of the networking industry – from a “garage” startup to one of the largest companies in the industry.
Shawn Derifield has led various support organizations in his 13 years with IGT, including Product Training and the Global Support Center, and is currently leading the Sales and Service readiness organization. Shawn was the sponsor and business leader for IGT’s recent Knowledge Base initiative and is responsible for training and supporting IGT’s Global Support and Sales workforce.
David Kay is principal of DB Kay & Associates, a firm that offers support organizations strategic consulting on knowledge management, self-service, and social media. Customers include Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Research In Motion, Sun, Alcatel-Lucent, Intuit, and Cisco. David is co-author of Collective Wisdom: Transforming Support with Knowledge, the first book on knowledge management for technical support. He is an award-winning contributor to best practices in customer support, holds five patents on support technology, and speaks frequently at industry events.
Tuesday 4:30 PM - 5:30 PMLocation: Antigua A
- How to better meet the needs of the customer
- How to make a good decision in the election of a service package
- How to run a project for new customer applications successfully
Why You Need to Attend This Session:
Companies engaged in a Service Implementation can learn from others who navigated turbulent waters. This presentation from Coherent, a Hi-Tech Laser manufacturer in Silicon Valley, describes their service transformation plan with the 'Top Ten' tips and tricks to help extract maximum value from their implementation. Learn from the industry leaders who have successfully made the transition and bring back a few secrets of success for yourself.
Presentation Abstract:
Most companies today are struggling to hold revenues and margins in the down market. Some leaders in manufacturing, however, have resorted to bolstering their in-house and field service delivery to their installed base and competitors' base to be able to better monitor the customer user experience. Selecting the right or best application software package to address this strategy can often be a daunting and harrowing experience. This case study will cover the service transformation from product emphasis to service focus and the decision process adopted by this market leader with a "10-step process" to ensure their success. Attend this session and learn how your company can also benefit from owning the end customer user experience with the right tools in place.
About Ron Zielinski:
Ron Zielinski is a leader in customer support services with more than 20 years of designing and implementing capital equipment support and customer service programs. He believes that enabling the success of your customers today enables the success of your business tomorrow. Ron earned a BSEET from DeVry Institute of Technology in 1985. He leads a global service operation for a market-leading organization in diverse Photonics markets. His experience includes achieving CSAT rates of greater than 95%, instituting global support methodologies, sponsoring vast improvements in service parts fulfillment rates, improving a multimillion dollar service P&L, and leveraging CRM tools to fullest effects.
About Stephen Slade:
Stephen Slade is senior director, supply chain management marketing, at Oracle. He is responsible for the product messaging and marketing direction of Oracle’s asset life cycle management, service, and manufacturing products. Slade has spent 25 years working in logistics, service, operations, and program management. Prior to Oracle, he held senior marketing and sales positions at Siebel and was vice president of global account management at RTS/Viryanet Software. Slade was also director of field service at Siemens-Oce USA, vice president of operations at Cordura, and operations manager at ITT Avionics Industries. He has extensive experience working with firms engaged in Lean, Six Sigma, ISO 9000, CRM programs, and quality compliance initiatives. Slade received an MBA and a BS in mechanical engineering from Farleigh Dickinson University. He also completed his doctoral studies from New York’s Pace University in the fields of finance and international business.
