Best Software Spurs Channel To Compete For Hosted CRM Business
By Michael Vizard
New York (June 11, 2004) – Best Software on Friday unveiled a special program for partners selling the hosted version of its Accpac CRM application that gives them 50 percent margins on deals signed between now and the end of September.
The special offer signals Best Software’s intention to be a more aggressive competitor to hosted CRM software providers such as Salesforce.com. Best Software acquired Accpac earlier this year from Computer Associates International.
“We just bought the product, so we’re still getting the programs together. But we think this is going to be huge,” said Best Software CEO Ron Verni. “What differentiates us from others in the space is that with Accpac, we give customers the option of running it themselves or in a hosted manner.”
Alex Solomon, a principal of Net at Work, a New York-based solution provider, said the margin incentives are an excellent tool to motivate his organization to sell hosted CRM applications against Salesforce.com, which has a largely direct model that provides little recurring revenue for partners.
“We have a lot of deals pending where the customer is weighing deploying software or using the hosted version. We really didn’t have as much of an incentive to push the hosted version before, but now we do,” Solomon said. “And later on, we can upgrade the customer to the packaged version of Accpac as they grow.”
