Orlando IT Pro was very fortunate to host Mike Sanders from Kaseya earlier this week and see how professional managed services can benefit IT solution providers. So when the following tool was announced I was all ears: Baseline TCO Assessment Tool. Most successful IT solution providers are well versed in assisting the sales process, implementation and documentation of any network, systems and services put in place for the client. But does, or rather, should it end there?

This project guide provides sales staff with a simple, step-by-step approach to performing a total cost of ownership assessment using the Baseline TCO Assessment Tool, and using the assessment and its results to simplify the sales process. Through the use of the Baseline TCO Assessment Tool and this guide you can help your customers increase their operational efficiency through increased awareness of the costs and complexity of their existing IT infrastructure. It will also help them understand the Return on Investment (ROI) possible through performing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 upgrade or an Exchange Server 2003 migration. Using the Baseline TCO Assessment Tool and the guidance contained in this project guide you can shorten the length of time needed to close a sale by simplifying the process of providing evidence that details how much money your customer can save and how to improve the allocation of your customer’s financial resources.

Holy crm-jockey is that a huge pile of BS. Let me explain what Microsoft is saying here as simply as I can: "Make your clients feel good for dumping a ton of money in Microsoft software" Opinion fair or not is not the point, is this something to be routinely done for your clients. Obviously we are in business to solve a pain, we close on a sale with many promises, start fixing things immediately through implementation and minimize future problems by providing constant monitoring, management, patching and advisory services. But how often do you sit down with your clients to sell them again? Yes, sell them again. They bought your story, your proposal, your service, your managed plan, your suggested hardware… how often do you sit down and break out just how much this investment is continuously worth to them even though they have already paid for everything? Thats value. If you do not have a process in place to constantly show your clients what it is you do for them or have done for them by all means check out Microsoft TCO Assessment tool and integrate it with your platforms, products and offerings. Show your customers business benefits beyond the core technology.

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