It’s
not been uncommon over the years for software vendors in the capacity
management sphere to evolve. They might
get bought out, sometimes twice in 2 years, get merged into the product line of a larger business, go out of
business altogether or change direction and move away from capacity
management. This blog outlines some of
the dangers to users of software products from companies who sell out, go out
of business or change direction.
A solution with a
future
Metron and our athene® software offer the company focus, strategy, development and product functionality that other capacity management solutions have, plus a few VITAL things that they don’t.
Change
can be both good and bad for you as a user of their software. On the positive side, it might mean the range
of functionality in your product gets quickly expanded. You might benefit from becoming part of a
larger user community. The change might
mean your future needs are being anticipated by the provider, seeing what you
will need from capacity management before you have that need.
The
change is not always in your best interests though. If the software you have come to rely on
isn’t strategic for its new owners, it might be ‘sunsetted’, have little or no
further development. Existing products
can come to be seen as ‘cash cows’, mature products from which maintenance
revenues to the supplier need to be maximised to fund new initiatives –
possibly unrelated to your on-going product needs. Without development and commitment from their
supplier, products slowly wither and die, often while maintenance bills
increase. The human side of change
should never be underestimated either.
All the support experience you rely on is often let go. New management might lack the background of
those who originally created the solution you use and want to move what
elements of your software they retain in a different direction.
So,
if a supplier of a product you are dependent on sells out or parachutes new
management in, you might want to consider a few key questions. I’m biased, I know.
Metron has retained a consistent focus
throughout our 30 year existence. The
points below contrast our approach to changes in businesses I have seen in my
30 years in capacity management.
Do
you really want:
A supplier with…
…executives who don’t
know your job?
…a marketing budget
pushing the latest craze?
…the products you use
being ‘sunsetted’?
…sudden large
increases in your maintenance bill?
…the people you rely
on to support you being let go?
Probably not. What you might prefer is:
If
the product you’re using isn’t part of the big new marketing push and
re-branding, then it’s not going to get the development you need to keep your
Capacity Management process successful.
athene® from Metron remains the company’s core solution
and primary focus
A solution delivered
by experts
If
your solution comes from a company whose executive staff has less than two
years’ experience in Capacity Management, chances are they won’t understand
your needs.
The least experienced of Metron’s executive team has over
10 years knowledge and experience specifically in capacity management.
An expert team to
support you
If
new people come in and the experienced and skilled staff that you have come to
rely on to support you are released, the pool of knowledge available to help
you is lessened.
Metron blends a young and creative software development
team with design, consulting, support and management staff who each bring
between 10 and 30 years of specific capacity management and planning knowledge
to the business.
A financial solution
you can trust
In
an economy that is only growing slowly, it’s painful if your provider tries to
use you as a cash cow with up to 60% increases in the maintenance you pay, to
help them develop their new strategy.
Metron rewards the loyalty of its clients, with offers for
guaranteed future maintenance commitment and reducing maintenance bills for
loyal clients
Something in return
for the maintenance you pay
If
the products you are licensed for are ‘sunsetted’ by your supplier, although
they often won’t state this explicitly, they won’t get the on-going investment
to evolve with your needs. Maybe you’re
just paying for their change in strategy or their new offices.
Metron continues to reinvest profits in the on-going
development of athene®, as we have done for 30 years.
A product strategy,
not just the latest fad
So
many companies jump on the latest bandwagon chasing what they see as the easy
money. That often leads to a solution
that doesn’t meet the day to day problems you face. You want a capacity management solution
focussed on capacity management, not the latest buzzwords.
Metron works closely with its client base to develop
athene® to meet their needs as they change, ensuring continuity of product
applicability, helping you always retain your focus on the questions you need
to answer now.
Innovation that
anticipates what you will need
As
your needs evolve, you need a capacity management solution ready to help you
meet them.
Ever since helping define the ITIL Capacity Management
good practice guidelines, Metron has continuously reinvested profits in
ensuring athene® stays ahead of the game.
For example, import of business information and analytics to correlate
business and technical data for capacity planning has been a feature of athene®
for more than 10 years.
Find out why now is a good time to consider a
provider who values Capacity Management more than the latest marketing trend.
Metron and our athene® software offer the company focus, strategy, development and product functionality that other capacity management solutions have, plus a few VITAL things that they don’t.
Andrew Smith
Chief Executive Officer
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