Customers who have used Microsoft`s volume licensing Upgrade Advantage to exchange their current project management software for updated licenses may not have the insight necessary to gain real value from their investment.
Ren'e Jobse, Executive Information Solutions at project management specialist and Microsoft accredited partner Fulcrum IT, says the company has conceptualised a project and portfolio productivity strategy that allows businesses to take full advantage of the benefits associated with new features.
"The Upgrade Advantage offered users a chance to upgrade their software infrastructure to Microsoft Project 2002. We are targeting those users with updated licenses, especially those who have acquired Software Assurance in order to obtain free updates in the future. Our aim is to make them aware that they have not benefited from the new features, especially in terms of team collaboration and portfolio reporting.
"Software Assurance comes with a premium but offers the customer future upgrade protection. In consideration of the fact that Microsoft Project 2003 is scheduled for release in October, our focus is to ensure that customers gain the advantage. Team collaboration and project progress reporting are very important aspects of project delivery - they are both necessary and key to the success of a project. These are also the areas in which productivity gains are prominent. We believe strongly in teaming with our clients, because it is important for successful deployment that the enterprise takes ownership of the project solution," says Jobse.
"To date Fulcrum IT has established various project support solutions meeting the business needs of our clients. In the delivery of a solution, we attend to three basic tiers, i.e. people, methodology and technology. Our project support solutions attend to the unique requirements of an organisation, whether it is within the context of a project, portfolio, program or enterprise. The application of the technology varies from desktop to server to web," explains Pieter Erasmus, Business Development Director at Fulcrum IT.
Fulcrum IT has nine certified Microsoft Office Solution Experts (MOSE) trainers and consultants on board of which three are also PMP certified and, says Erasmus, this definitely reinforces the company`s value add proposition and offering.
"It is important for companies to realise the full benefits of their software solutions. Team collaboration and portfolio reporting are essential elements within a project managed environment, and our strategy going forward is to highlight these aspects and provide support to clients who want to enhance control of this environment. The MOSE certification is an achievement for the company and adds a great deal of market credibility to our offering," adds Erasmus.
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