The training of BD team is divided into two parts, sales training and technical training. Sales training is further divided into sales process training and product training. Sales process training outlines the scope of the sales job and includes grooming tips. This will be applicable to entry level sales people with less than two years of corporate sales experience. More senior sales person may have a quick reading of the sales material -- which will suffice for her level of maturity.
The second part, product training, is specific to the product suite, scope of the product, product applicability, target market, and vendor dependencies.
1 Merce product suite
1.1 Merce: basic services
--- Controlled mail messaging
--- Controlled Web access
--- File server
--- Print server
1.2 Merce: top up services
--- Internal chat
--- Intranet
1.3 Merce Insight
--- Standard features
--- Customisation options
1.4 Merce Firewall
--- Basic firewall
--- IDS
1.5 VPN
--- Office-to-office over VPN
--- Laptop to office
1.6 Merce: backup options
--- D2D
--- Standby backup server
--- High availability server
--- Auto switch over
1.7 Other add-ons
--- Thin client setup
--- Server rationalisation
--- Blackberry integration
--- Mail and data migration
--- Mail gateway
--- Mail/data encryption
--- IP table routing
--- MX service and backupoption
1.8 Mtracks: abridged version of Merce
6 Features and application
6.1 Mail
--- Mail box quota
--- Attachment inspection
--- Mail size specification
--- Mail source control: defining sender recipient based control
--- Webmail
--- POP account (on laptop, remote offices)
--- MX services
--- Reports
6.2 Web proxy
--- Website blocking
--- Advertisement blocking
--- Content filtering
--- Reports
6.3 Security features
--- Antispam
--- Antivirus
--- Firewall
--- VPN
6.4 Merce Insight
--- Traffic volume monitoring
--- CPU load
--- Link up and down, packet loss, jitter
--- Bandwidth consumption and availibility
6.5 VPN
--- When is it needed?
--- Office to office
--- Laptop to office
--- What all VPN can do?
6.6 Backup
2 Merce scope
2.1 Network software vs. business application software
--- Network application is a backbone to the IT system. Business application s/w addresses business problems
--- Network s/w are cost centres whereas application s/w allows business process simplification
--- Network s/w are invisible to the end users, business apps s/ws are used by the function people
2.2 Server application vs. desktop applications
--- Server apps are usually more complex
--- Entire organisation depends on server apps and hence, extremely critical
--- Example: Tally, MS Office vs. Mails
2.3 Enterprise software
--- LAC (Logging, Audit, Control)
--- RAS (Reliability, Accessibility, Scalability)
--- Integrated services for WAN setup
3 Product applicability and target market
3.1 Small companies (50-100 users): single location, a couple of laptop users, dependencies IT
--- Mtracks
--- Firewall
--- VPN (laptop to office)
--- Backup options
3.2 Medium (100 to 1000 users):
--- Merce
--- Merce Insight
--- Merce F/W and VPN
--- HA
3.3 Manufacturing organisation
--- Merce
--- Merce Insight
--- Firewall and VPN
3.4 Services organisations
--- Merce
--- Firewall and VPN
--- Thin-client setup
--- Intranet
--- HA
4 Decision makers and influencers
4.1 Small setups (t/o:<50 crores): (DM) Owners (I) Close network
4.2 Medium size I (t/o: 50-500 crores): (DM) IT manager and MD (I) Vertical specific customers
4.3 Medium size II (t/o: 500-1000 crores): (DM) CTO /CIO (I) Other large customers
5 Vendor dependencies
5.1 Hardware suppliers and AMC
--- supply the hardware and support to h/w
--- in small companies they are important influencer for decision making
5.2 FM service providers
--- Supplies onsite engineers on T&M
--- External engineers maintain the servers and trouble shoot
--- Technically not too competent
--- Could be important influencer
5.3 System integrators
--- They drive sales
--- Technically competent
--- Important influencer in medium/large companies
5.4 Internet service providers (ISPs)
--- This information is needed for the actual installation
--- Major dependency for product performance
--- No role in decision making/influence
5.5 Mail hosting service (24x7) provider (MX record, POP boxes)
AA
5.6 Data centre: server co-location, Web hosting etc
AA
5.7 Strategic partners (RH, IBM, Intel)
--- If deal is bundled with some big brand -- brand can push the sales
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