ISV Talks
ISV Talks
Closing the Gaps: How to Evaluate ISVs that Strengthen your Clients Solutions
This webinar is for Microsoft Dynamics and Acumatica VARs. In this video, you’ll learn how to: -Avoid the most common mistakes partners make when picking ISVs -Use our 5-pillar framework on the 5 P’s (Product, Platform Fit, People, Process, Proof) to compare options -Spot red flags early - before they turn into potential project risks -How trusted ISVs can give you a competitive advantage!
Welcome to our webinar today, Closing the Gaps and How to Evaluate ISVs that will strengthen your clients' solutions. I'm Carol Livingston, the owner of Dynamics Connections, and we've been providing education and resources for Microsoft and Acumatica partners for over eight years now. And I've personally been working in the Microsoft channel for over 15 years and the Acumatica channel for over three years. So I've held many roles from CFO to ERP implementation consultant, project manager. And my last role was practice director at Columbus Global. So today's webinar is for Microsoft Dynamics and Acumatica Vars. And in this webinar, you're going to learn how to avoid the most common mistakes the partners are making when picking ISV. So using our five-pillar framework or the five Ps as I like to call it product, platform fit, people, processes, and proof to help you compare ISV options and also to help you spot those red flags early, kind of before they turn into project disasters, right? So you want to identify those potential project risks and how you can trust ISVs to give you that competitive edge. Let's take a look at our agenda today. So just give you a quick introduction to our team. Also, we'll go over really what is the competitive advantage of using ISVs, why ISV evaluation matters, and then we'll go over our five-pillar ISV evaluation framework. We also will be providing additional resources to you. And if you register for this webinar, whether you attended or not, we share a PDF workbook that we created to help you with your ISV evaluations. So a little bit about Dynamics Connections. We are an unbiased and tailored educational resource for partners to really help simplify ISV evaluation and selections. We've been working with over 180 Microsoft Dynamics and Acumatica Vars over the last eight years. I have more than 25 years of experience. And we have over 100 unique ISVs we've worked with. And kind of behind the scenes, our team, we have Brian Livingston, who works with me on our marketing and video content. He produces all of our ISV talk podcast videos. So, and also who's not pictured here is Gina, who helps us with marketing and social media. So in today's ERP landscape, differentiation is everything. So VARs who align with trusted ISVs are gaining that competitive edge. And they really deliver those enhanced and tailored solutions to meet industry needs. And that ensures a faster, more reliable implementation. And this combination of innovation and predictability transforms VARs basically from a reseller to a strategic advisor and building those trust with clients, driving client success and securing that long-term growth. You can see here our little logo, got ISV. And just like milk builds strong bones, uh, ISVs help build those strong client relationships. And behind each ERP partner are powerful ISV solutions. So those help fill gaps, they build trust, they help clients maximize their ERP investments and kind of gives you that competitive edge because it's not just about selling software, it's really about building trust. And so aligning with ISVs who really deliver that innovation and reliability, you can really position yourself as a strategic partner who can guide clients through their transformation with confidence. Now that's how you went. Not just the deal, but that relationship. Also, you can set your practice apart with innovation features and industry-specific capabilities. So when VAR works with trusted ISVs, they can gain access to specialized functionality that goes beyond the ERP core application. So think about vertical-specific solutions, manufacturing, advanced tax compliance, retail integrations. These aren't just add-ons. They're really differentiators that make you and your practice stand out in a crowded market. You can also increase your value proposition and address more client needs with best-in-class solutions. So clients just don't want a one-size-fits-all ERP, do they? They really want their problems solved by solutions. And you can solve their unique challenges by bringing ISVs with proven experience. And you can expand your portfolio and also be that go-to advisor for your clients and help meet more needs. And that's really how you elevate your value proposition and really deepen that client trust. Now, faster and more reliable implementations, if you've got a proven ISV, that can help reduce those project risks and streamline deployment. So every ERP project carries risk, scope creep, creep delays, unexpected costs, and trusted ISVs really mitigate that risk. So they help bring solutions that are tested, supported, and designed to integrate smoothly. So that means fewer headaches for you and your team and more confidence for your clients. Also, fewer surprises and smoother integrations mean happier clients and more predictable outcomes. So at the end of the day, predictable outcomes are what clients value the most. So when implementations run smoothly, clients see faster time to value, stronger ROI. And that satisfaction translates into repeat business referrals and long-term relationships. Really true competitive advantage for any VAR. So protecting your reputation client relationships. So trusted ISVs help safeguard your reputation by ensuring accountability, loyalty, and risk mitigation. Look at each one of those. So accountability, clients remember who recommended the ISV solution. So trusted ISVs help you deliver on your promises. And when you recommend the solution, your reputation is on the line. So clients don't separate that ERP from the add-ons. They see it all as part of the recommendations that you made. So by partnering with trusted ISVs, you ensure that you are delivering work as promised, reinforcing your credibility and strengthening your role as a reliable advisor. Building that client loyalty, consistently providing those positive experiences, that drives repeat business and referrals. Loyalty is built on outcomes, of course. And when clients consistently see projects are being delivered smoothly with ISV solutions that meet their needs, they're more likely to come back for future work. And so they'll refer you to others. And that's how you grow your practice organically. And avoiding failed implementations or support issues that really preserves that hard-earned trust. So trust takes years to build, right? But only one failed project to lose that trust. So by choosing ISVs with proven track records, you minimize that risk of costly missteps. And protecting that trust is what keeps your client relationship strong over the long term. The final thing is risk mitigation. So trusted ISVs are more likely to provide timely support and proactive communication. And that reduces the chance of project derailment. So your projects are complex and issues will arise, right? The difference is how quickly do they get resolved? And trusted ISVs bring responsive support, proactive communication, and then keep projects on track and prevent small issues from becoming major setbacks. So that reliability is a safeguard for both your reputation and your client's success. So at the end of the day, your reputation is the most valuable asset. Partnering with ISVs who deliver accountability, loyalty, and risk mitigation ensures that every project is going to be strengthened, not jeopardized. And that relationship you worked so hard to build. Now, enabling long-term growth, so trusted ISVs, fuel-scaled growth, future-ready innovation, and your reputation as a strategic advisor. So strong ISVs can help grow your business, allowing you to expand in new verticals and markets, maybe areas that you weren't previously interested in or thought were out of reach. The right ISV partnership is not just about solving clients' challenges, but they scale with you. And as your practice grows, trusted ISVs open doors to new industries and markets. That means you can confidently pursue opportunities in areas like manufacturing, distribution, or services, knowing that you have those proven solutions to back you up. And also staying ahead of market trends. Trusted ISVs invest in product development and innovation. So it helps you keep clients at the forefront of technology and ahead of your competition. Technology moves fast, and clients expect you to keep ahead of the curve. So ISVs who continually invest in RD, they give you that edge. And whether it's AI-driven analytics, compliance updates, emerging integrations, these innovations help clients stay competitive and they position you as the partner who keeps them future ready. And reputation as a trusted advisor. So by consistently recommending reliable ISVs, you position your practice as a go-to resource for clients seeking guidance and confidence in their technology investments. So clients just don't want software, they want confidence. When you consistently recommend ISVs that deliver, you build a reputation as a trusted advisor. So that reputation is what keeps clients coming back, and it makes them in turn trust you first when they face new challenges or opportunities. Long-term growth isn't just about chasing every deal, it really is about building scalable relationships and staying ahead of trends and earning the reputation of a trusted advisor. So with the right ISVs, you're not just growing your practice, you're securing its future. So with endless availability of ISVs, so VARs can help tailor those ERP solutions to any client need. There's a huge volume of solutions out on App Source or now called Microsoft Marketplace. Just looking at Business Central back in about a month ago, there's over 8,100 ISVs, and that number keeps growing. And that means VARs have an endless menu of options to tailor ERP systems to clients' needs, whether it's industry-specific functionality, compliance, or advanced integrations. There's an ISV solution ready to fill that gap. But the takeaway here is choice. With thousands of trusted ISVs, you're never limited to the ERP core. You can build a solution stack that's customized, competitive, and feature ready. And that's exactly what clients are looking for. Endless ISV availability isn't just about volume, it's really about opportunity. And with thousands of solutions at your fingertips, you can differentiate your practice, meet diverse client needs, and stay ahead of a rapidly evolving marketplace. So why ISV evaluation matters? So careful evaluation of ISVs helps protect credibility, clients' trust, and long-term project success. And the ISV impact, every ISV you recommend, reflects directly on your practice credibility and trustworthiness. Your reputation is tied to every recommendation you make. So when you endorse an ISV, you're telling the clients, and they see that as a reflection of your judgment. Choosing wisely really reinforces your credibility, and choosing poorly can undermine it. Your clients depend on your expertise to guide them toward reliable and effective solutions. So clients don't have time or expertise to evaluate every option. So they rely on you to filter the noise and really guide them towards solutions that will deliver. And that guidance is what makes you indispensable. And poor ISV choice can result in project delays, budget overruns, and damage to client relationships. So really the stakes are high here. A misaligned ISV can derail a project, inflate costs, erode trust. And that's why evaluation isn't optional. It's essential to protecting both your client and your practice. Targeted industry or specific ISV can drive the entire ERP sale for a client. And we've seen this several times. An industry-specific ISV can be really the real reason why they select that ERP. And sometimes that right ISV is the deciding factor. Demos can showcase features, but not necessarily long-term fit or support quality. So it's easy to be impressed by a demo, but demos are designed to highlight their best features. So not to reveal how a solution performs over time. Fit, scalability, support quality, those don't show up in a 30-minute demo. Relying on demos alone can lead to overlooking critical factors like scalability, roadmap alignment, and customer support. So if you stop at the demo, you risk missing the bigger picture. And with the solution, will it grow with the client? Does the ISV have a clear roadmap? How responsive is their support? These questions matter for long-term success. So ISV evaluation is more than just about features. It's about credibility and trust and long-term fit. So by looking beyond the demo and carefully vetting each ISV, you protect your reputation, strengthen client relationships, and position your practice for sustainable success. So some common mistakes when choosing ISVs. So relying solely on demos or sales pitches, overlooking platform compatibility or integration challenges, or the integrating with other systems or tools, ignoring support and people factors, failing to check references or proof points. So everyone can say they're the best, they won multiple awards, but if you haven't talked to an actual customer or read real-world case studies, you're really missing that proof point and not reassessing existing ISV relationships. I see this a lot. Maybe they have a change in personnel or support model. So it's always best to go back and maybe on an annual or semi-annual basis, reevaluate those relationships, not applying the same amount of effort in assessing ISV based on risk, complexity, and cost. So obviously, if it's a high-risk project, that's very complex, high cost, you may want to apply more effort there, but you should apply that same effort even on smaller and lower risk projects or ISV. And picking one of the 8100 apps on App Source, that just seems to be a good option. So I'm going to introduce our five-pillar ISV evaluation framework. I'd like to call it the five P. So we'll go over product, platform fit, people, pricing, and proof. So these are our five pillars or the five Ps. First, let's go through the first one how to evaluate product. Some questions you might want to ask the ISV is can you tell me about your solution? So when you're what you're listening for is balance. Do they talk about customer problems, the business outcomes, how their solution fits within the ecosystem? Kind of a red flag. If they only talk about themselves, maybe they feature their awards, they say they're the best, and they aren't grounding it in customer value or real-world use case scenarios. So this usually signals a vendor-centric mindset rather than a partner-centric or customer-centric one. What does the product not do? So every solution has boundaries, of course. And mature ISVs can clearly articulate their product fit and where it doesn't. So if you're looking for honesty, clarity, and self-awareness here. Now, with a red flag, if they claim the product does everything and there are no gaps, they can handle any scenario. That's pretty unrealistic and often leads to misaligned expectations, escalations, and unhappy clients. What's on the roadmap? So this question helps you understand the long-term alignment. Are they investing in innovation? Are they keeping pace with the ERP platform? A strong ISB will share themes, priorities, and timelines, even if at a high level. A kind of a red flag here is if this just vague concepts like, oh yes, we're adding AI or automation or enhancements are coming soon. But no structured, no clear customer-driven rationale, no dates. That usually means the roadmap is reactive and not well defined. So you're not just evaluating a product, you're evaluating fit, maturity, kind of transparency. And the right ISV is going to be clear with you about what they do well and honest about what they don't do and confident in what they are doing and going to add to their product next. So platform fit. So how do we evaluate that? So first question is how is the solution integrated? So this question helps you understand is the ISV truly aligned with the ERP platform? Do they have a built workaround that will cause issues later? Strong ISVs can explain their integration model pretty much in plain language. So is the APIs that are used, data flow dependencies, how are they staying aligned with the ERP platform changes? What you're listening for here is signs of proactive maintenance. So not reactive scrambling. Kind of a red flag is if updates aren't frequent or only happen when something breaks or a customer complains, that usually means the integration isn't well maintained and may lag behind the platform evolution. Next question is Do you have a process in place for platform updates? This is assessing maturity. A solid IC will describe a repeatable documented process. So they're gonna have monitoring release notes, testing cycles, regression checks, communication plans. And what you want to hear is that they stay ahead of platform changes, not that they wait for changes and surprise you. And a red flag there is a casual or vague answer, like we usually keep it, we update when needed. If these indicate that they don't have a structured approach that can lead to broken functionality if there's a major update or release. Next question is what are the technical capabilities? And this question helps you understand the depth of the solution and scalability, performance, uh, security posture, API usage, data model alignment, and extensibility. Mature ISVs will be transparent about strengths and limitations. So what you're looking for is clarity, not perfection. And a red flag here is that they dodge the question or avoid acknowledging any gaps. If they can't articulate limitations, it often means they haven't done the hard work of evaluating their own architecture. So in this scenario, platform fit isn't just about whether the product works today, it's about whether it will continue to work tomorrow. So you're looking for ISVs who maintain tight alignment with the ERP platform. They communicate proactively and are honest about their technical boundaries. So next you want to evaluate people. And first question here is where is the support located? And this question helps you understand real world experience your team and clients will have when issues arise. So location can be impactful because that can impact response times. uh communication quality and ISV's ability to collaborate effectively during critical moments. So you're not just judging where support is based, you're really evaluating whether the ISV has built the model that works for your customers. So a yellow flag here or maybe close to a red flag is support is it can be near shore, offshore. But if they don't have clear plans to manage those time zone gaps or language barriers or handoff delays, these aren't deal breakers necessarily, but they require structure and maturity to work well. Next question is what is the priority and escalation process? And this is where you're going to assess how issues move through their organization. So a strong ISB can articulate how tickets are prioritized, how escalation works and who gets involved when something is urgent. You want to know that you have a path beyond that tier one or tier two support. So especially for complex implementations or production issues. And kind of a red flag here is if you can't get a clear answer about escalation paths or who steps in when things get serious. Lack of structure here often leads to delays, frustration and finger pointing. And next support modalities so this question uncovers how accessible and responsive the ISV really is. So they just offer email support, phone, chat, ticketing portals, maybe knowledge bases or partner only channels. Mature ISVs really provide multiple ways to get help. And they make it easy for partners to get support for their clients. So red flags would be if partners do not have access to a dedicated support channel and if everything funnels through a client or generic cues, it slows down resolution and limits your ability to deliver a great customer experience. So you're not just evaluating a product right you're evaluating the people behind it. So strong ISVs invest in responsive structured partner friendly support models that help you protect your reputation and deliver consistent outcomes. Now pricing so how to evaluate pricing smart pricing evaluation ensures transparency, flexibility and clear market positions from the ISV. Some questions to ask is does your solution require an ERP user license? Clarify with cost scale with ERP user licenses or if they're independent they say no red flag might be caution proceed with caution. So any access of say like Microsoft Dynamics 365 that does require at least a Team's license so you really need to dig into that are the pricing elements transparent so ensures clients can see what they're paying for is it per module per user per company you know by language do they pay for support plan? So red flag here is any new or surprise or additional charges every time you ask for help. And is the pricing flexible for clients? So confirm what options exist for different size of businesses or needs. So definitely you want to vet and get into what's the flexibility of their pricing. And where does your solution fall in the market in terms of pricing levels? So is it high-end, mid-level or affordable? This helps bars and clients quickly understand kind of where the ISV positions themselves are they a premium solution? Are they kind of a balanced or mid-tier option or maybe their cost conscious choice? It does set expectations and allows you to align the ISV pricing strategy and the client's budget and value proposition. So example of a good ISV response here is our solution is positioned while in the mid-level pricing tier. We're not the lowest cost option and we balance affordability with advanced functionality and strong support. So for clients that need more premium features or industry specific depth, we offer higher tier pricing packages. Smaller businesses can start with our entry level plan this way we can scale with your clients and business needs and budget. So this kind of response gives you market positioning clarities. So at least some room for flexibility but also helps you as the VAR set expectations with the clients early in the cycle and then finally how to evaluate well what proof so some questions here what are the ratings and reviews what do they tell us this is where you validate the real world experience of customers and partners that could be app source reviews Reddit look for patterns are issues consistent are the compliments meaningful are concerns being addressed over time strong ISVs monitor their reviews and they respond to feedback. So use it to improve their product that's usually a good sign. A red flag is if they've got lots of unknown issues or recurring complaints that the ISV hasn't acknowledged or resolved silence or defensiveness around reviews is a warning sign. Do they have recommendations, testimonials and references? So strong ISV should be able to provide credible references that you can talk to ideally from organizations kind of similar to your customer base or industry testimonials should be specific what problem was solved what value was delivered and what was the experience like so you're looking for depth not volume. The red flag here is no references at all vague testimonials like this one guy said it was great. This usually means the ISB does not have any real world success stories to point to so they haven't invested in building partner trust. And then finally are they new to the Microsoft channel so being new isn't automatically bad. Innovation can come from new partners or maybe they come from a different channel. But we you do need to understand is their maturity level do they understand the Microsoft release cadence, certification requirements, partner expectations so a new ISV should be transparent about where they are at in their journey and what support structures they have in place. Kind of a red flag is if it's a brand new solution that's fresh out of beta with limited customer adoption and no proof and track record in the Microsoft ecosystem maybe something you want to take a closer look at. Sometimes it's an opportunity though if you've got some ISV that's well known in another ecosystem like Sage or NetSuite and they're just new to the Microsoft channel that can be helpful to know. So kind of a key takeaway here is ratings, reviews, references they're all your reality check, right? A strong ISV can demonstrate credibility through those customer stories, transparent feedback and a proven presence in the channel. So they're just not marketing claims. Now there'll be some resources that we can provide for you again if you registered for today's webinar you get our ISV evaluation workbook. This is the first couple pages that you can see here so it kind of summarizes the five Ps and it gives you an evaluation tool where you can take some notes, write down some of their feedback client references, and you can give it a rating as you go through and kind of evaluate if this is a good fit. It's a low risk and a good fit for your clients might be one you want to partner with. Now there are some challenges so clients of course expect those strong complete solutions that no single platform can do it all. So clients are asking for capabilities from your core systems that it doesn't cover natively. And misinformation sometimes if you just use AI or Google or talk to other sales associates you might not get accurate information and stay ahead of the competition by leveraging the latest technologies. I feel like a lot of partners don't necessarily think about expanding beyond the their go-to so you can stay ahead of that by evaluating what else is in the marketplace. Now with the solution you can stop guessing and start strengthening. We do provide educational sessions with partners we do a one-on-one meeting once a quarter can be up to an hour typically it's gonna save you time in terms of demos and research and in every short session you're gonna get a flash crash crash course on the latest updates, features and releases from new and trending ISVs, which solutions can fill common gaps or specific gaps that your clients have an honest perspective where the solution is strong and where it isn't and exclusive partner opportunities to build your revenue while helping your clients so in our program we do a one-on-one educational meeting with about 180 partners every quarter we have individual meetings so it's personalized to you and your team we offer this quarterly it's tailored to your partnership it is free there's no cost the ISVs do pay me but I don't get a referral fee or commission from them either. And all I need to get started is to get a list of people from your team to invite. And again from Dynamics Connections and I've been working on the channel for more than 15 years now dynamics Connections has been around since 2017 so at this point eight years I've owned Dynamics Connections for the last five and we educate partners about ISVs in the Microsoft and Acumatica channel. We also provide resources advisory services and targeted research on ISVs and we have an ISV library full of unique ISVs on our website for you to use speaking of our website if you go to dynamicsconnections.com you can use our ISV library and I like to say to partners this is going to have information that you won't find on their website it is partner facing information it's got case studies, brochures fact sheets there's a profile in there of the ISV videos so it's a good way for you to learn about them or share with your clients some of those resources we also have other resources on our website that you can take advantage of with a lot of video content. I do a podcast called ISV Talks we have events page and we do have a listing of all our past and current ISV clients and Acumatica ISV clients that we've worked with. I guess most asked question from our VARs is what is the dynamics connections business model? So Carol, how do you get paid? Fair question so I do get paid by the ISV so for partners this is a free program to participate in and they don't pay me referral fee or commission which I feel like gives me the ability to be agnostic and provide education to you as a partner so you can learn about the solutions and if you want to be introduced or want more information let me know. So what are the benefits revar sitting in our one-on-one education once a quarter we get together with you and your team I get to know a little bit about your business your client base and what specialties you have so I get to know you so it can definitely tailor the sessions and education for you. It gives you a quick way to learn about the ISVs when I was a partner myself I used to enjoy sitting in these sessions as well along with our team and it was a good way to learn about the ISVs without having to have 10 different demos. So I like that and then if I wanted more information I could ask for it. Another question I get is is the bar program educational program is it time consuming and I actually would argue it actually can save you time because you're getting fresh information even with maybe existing ISVs you already work with you don't always know or aren't aware when they're adding new features or new compatible peas that they work with. So it is a good way to learn about them and a quick half hour hour program. And why should I join if I already have my go-to ISVs I get that a lot too is that we already have our go-to ISVs that we always work with but I feel like you're missing out because there could be a competitive edge that another ISV could offer or a lot of partners like to offer multiple options or maybe you have different budget constraints and different tiers that you're working with on the budget with a client. So it's good to have options and more than just one go to ISV. So we'll email you the PDF workbook I talked about the ISV evaluation workbook and the recording here soon. So if you need anything you can reach out to me at Carol at dynamicsconnections dot com wwdynamicsconnections dot com and I'd love to connect with you and help you learn more about ISVs in your business. So thank you for joining today have a great day