DM-Product Studio 1.0

- Release Date: First Quarter 2006 -

Product Studio was designed as a personal selling tool for sales agents working in the field or showroom. The core application is a powerful product configurator for customizing big ticket items such as boats, RV's, and home renovation. All product features, specifications, documentation, and options are available with the click of a mouse or touch of a pad. Once configured, a product can be added to a work order, submitted for bidding, or saved as a worksheet for future reference.

Sales Analysis:

Many business systems offer sales analysis and forecasting based on past sales. Product Studio takes this one step further by making it possible to analyze the entire customer decision cycle. Throughout the cycle, a products configuration may change many times as a customer seeks the best mix of options vs. price. By capturing these changes, Product Studio builds a complete profile of customer demand that can be used to pinpoint sales barriers and maximize sales results.

Virtual Distribution:

Product Studio is the first product configurator built on the Datamessenger Virtual Enterprise model. This means that only one application is needed to service an entire sales network. Each dealer or agent is given a virtual space that looks and feels like his own application. Each virtual application maintains its own user list, controls user permissions, and maintains customer data. It can even co-locate its database on another network.

Application features are accessed over the Internet from any standard web browser. Additional hardware/software at the dealer level is not required (just a computer with 56k dialup access).

Additional Features:

- Contact Information Manager
- Custom Report Generator
- XML Data Import/Export Utilities
- Secure Virtual File System
- Global Inventory Search

Product Goals:

Our goal for Product Studio is to build a simple, reliable, tool to aid sales staff in presenting product options and evaluating customer needs. Although Product Studio can be extended to serve e-Commerce functions, its best use is to strengthen the personal relationships that bind salesperson and customer; manufacture and dealer. In other words, we don't see our software as a cold, impersonal, on-line survey. Rather, we envision Product Studio as a communication channel that brings salesperson and customer closer together.

A Tale of Success:

Consider the following: As every salesperson knows, when a customer leaves the showroom, there is good chance that he will not be coming back. But what if the showroom left with him?

Imagine.

A customer meets with his sales representative. In a traditional way, the salesperson evaluates his prospect and begins discussing the product. Then, back at his desk, the agent starts to fill out a product worksheet on his computer, allowing the customer to become engaged in exploring and discussing each option with the salesperson. Searching available inventory. Getting fast, accurate quotes. Finally, if the deal is closed, forwards the order to purchasing or straight to the factory. If not, the representative gives his card along with a personal username and password for the customer.

At home, the customer continues customizing his worksheet; remaining engaged with the product and satisfied with his dealer experience.

A week later, the customer returns to dealers. The sales representative opens Product Studio and knows just what his customer wants, and exactly what he will pay for it. SOLD!