Nick Goode, who held EVP product roles for Sage, has joined Wejo as EVP of marketing and product. Wejo gathers data from what it describes as “millions of connected cars” that is used to improve vehicles.

Goode joined the company last month after spending five months as VP of growth for Revolut Business from March through July. He was with Sage from April 2010 through March and led marketing for the Accountants Division and then was the head of the former Sage One. He then held EVP positions of various kinds for product and cloud products. In his last nine months at Sage, he was EVP for the company’s X3 manufacturing applications, which has been pictured as one of Sage’s keys to its product future.

Three quarters of respondents in a survey of finance professionals by AvidXchange say they have implemented at least one new technology or system as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The payments software company received responses from 500 finance executives.

AvidXchange also found not surprisingly, that businesses are using many applications to run operations. Only 35 percent of respondents reported having fully integrated systems to managed financials while 75 percent said they use at least two applications to manage day-to-day process. Seventy-eight percent said new automation and technology would help reduce rising stress stemming from the conditions imposed by the virus outbreak and 84 percent believe new technology would help them work more efficiently both during and post-pandemic. The survey also found the virus response has changed patterns for work weeks and paid time off. Twenty-six percent are working longer hours; 33 percent have changed or canceled vacations; 14 percent said their sleep was interrupted by incoming work emails or telephone calls. Seventy-nine percent have canceled some paid time off. Of these, 24 percent canceled one to three days; 28 percent four to six days; 17 percent six to 10 days; and 10 percent, ten or more days.

Robert Aronson, a former sales executive for Epicor Software and some large midmarket VARs, has become EVP of global sales for iBASEt. The software company makes applications for complex discrete manufacturing operations.

Aronson was most recently EVP for Epicor reseller Cre8tive Technology and Design, based in San Diego, Calif., from February 2017 until moving into the new job last month. He was SVP of sales for the Americas for Epicor from 2013 through February 2017 and was director of industry sales for Microsoft from March 2008 through August 2013. Aronson also held executive sales positions with former Microsoft resellers Tribridge and ePartners.

SAP has reported operating profit was up 55 percent and revenue rose 2 percent for the second quarter ended June 30. The German software company reported the figures this week in the release of preliminary results for the period.

Preliminary results do not include net income and the earnings webcast is not scheduled until Monday, July 27. In a prepared statement, CEO Christian Klein called the results “better-than-expected”. Operating profit was roughly $1.42 billion and revenue approximately $7.46 billion. Cloud revenue was roughly $2.26 billion, up 24 percent, and license revenue $845 million, down 18 percent. All figures are on an IFRS basis. Despite the drop in license income, the figures were termed “a strong sequential improvement compared to the first quarter” with results in Asia showing “a solid rebound” in that area. Improvements in operating profit and margin were attributed to cost containment, which include slowing hiring and discretionary spending, along with reductions in travel and events costs which stemmed from the pullback that was part of the pandemic response.  The slowdown is shown by the fact that with the 2-percent increase in revenue for the second quarter, first half revenue of approximately $1.47 billon represent an increase of 4 percent over last year’s corresponding period.

Oedipus’ big decision every year was whether to buy an anniversary card, Mother’s Day card or both. "Honey, uh, mom, I love, ...  never mind.”

… In the latest update to “The Long Ranger,” the usual “Who was that masked man?” at the end of the episode is followed by “I don’t know. But it wasn’t Donald Trump. … Even with a 60-game baseball season, a faster game would be nice. I would like to propose “Speed Baseball”. After the umpire hits timer, the pitcher and batter have three minutes to complete an at bat. … I think I may be from a bad family. I just received a notice from the testing service, 23andMe, marking my DNA results “revoked”. … There’s a trailer making the rounds on one TV station showing a wild board rampaging through a restaurant. “How does a wild boar get into a restaurant in the middle of an urban area?” my wife asked as we watched the broadcast. “Calling early for a reservation,” I responded  … Because singing produces droplets that can carry the coronavirus, congregational singing is not a good idea at religious institutions. “What can we do instead?” I asked. “Congregational humming,” my wife replied. ,,, As of July 1, American Airlines lifted the capacity of its flights from 85 percent to 100 percent. And you thought your biggest problem was getting stuck on a transcontinental flight with a window seat and two very large people in the other seats.

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Texas has begun enforcing the wearing of masks in public. It’s a bit disconcerting to have people wearing masks in a state that allows people to openly carry guns.

… I continue to think a great idea would be to combine Texas’ open-carry gun law with New Orleans’ open carry rules for alcoholic beverages. Who wants to deprive people of the right to drink and shoot? … The administration’s position that its response to the virus is a cause for celebration is the most overly optimistic statement since Noah looked out of the ark and said, “I think these showers will pass”.  It remains to be seen if President Trump’s scheduled rally in Tulsa, Okla., turns out to be his first coronathon.… There are so few places to go, describing plans are is quite boring. “What are you doing this weekend?” a friend asked. I responded. “The same thing we do every weekend, try to take over the world.  … A recent LinkedIn  invitation came from someone whose profile described her as a food service worked. Her picture was that of a bosomy blonde in a low cut top. LinkedIn’s “People Also Viewed” sidebar featured a lot very of lovely women including a young lady saying she missed her truck driving job in Poland. Very nice looking chassis. The truck looked good too. ...  Somehow,  I accidentally started playing an album form favorite group mine on my MacBook Air “Who is?” my wife asked. “Guess Who”. “No,  I want to know who that group is”. “Not Who, Guess Who” “Can’t. you just tell me what the name of the group is. I don’t want to guess what.”  “Not Guess What, Guess Who.” (Millennials, ask your elders to explain this)

Experts say creating a “Memory Palace” (a mental construction of place in which your mind stores images) is one way to substantially improve memory. I tried it, but instead I created a “Memory Hovel” and I still managed to get lost in it.

… Scientists discuss the end of the universe in terms of entropy, which essentially all motion of particles ceases as energy dissipates. In other words, the universe ends up on a couch eating potato chips and watching TV. … I got bad news from the genetic testing service, 23andMe, it has invalidated my DNA. … A new movie is being planned to update the 1994 comic love story that starred Hugh Grant and an Andie McDowell. It will be called “Four Weddings and a Quarantine”.  In the new film, the now 59-year old Grant and 62-year old McDowell both pull muscles in attempting to dance at one of the weddings. Two other repeat characters suffer the fate of the character “Gareth”, who died in the first movie. …. New Jersey is expected to allow barbers to resume business in about three weeks. Currently, the state has been adding to the famous poem “Give you your poor, your tired, your unshorn yearning to get a cut”. … Experian is reconsidering the use of the Experian Cow in commercials after one repeatedly interrupted commercials doing what cows generally do in decorating the ground.  … Hasbro is dealing with the new for social distancing with “Twister Solitaire”. In the traditional game, player spin a dial colored circles and then try to put a hand or a foot on the same colored circle while maintain contact with other circles. In the new game, players get individual twister mats and attempt to follow the instructions. 

Ah summer. Who isn’t looking forward to the sounds of empty baseball stadiums, empty car racetrack stands, empty summer camps and empty summer schools?  It’s going to be a good year for people who like peace and quiet.

Today,  Friday May 22, is National Solitaire Game as celebrated by Microsoft. It seems fitting. It's also Solitaire Month, Solitaire Summer and possibly Solitaire Year.  ...Until the shutdowns ease, Las Vegas has been considering changing its slogan to "What happens in Vegas isn't all that interestingl."… I am sure there is a hidden demand the current environment new cleaning product for removing cobwebs off home exercise equipment for people stranded in their abodes. … Kim Kardashian’s company is making fabric face masks but it’s her fabric butt masks that are generating interest.. Certainly, she is one celebrity for whom better exposure might be less exposure. … Tesla inventor Elon Musk has threatened to pull his factory out of California unless it is allowed to reopen. Musk has been making Apple founder Steve Jobs seem like a warm, fuzzy guy. California responded by threatening to send Musk into space to drive car he previously sent there… The escort business and related services have been hard hit. The work at home part is easy and masks are a hit with certain clienteles. But the social distancing thing has been a challenge. … In a public service announcement, Zorro TV episodes  and movies are being retrofitted so the crime fighter’s mask covers not just the area around his eyes but his nose and mouth as well. The sessions end with “Who was that mask man?” “I couldn’t tell. He looks like everyone else.” 

Where are we going in the mid-market? Or in general? The economy started out the year with record employment and has moved to record unemployment with the effects of shutdowns of the Covid-19 virus.  For resellers this year, how they are doing depends on where they are located and in what markets they are involved. Bob Scott’s Top 100 VARs for 2020 examines the issues in an era of extreme uncertainty and names 100 firms who are the big players in this market.

A majority companies submitting forms for this year’s Top 100 selection have more than 50 percent of their revenue coming from cloud products. That was 62 percent of the 93 firms that answered the question. (All provided revenue and employees)

 This group includes all submissions, whether the VAR was selected as a member of the Top 100 or not. Nearly 10 percent reported their revenue was 100 percent from the cloud. This is a very rough survey—there is lots of room of interpretation about what cloud means and some firms talked only of new sales. But it gives an indication of how strong the penetration has become. Twenty-nine percent said cloud ERP represent 80 percent or more of the total. Only one firm answered the question with zero percent. There was interpretation required as some gave one percentage for new sales and another for total so some back-of-the envelope averaging was performed. 

There is a boom in the mid-market financial software reselling business. One industry observer said the move from desktop to cloud computing has created a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This year’s Bob Scott’s VAR Stars firms are participating in that opportunity Along with honoring the firms chosen, this year’s special VAR Star report looks at a market that is providing tons of opportunity to the business people with the talent and will to take advantage of it.

2018 BSI Top 100 VARS

Bob Scott's Insights would like to congratulate all the 2018 BSI Top 100 VARS winners.

This year's selection of Bob Scott's Top 100 VARs comes at a time of dramatic change to the business. Larger firms are becoming larger and all are grappling with the movement of the business from reliance on desktop software to the cloud. Read about the state of the market and the names of the selected resellers.

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