Conference ulysse::rdb_vms_competition

    Bruce,
    
    We discussed this very subject yesterday at a RALLY workshop to find out how
    we can better market RALLY - there is a huge 4GL market to tap.
    
    Doug Ross (South Carolina) could recount how he found out about the 
    balloons - I don't think he quite realised the scale of this escapade!
    
    How do you think we should tell people in the field about RALLY V2.2
    (faster 4GL on Rdb according to customers at Spring US DECUS)?
    
    Richard

Also posted to BEAGLE::RALLY_COMPETITION {press KP7 to select}... and
perhaps the discussion should continue there?

         <<< BEAGLE::USER06:[NOTES$LIBRARY]RALLY_COMPETITION.NOTE;1 >>>
                           -< Let's win with Rally! >-
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Note 146.3            marketing to Digital Sales by Cognos                3 of 3
DUGROS::ROSS "TNDR: The New Doug Ross"               57 lines  27-JUN-1991 16:02
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I sent the following message to the sales people in our unit this morning...
it is crucial that Digital comes out in support of Rally, NOW!  Especially
with the release of V2.3 in the next couple weeks.

-------------------------------------------------------------

This week, many of you may have received a package from COGNOS, INC. which
included a balloon, a cassette tape, and other promotional material about the
"POWERTEAM Lineup" and COGNOS' 4GL product Powerhouse.  

Please be aware that although Powerhouse is on Digital's 4GL team through a
Cooperative Marketing Partner agreement, the Most Valuable Player on that
4GL team is Digital's own product DEC RALLY.   Selling Powerhouse without 
considering RALLY as an alternative or superior solution for your customer
only helps COGNOS and hurts Digital financially.    

The 4GL market is going to grow dramatically in the 90's and in order for
Digital to take advantage and PROFIT from that growth, we must have the 
support of Digital's sales and sales support teams.   A sale of RALLY is
more than just a software sale - it typically leads the customer to other
DEC information management tools and, more importantly, to educational and
consulting revenue that exceeds the revenue of the RALLY license itself.
Is it any wonder that COGNOS is one of the fastest growing software firms
when they are able to get Digital's sales force to aid them in selling
THEIR software and THEIR training and THEIR consulting services?   Imagine
the effect on Digital's bottom line if those revenues were going to Digital!

This is not a case of selling an inferior product just because it is made
by Digital.  RALLY is the best 4GL on the VAX right now in terms of features
and integration with Rdb/VMS and other CASE tools.   And the engineering 
group for RALLY has an aggressive schedule in place to make the next version
of RALLY a multi-platform, standards compliant application development tool.

The reason RALLY may not have the market share of Powerhouse, Smartstar, or
Oracle in the VAX 4GL market is simply a matter of under-marketing of RALLY 
and over-marketing of our CMP's competing products.    That is expected to
change over the next six months.   A workshop was held on June 24 and 25
bringing together members of RALLY engineering, educational services, sales,
and software consulting services in order to formulate a strategy for 
increasing market awareness of RALLY.   This workshop was held as part of
a pilot program implemented by TNSG (The New Software Group) VP David Stone's
direction in order to focus on making Digital's software business more 
profitable.   RALLY is one of only three products currently in the pilot, and
it is the only non-V1.0 release product.   

You will see Digital's commitment to RALLY as the strategic 4GL come about
over the next month, starting with the release of V2.3 of RALLY in mid-July.

Don't let a balloon and glossy brochures make the decision for you.  Find
out about RALLY.  You will be helping Digital and your customer will be 
getting a valuable tool to help them solve their business problems.

If you have any questions about RALLY or would like to see a demo at any time,
please contact me either by mail or at DTN 367-6465.

Doug Ross
 

Re: .1 by Richard Kirk
�How do you think we should tell people in the field about RALLY V2.2
�    (faster 4GL on Rdb according to customers at Spring US DECUS)?

Well, everyone who reads this can do what I did: print Doug's reply (944.2), 
photocopy it 50 (or as many as necessary) times and drop it in the mailbox of 
every sales rep, sales support person, and manager in his or her respective 
field office. I didn't think you'd mind, Doug. 

I crossed-off Doug's name and number and scribbled on my own before I made the 
copies.

Bruce

P.S.: Or you can do it the old-fashioned way and e-mail 944.2. ;-{)}