Several of my clients have needed to demonstrate their software systems. My Configurative system allows us to create a full simulation of almost any system. It uses realistic, dummy data to bring the functionality to the presentation without the complexity of connecting ot a live system.
Numbers can be a great persuader. If you want to make a pitch based on extra profit or cost savings, it's great to be able to prove your point.
a changing world
Interesting project this. We'd previously created a multi-lingual, multi-user, touch-screen system for Sunterra, so it was a logical move for them to ask us to develop their world-wide sales presentation.
With resorts in around 26 countries, each with 4 or 5 accommodation types, their inventory was ever-changing, so keeping the presentations current was always going to be a challenge. Added to that, Sunterra wanted to ensure that their holiday ownership programmes were sold ethically and honestly. As the world's largest holiday ownership company, they wanted none of the taint of the timeshare industry.
Here's what we built.
holidays sell themselves
The first and most important task here was to sell the resorts. Sunterra's financial case is completely logical - this is the best holiday value anyone is likely to find. But it's emotion that sells; we needed people to dream of holidaying in these fabulous locations, in these gorgeous apartments.
The presentation contained a resource of around 90 minutes of beautiful full-screen video. Not all of it would be used in every presentation, but it was available at a touch of the presenter's remote control panel.
As each video begins, the system automatically dims the presenter's spotlight to focus the audience's attention on the screen.
global currency
Sunterra's inventory of several thousand apartments is always being updated, refurbished and extended. Before our system, keeping the sales presentations in step with the real world was in impossible task.
We built an import application that could accept input from the XML data that was driving Sunterra's core resort resource. The Resort Builder then allowed individual editing to get rid of any spelling mistakes (the data was input by Web developers after all!) or add extra photographs. On saving the data to the central server, the sales decks across the world automatically update themselves to include current information.
ethics is a long way from sussex
Sunterra take the responsibility of their market position very seriously, so they're determined to ensure that their resort ownership is offered ethically, and that buyers are in possession of all the facts. With such a large sales force, spread almost worldwide, that's not easy.
Our logging system can track every presentation, recording screen dwell times, presentation routes, and any information or decisions that were collected along the way.
Interestingly, as an ethical, fully informing pitch is usually the most successful sales approach, this information also provides the ideal presentation structure. So sales improve, and the sales force earn more commission. Everybody wins.