Paul Kuszyk (ISPW tech support), Christina McGill (ISPW product manager/president), Kathy Thomson (ISPW web master), with their web site at http://www.ispw.com.

907 - 18th Avenue S.W. Calgary AB T2H 0H2

B ooks, computers and CDs were the first things for sale on the web. Now you can buy almost anything. But big-ticket software products have been slow to catch on.

For 30 years, these high end software products have been sold the same way - by salesmen calling on computer systems departments, doing presentations, and keeping their wares under wraps until they're finally in the door. Sometimes, all the client has seen is a few glossy screen shots. Management buys these products, then expects the technical staff who hasn't had hands-on exposure, to make them work. By the time the dust settles, it's too late to back out. With the Internet, all this changes. Computer systems staff gain a whole new way to buy corporate software.

Staff can go all the way from product investigation right through hands-on demonstration and installation, all using the Web. It's no longer a matter of trusting a salesman - technical staff can try before they buy.

In Calgary, BenchMark Technologies Ltd. sells their ISPW software framework this way. ISPW is software that manages software, so system developers working for large companies can get their jobs done faster.

For twelve years, BenchMark sold its software the same as other vendors, but now, by using the Web, the company can provide more technical product information (without courier packages) better sales presentations (without travelling), and a real hands-on working environment that prospective customers can try for themselves.

By the time a site decides to install ISPW, it knows exactly what it's getting. The install process goes smoother, training costs less, problems are avoided, and everyone is happier. To provide this capability over the Internet takes five key pieces:

• ISPW website at http://www.ispw.com
  Readers can view all the ISPW product info, including the price list. With the ISPW User Guide and Frequently Asked Questions, companies can readily see for themselves if ISPW would suit them.
• ISPW presentations over the Web.
  Using PowerPoint with ContigoPresents or Microsoft's NetMeeting, ISPW technical staff can do presentations over the Web. This innovative technology lets the audience see the presentation screen, via remote display. In an hour, sites can get a basic idea of what ISPW does.
• ISPW interactive demonstrations over the Web.
  With tools like PCAnywhere or Microsoft NetMeeting, ISPW technical staff can log onto their own system and demo ISPW, over the Internet, to display on the prospective client's PC, at the client's office. As this is a live demo, clients can even take control and drive ISPW themselves, with the ISPW technical staff answering questions.
• ISPW - Try Before You Buy
  After signing non-disclosures, prospective customers can log on to ISPW'S computer system, via any TN3270 software, and test drive ISPW. Using a small training setup with some dummy modules and a demo script, the client's technical staff can try every operation. They can even look under the covers to see how ISPW works, so they understand what they're buying before they make that decision.
• ISPW interactive installation support.
  Once a client decides to install ISPW at his own site, ISPW tehnical staff can "watch" the install remotely, via the Internet, to ensure there are no setup problems. When it's safely installed, ISPW technical staff then go on-site to do technical and applications staff training.

For large companies analyzing, installing, and evaluating corporate software can be a long, risky process. With the Internet, this process could be almost pleasant.