A User’s Group conference is a great way to share and gain information regarding the Manufacturing ERP software you use in your facility. There are opportunities to network with other companies who run their businesses similar to yours and gather good ideas to implement when you return from your trip. It’s also a great opportunity to gain information in person from your ERP software provider, such as IQMS.
There really isn’t a better way to communicate than in person. Those fortunate enough to attend a User’s Group conference get the benefit of the audio, the visual, the human interaction, the body language, the innuendo, everything that a Technical Document or even a video can’t quite convey. However, while a few representatives are off having ‘fun’ at User’s Group someone has to stay behind and run the operation. And it’s the attendees’ responsibility to return from their trip and share the information they’ve obtained. User’s Group attendees should bring back handouts and links to presentations and videos and any other information they’ve acquired and they should take the time to personally share the information with their co-workers.
At IQMS Users’ Group, IQMS employees from all departments presented information on the features and projects we’ve been working on since the last Users’ Group. We shared information about our Technical Support department, Training department and Professional Services Group. No attendee walked away from these presentations without a lot of new knowledge and especially tips to take back to their businesses.
Presentations were also made on all areas of the software, briefly reviewing What’s Changed and exciting new features the next update. All of the presentations are available for all IQMS customers to download and share with their employees.
Since the last IQMS Users’ Group we’ve made thousands of customer requested changes to the software. Most of these changes were requested through IQMS’ Community Server, implemented in the summer of 2009. Many attendees’ didn’t know about Community Server, even though it’s been publicized in many forms of media and recommended during contact with Technical Support, Training and Professional Services. This is an example of making sure everyone shares information; in this age of transparency the more everyone knows, the better informed your employees will be to make critical decisions.
Attending a Users’ Group is the first step in acquiring the latest information regarding your ERP software. Be sure to take the information with you, back to your companies and share the knowledge with your coworkers. This next step is essential to keep your employees well informed and give them the tools to make their best business decisions.
Author’s Note: 21 IQMS employees went to the IQMS Users’ Group in Las Vegas in November, 2010. Only 20 of us came home; back to our jobs, our families and friends, our lives. Sadly, Dustin Fields, one of our programmers, passed away in Las Vegas. We were notified on the first day of the conference and had to put our game faces on and push through the meetings, entertaining, etc. I am very proud of my fellow employees, you were professional in a very emotionally upsetting time. My condolences go out to Dustin’s family and friends. We miss him at IQMS.
