Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/594816
November 2015 • SMT Magazine 45 Matties: that's a good approach. is there a time when a manufacturer will say, "We'd like you to add this supplier to the list"? Moradkhan: Yes. We love to hear that, because the leverage with the suppliers is from our cus- tomers, not from us. If a customer, having got- ten used to this service, says, "Hey, there are some suppliers that you don't have as part of this service, but if you did, then my hit rate would go up," then we ask them to talk to the supplier. That usually goes a long way, because the suppliers are very good and responsive to the customers, and we can then work with them. There's some level of investment that they have to do for us to work out the details technically, but then once it is going, it's just going. Matties: is there a list of the suppliers that are available through your system for the manufac- turers to see prior to purchasing? Moradkhan: Yes, of course. We go through that, and that's changing all of the time. That's some of the stuff that you really can take advantage of during the 30-day free trial. With all of these things, because we sell this on a subscription basis, it really behooves us to have a customer that knows they're going to get value out of this, because we're looking for a long-term re- lationship, so the trial is great. The trial allows them to ask questions like that, "Do I have all the suppliers I need?" Matties: during the trial, do they have full ac- cess to everything, up and down? Are there any limits? if i have three users, do i get the full limits or the full capabilities of somebody with 100 users? Moradkhan: Correct. We don't do pricing by, you know, functionality. Matties: it's just, "here's our system and here's what it does"? Moradkhan: Yes, and it is part of our philoso- phy. First of all, we talk about the fact that nor- mal questions you may need to drill up, down or sideways. If you have some kind of a limit and the user needs to drill to something that is not part of their pricing structure, it just be- comes kludgy and choppy. People also need to know that the more their people have access to the information they need, the better their company will run, and that's part of the phi- losophy of Portus. Let's just get it right to them so that they can do their job. Matties: thank you for your time. Moradkhan: Thank you, Barry. SmT ImProvING ProDUCTIoN eFFICIeNCIeS WITH beTTer DATA STrATeGIeS FeaTure INTervIeW