If you follow us on social media (which you should, if you’re not), I’m sure you’ve seen posts and information about Implementation Specialists’ premier event, GPUC – or the Great Plains User Conference which takes place November 14-16th at the Microsoft campus in Fargo, ND.
If you’re a GPUC rookie, just like I was last year, you may be asking yourself “What’s the big deal? It’s just another partner event.” I was more than a little nervous attending our Great Plains User Conference in 2017 – especially since I was tagged to be the “opening act” of sorts! Once I attended the sessions and observed our team interactions with customers, prospects, and partners, I quickly realized we have a knack for making attendees comfortable enough to share both positive experiences and frustrations in an open setting.
Below is a quick list of what to expect if you’re attending GPUC for the first time.
- Togetherness: GPUC focuses on bringing together people within Finance, Accounting, Operations, Inventory, Sales, Marketing, IT, and more to share their thoughts, ideas, problems, and scenarios with peers and our senior consulting team. Since we carefully cultivate our attendees, this leads to deep discussions of potential solutions and relationship-building. You don’t get talked at – you are part of the process. Plus, the venue at Microsoft gives you enough space to catch up on your day-to-day, while keeping the food, conversations, and resources close by.
- Experts: As a Microsoft Gold ERP partner and Source Code Provider, Implementation Specialists’ team possesses deep technical and practical knowledge of Dynamics GP, SQL, Azure, and more. We are also well-versed in business process analysis, application development, consulting, training, and support. I know what you’re asking yourself, “Don’t most partners have these competencies?” The difference is that Implementation Specialists has built a name and reputation on rescuing ERP projects due to both our technical expertise and relationship building skills. Last year, I was in on a session and heard multiple times that our experience in solving a particular issue “paid for the trip” – what an excellent thing to hear!
- Hospitality: A staple of the Upper Midwest is friendly people and funny accents. You will definitely experience both at GPUC 2018. We strive to make sure everyone who attends our Great Plains User Conference is comfortable and gets their questions and needs taken care of quickly. We have meals catered in, a fun and lively Happy Hour, and people who understand the local flavor of Fargo – if you’d like to experience the nightlife of an excellent college town! Our entire team will be on-site for the duration of GPUC 2018, ensuring that you can find the resource you need, when you need it. What you may not know is that due to growth, we have hired remote experts outside of Fargo-Moorhead that have been an invaluable addition. We have team members in Wisconsin, Florida, Washington, and the Minneapolis/St. Paul area for the first time, and are ever-expanding.
You might have an inkling of what to expect if you’ve been to similar events. Sessions and socializing are key components, of course, but Implementation Specialists focuses on providing business value to our attendees and partners. We’re all here to help you reach your goals and solve problems. You will see this firsthand as well. I hope to see you all in Fargo in November.
Steve
