Great article, looks like some really cool software.  I was wondering if Salez Toolz comes with a database of products and how those products are updated?  I went to the Sales Toolz website but I could not find anything about a product database and there is no free trial demo.

Since this article mentions compatibility with other software products maybe someone at EH could ask some follow up questions.  I would like to know exactly how product data gets in and out of the system and how that data gets “rolled into” other software products.

The software comes preloaded with multiple data sets a customer can change to fit their business.  Salez Toolz doesn’t require a database like a design/engineering software.  A salesperson would rather not get involved at that level of detail in a first meeting.  10 sales people could feed project files to an engineer to work out the specifics of the project once the budget is accepted.  Most design software allows someone to combine multiple projects into one project.  End result, sales can spend more time selling and less time engineering.

I almost forgot, Free trial available upon request. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

I guess we are getting the terms product data and database mixed up.  I imagine that Salez Toolz requires some sort of database to run.  I was wondering if Sales Tools needed any sort of product specific data or SKU’s to work. 

If Salez Tools does not need any specific product data like other design/engineering/estimating/quoting/accounting/management software then how can the data that the program generates be “rolled into” other platforms.  At some point a specific product needs to be specified.  Where does that happen in the Salez Toolz process?

I am not clear what happens after a budget is created with Salez Toolz.  Maybe you could post some sort of flow chart on the Salez Tools web site that explains the exact process.  I am sure some of your prospective customers would find that very usefull.  I know I would find it very interesting.

Adam, let’s do on online demo, once we have walked you through the software it will all make sense. Contact us to schedule a demo .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  Basic training on Salez Toolz is free!

Thanks for the offer but I would rather just take you up on the “free trail available on request” you mentioned.  Is the free trial still available?  Do I need to sign up somewhere?  Does this work like most/all other free software trials where you sign up, get a link to download the software and then are able to try it for a limited amount of time?

My main interest is how Salez ToolZ manages to roll non specific product information into other systems that require specific product information.  If you don’t want to give me a trial then can you post a flow chart or your product documentation that explains this process?

Speaking of free trials Microsoft has a no strings attached 60 day free trial of Visio here: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/visio/default.aspx

Salez Toolz is as a Budgetting tool. We meet with the customer and get them excited about what we sell.  What the customer wants to know is how much it costs.  Salez Toolz accomplishes both tasks - as we’re describing the systems features they see the price.  Once selected it adds it to the budget.  The budget can be reviewed and changed right on the spot.  At the end of the first meeting we’ve arrived at a realistic budget.  If the customer wants to proceed our next step is engineering.  That’s when we can provide a proposal.  What most of us do is jump right into the proposal.  We present a single option on systems they they selected days ago and they get sticker shock - so we start all over again.  This is a very expensive way to arrive at a budget number. 
There are some great testimonials on the website where customers are so engaged in the process that they take over the mouse and begin making the selections themselves - it’s that easy!

Adam, aren’t you the president of D-tools Software?

Sounds like an awesome product, can I get a free trial?  So how does the data get “rolled into” other software products?

Yes I am the President.  Did you not know that when when you called me a few hours ago?. 

I am just asking for someone to clarify a few statements that were made in the article and in the comments by Prime Design. .

1: Can I get a trial copy of the software?

2: How does the SaleZ ToolZ “roll up” data into other programs.

Is that so hard?

I forgot to add follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/HeadTool

Yes Adam we knew who you were just no one else did.  We provided D-Tools with several licenses years ago at no-charge when your company sold Salez Toolz.
The way it rolls up is same way it did before based on the name of the system. 
Salez Toolz is an independent program and does not require direct interface with any program in order to produce a budget. 
By the way, we think D-Tools is a very good program also that’s why we bought it and or have trained on it over the last 10 years.

Same questions:

1: Can I get a “free trial” of the CURRENT version, not one “several” years old.

2: Can you explain in some sort of product documentation how the “roll up” works?

Is this version Mac compatible? When I tried to use this before, it was not Mac compatible and would not even work under parallels.I haven’t seen any updates or info in a year or two

Jason, you no longer have a rep in the area so we didn’t have someone following up.  The problem we had with you was network security settings.  The software has to be able to access the internet to license the first time then it will work fine. 
We are running it right now on Macs in beta testing and should have it out end of the month.  In fact a dealer in Seattle (just north of you) is using it on a Mac and doing very well.

Salez Toolz software is not competition for D-Tools. We use both and advocate that our dealers use both pieces of software.
They each have their place.
Salez Toolz is a very fun and powerful sales presentation tool that can help quickly qualify potential clients. Salez Toolz MUST be loaded with accurate and useful project data, which is where D-Tools can then be utilized. My firm has designed a vast array of pre-design and priced to sell systems, that we then load into Salez Toolz and sell to our clients as a budgetary tool. The purpose is to help a potential client understand what is possible and what that system would cost. The next step would then be to proceed to a detailed design phase where a design fee should be collected by the dealer. THEN D-Tools could be utilized to design the clients exact system based on their EXACT project scope requirements.

That is my 1.5 cents…

Hey Firefly Ron, 

I was wondering if you could explain how Sales Toolz data gets “rolled up” into other software packages as mentioned in the article.  Maybe it was a typo because I can not seem get Prime Design to explain further.

Also do you know anything about a “Free trial available upon request”  I have requested a free trial but have not received any specific response to that request.

Thanks man, I really appreciate the input.

Adam,

Hey man! See you next week at EHX!
I just had a great chat last week with Seth and Tim. We are pumped about getting our hands on 5.5!

Regarding you questions for the AbacusPrime, that is between you and them. I am a neutral party. Peace, love, and a good time…that is my mantra.

Peace,
Ron

Wont be at EH, but CEDIA for sure. 

So how does Firefly use Salez Tools to roll up product data to D-Tools?

I have received a free trial of Salez Toolz and was atually quite impressed and have been an advocate for it in my company.

As an integrator in the high end production home and custom space, our major pain points are that our customers come in and have a two hour conversation. They then leave and we follow up with a detailed quote.  Although basic price ranges are discussed, seeing it on paper is another matter, so they ask us to tier down.

The process is too time consuming for the customer and the builder.

Most of our customers don’t want a piece parts list with wire runs , mod plugs, etc.  They want a visually stimulating presentation, a firm budget at the onset, and a scope of work that defines the functionality and quality of product.  All things Salez Toolz delivers.

Salez Toolz provides all that and standardizes the “custom ” selling process so that anyone in the company can do it if necessary. 

In Salez Toolz you can arrange packages on pages by type (lighting,home theater, whole house audio) and then on the page itself by functionality on the y axis and price on the x axis, making it very simple to find what you need.

We are kitting all our packages in D-Toolz first, and then could use those kits as price points in Salez Toolz.  Who cares if I have to re-enter a few keystrokes in D-Toolz later?  I have lots of extra time now thanks to Salez Toolz.

Mark Coxon
New Business Development Manager

Sorry, I was “Z” happy.  D-Tools

I don’t know why testimonials for Salez ToolZ keep on popping up in this thread.  Read my first comment.  All I asked was how data gets “rolled into” other software products.  Natural question since my company and the term “rolled into” were mentioned in the article.

During my quest for this information which could have been easily answered with a downloadable demo or some online documentation I get all this noise.  These are simple questions that have nothing to do with the quality of the product, the people behind the product or the users of the product.

Same questions:

1: How does data from Salez Toolz data get rolled into other products as mentioned in the article?

2: Can I get a free trail demo as mentioned in the comments by Prime Design so I can test how this process works.

That’s it.  Feel free to post more testimonials but all I am asking for is those two simple questions get answered.

Adam,

I think we’re on the same page here. I met these folks @ Long Beach 2006.. They provided no transparency into what the software actually *does*.

Another case of “Over-Promise, Under-Deliver”.

Thanks for D-Tools, by the way. As you probably know we are extremely happy users.

Brian,

While I’m sorry you didn’t get a good understanding of the software when we were in the D-tools booth 3 years ago, they were reselling our software at that time, customers who actually use Salez Toolz like it a lot. 
Salez Toolz combines multiple .dtl (D-tools) files into one file a dealer can then open up and modify saving hours of work.  That simple. 
The whole idea is to have engineering create projects that sales then goes out and sells.  How many car dealers let the Salespeople design the cars they sell.  The model we recommend is to have engineering drive sales not sales pushing engineering to keep up.
Salez Toolz doesn’t have to directly interface with any program but can work as a stand alone product for creating budgets and closing more deals.

Wow, what a difference a day makes, getting closer to an answer to the rollup question.  According to Prime Design Sales Tools can combine multiple .dtl files.  I wonder what of version .dtl files it works with.  It changes with each new release.

Can anyone who uses Sales Tools and D-Tools (not Prime Design) give me a web demo on this process with a current version of both software packages?  Please email me, adam(at)d-tools.com

Prime Design, I just checked and from 11/10/2005 to 8/21/2006 we sold a total of 3 (three) copies of Salez Toolz.  Maybe it is time to put the D-Tools sold Salez Toolz reference to bed and find more current reference reseller account. 

Ohh, can I get a free trial to test the compatability with our current .dtl file?