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Scott Cytron: I know you were with Sage prior to Deltek. Tell me about that.
Taylor Macdonald: I was with Sage Software for 10 years! Throughout this time, I led partner programs, field sales channels, partner development initiatives, national partners and business partner recruiting. However, long before that. I founded the Macdonald Consulting Group (MCG), a business software consulting firm in Atlanta.
SC: Tell me a little bit about Deltek.
TM: Deltek is publicly traded business founded in 1983 that offers enterprise applications software for project-focused organizations. Some of its main products include Deltek Costpoint, Deltek Vision, Deltek GCS Premier, Deltek Cobra, Deltek Open Plan and Deltek winsight.SC: Tell me a little bit about Deltek.
SC: What is your main role?
TM: It’s interesting, really, because the Deltek headquarters is located in Herndon, Va., and technology allows me to work virtually with my teams in the United States and abroad from my home office in Atlanta. My focal point is to grow and manage Deltek’s channel, worldwide. In order to accomplish this, I work with our current business partners in an effort to help them become more successful, recruit new business partners and lead several teams managing channel partners.
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Taylor Macdonald, Deltek VP |
SC: What kinds of solutions does Deltek offer in the business enterprise software realm?
KB: Deltek is the leading supplier of software for two groups. Architects, engineers and professional service people are the first group. Our other focus is geared toward the government contracting market.
SC: How have you seen the business software industry evolve other the past decade?
TM: There was a span of time from the early ‘90s through the Y2K scare when technology was not important, and people were only interested in the features and functions of what software could do. This was the time when computerizing processes was important for basic tasks such as writing checks and printing statements.
Following Y2K, people began to learn that software had the ability to turn data into actionable information, and in the last two years, this concept has become increasingly valuable. This is what allows me to the ability to effectively work from home because processes go from person to person electronically without ever having to hold a document in my hand. Workflow is where the greatest productivity enhancements wait because of its time-saving abilities.
SC: What do you see as the next steps for technology?
TM: Greater connectivity outside of the enterprise will be available for people who are your trusted partners. I also see a big push in electronic payments; right now, I think the majority of businesses do not pay all of their bills online.
Technology, in itself, is only limited by our imagination as the ways to make things work. For example, I see YouTube as a big player in what is to come. Video training is a prominent training tool already, but the rise of YouTube makes it that much easier to provide as an embedded link for company training needs. It is an extremely interesting type of natural revolution and I don’t think we can even imagine how it will impact us in the coming years.
SC: Which technology application allows you to best assist your clients in sustaining success?
TM: It boils down to broadband connectivity coupled with information found from the Internet. Together, these two things make it so easy to respond, and respond quickly. I can help in anyone in a matter of seconds thanks to these applications.
SC: If you were deserted on an island and could have only one technology, what would it be and why?
TM: That’s an easy one – a Cisco Videoconferencing Set. It gives me the ability to still see everyone and they can diagnose me if need be.