When we launch JMP 17 in October, we will deliver our software to customers through My JMP, our new customer portal.
We are making “great strides in how customers will interact with us, which will be a huge improvement for them,” Jon Weisz explains.
As John Sall has frequently remarked, the focus for all the new system changes at JMP should remain firmly on the customer experience, especially on guaranteeing that they will be able to download JMP 17 through the new portal. (Due to certain rules and policies, the only exception is China, where we’ll continue to rely on existing processes for now.) With that directive in mind, we are making the customer experience the top priority in the new projects and their timelines.
“The current software delivery process is hostile,” says Director of User Enablement Jeff Perkinson. “It was built for a different purpose and served us well for a number of years. So, we plan to do something about it for JMP 17. We’re going to build an identity service for administrators, match that up with data from Salesforce and give them access to the downloads – installers and license files.”
From a technology standpoint, we are replacing SAS legacy systems like SAS Download Manager with new systems that fit JMP business needs. These systems include Salesforce Identity Management and Experience Cloud, as well as JMP Development Cloud integration work.
“As we step away from SAS legacy systems, having Salesforce as our system of record allows us to streamline, have everything in one place and connect seamlessly to other systems so that the customer service and experience (as well as our internal processes) will be much cleaner and more efficient than ever before,” says Candice Gervase, Salesforce Team Manager.
Director of Digital Operations John Jones adds: “The major benefit – and why I’m so excited – when you standardize processes and have a single source of truth, it lends itself to a consistent customer experience, greater capability for automation and higher sales velocity.”
Enhancements to the fulfillment process
Example view of My JMP ID log in.Example view of My JMP ID log in.Historically, software administrators have received complicated, convoluted instructions with many steps to download JMP. My JMP will enhance the customer experience by dynamically presenting the software information and license files to which a customer is entitled.
After first being authorized with My JMP ID (the replacement for SAS Profile), “the software administrator at the customer location will log in to My JMP and find their profile, products and versions,” explains Fiona Kelly, Senior Enterprise Architect. “Right then and there they will have installers and license files available to them.” As a result, the average user will get the software they need much more quickly.
There are challenges. SAS will continue to service JMP accounts for some time; therefore, the new systems must be integrated with SAS systems and processes. The data we need to identify administrators and which files they should receive is in GIDB; therefore, we must create data structures in Salesforce to hold GIDB data.
Initially, every account with JMP 16 will get JMP 17 through My JMP. Software administrators will receive an email explaining the new, easy way to download the latest version, which will be available to them once they log in to My JMP. Accounts with older versions of JMP will follow the old process at first. Soon after the launch of JMP 17, older versions of JMP will be offered via My JMP.
Example view of My JMP for software administrators.Example view of My JMP for software administrators.
In April, Tech Support in the Americas moved its operations to Salesforce Service Cloud and Service Cloud Voice. According to Sarah Seligman, Senior Analytical Technical Support Engineer, Tech Support has been “able to support customers really well” in the new environment. The team has supported 2,700 cases since the new systems were implemented. Service Cloud will be implemented in Japan later this month.
In the long run, My JMP can give us a place to provide content customized to a user, like tech support cases, downloads, registrations for events and webcasts, email subscription preferences and more. These will take some time to explore and implement but we’re building a strong foundation.
Behind-the-scenes development
Lots of back-end work, including JMP Development Cloud integration, has taken place to ensure that we deliver JMP 17 through My JMP in a reliable, easy way. “The goal is a seamless experience for the end user,” says Brian Corcoran, Senior Director of R&D.
The development work has been years in the making, but in the summer of 2021, we started to move JMP activation and license file services to Amazon Web Services (AWS) for independence from SAS IT resources.
JMP was using a Linux server, a couple of internal web pages, a database and custom code to process the transactions.
Developers Paul Nelson and Daniel Powell reworked the existing process for AWS with a focus on “keeping external components as similar as possible for the customer,” says Daniel. “Most of the changes were things underneath the hood that either benefited efficiency or the development team’s ability to use the product.”
Benefits include:
- Licensing files are in Salesforce instead of a server that the customer must access, making scalability and maintenance easier.
- Lower hardware costs.
- More robust fail-safe systems with more security restrictions.
- The AWS serverless technology allows development to focus on the code rather than infrastructure management.
- Affords more time to quickly assist and put out new features as needed.
- Web page that shows all activation attempts.
“Moving to AWS gives space for future improvements because we know activation is going to take on additional roles and additional importance going forward,” says Paul. “We’ve set up a design in AWS that will hopefully provide us that flexibility.”
Summary
JMP 17 will be delivered through My JMP, making it a much simpler and more painless process for software administrators to obtain JMP.
“This changes everything we do for the better,” says Candice. “This is really setting the foundation for JMP as our own entity. Everything will be streamlined, faster, easier, and with much more visibility to keep everyone on the same page.”
Systems being implemented in the coming months:
- Salesforce CPQ: This Salesforce tool will support consistent pricing and quoting for customers.
- DocuSign CLM: Sales and Business Operations can now integrate DocuSign with Salesforce to create and send contracts using data from account and opportunity records in Salesforce.
- My JMP ID (Salesforce Identity): Replacing SAS Profile, this new external identity management system will enable customers to access JMP web properties, including the JMP User Community, JMP Store and more.
- My JMP (my.jmp.com) / Salesforce Experience Cloud: As JMP’s new customer portal, Experience Cloud is where software admins will download JMP software and access their license files, after logging in with a My JMP ID.
- NetSuite: As JMP's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool, NetSuite will handle all our back-office financial functions: accounts payable, accounts receivable and revenue recognition. JMP will phase in its use, first to invoice new customers and then for renewals. JMP has rolled out a new flat, tiered pricing structure – effective Oct. 1 – that will be easier to understand and audit, as well as an Enterprise License Agreement and Deal Support Team.
- JMP Store and Corporate Subscriptions: We will globalize these existing functions using Magento, our e-commerce platform that US customers currently use to purchase corporate and personal subscriptions. To globalize this process, we must connect it to JMP business systems and disconnect our store from SAS CIS-maintained systems. Eventually My JMP will integrate with the company store, allowing people to quickly quote and buy JMP directly from the portal.
Future articles will give an overview of the quote to cash process, which includes quoting, contracts, creating a sales order, and invoicing.
