Jama Software Unplugged

While riding my bike this cold, rainy July morning (yes, cold and rainy in July), I was contemplating our progress in developing a full blown partner program here at Jama. Two things are really becoming clear to me: First, no matter how dependant we all are on email, there is no communication/collaboration tool more powerful than the good old fashioned telephone. And second, eventually I’m going to end up working really, really weird hours.

In researching and contacting possible partners around the world, it has proved frustrating to only have an hour or two in the morning and evening to be able to reach out to people and catch them during their workday. Generally, l like to find potential partners via their websites. In a perfect business development world, we’d all work the same hours, and I could just pick up the phone and give them a call. Unfortunately, more often than not it seems, it ends up being the middle of the night for them. Grrr! So to ease my frustration, I have relied heavily on email to get the conversations started with potential partners. It has worked to some extent, and my response rate is relatively high (I attribute this to how good Contour is, and not my writing skill). But for me, sending out emails like this will never be quite as effective as picking up the phone and giving someone a ring.

Secondly, once we get this program running full steam ahead, and our partners are fully engaged with Contour prospects, I will have to be available during the evening and early morning hours. My wife may not be all that thrilled with me getting up in the middle of the night to make calls to Singapore, Japan, China and other far-away places. I’m not actually going to like the getting out of bed part of it, as I like my sleep as much as the next person. But in a way I’m looking forward to it, because it will mean that we have done things right and our partners are achieving success with Contour and ultimately that’s why I joined Jama.