Agenda: Software Education and Training Track > Martin Group's 2009 User Meeting and Technology Conference

The Software Education and Training breakout track will focus specifically on Martin Group's software products and is geared towards product users. The hands-on workshops are optional and require additional fees. The cost for one workstation in each workshop is listed in each description; each workstation can be reserved for two employees per company.

ESP Panel Discussion | Revalue the Landline
Wednesday, September 9 | 8:30am - 10:00am
Consumer’s demands are changing. They want personalized communications services now. They want voice and data anytime, anywhere. They want an individualized and customized experience. So how can service providers respond and support this demand for digital lifestyle while opening a new valve to a new revenue source? With Martin Group’s new Enhanced Services Platform (ESP), service providers can achieve anytime, anywhere access; instant gratification; individualized experience; and customized offerings. Attend this panel discussion and learn about the vision behind ESP, its ability to create new revenue streams for service providers, and see a live demonstration of the software.

Martin Group Panelists | Jeff Boozer, VP Sales & Marketing; Jeff Hoffman, Solutions Engineering Manager; Steve Kludt, Product Line Manager

VMS Session | Using Your VMS Software to the Fullest Extent
Wednesday, September 9 | 8:30am - 10:00am
Are you utilizing the VMS system to its fullest potential? Attend this session to discover some new capabilities VMS can offer, including the ability to email Trouble and Service Orders and using Check 21. We will also explore many other available functionalities, such as new payment options (lockbox and scanner), the ability to output a report to PDF format, and creating efficiency by automating your pre-billing reports.

Speaker | Natalie Nydam
Target Audience | Billing Processing Managers and Staff; Customer Service Managers and Staff

OASIS FM Workshop | OASIS FM Reporting Options
Wednesday, September 9 | 8:30am - 12:00pm - FULL
Thursday, September 10 | 1:30pm - 5:00pm - FULL
Data Reporting is more important than ever. To be effective and efficient in your customer and facilities decision-making, it is critical to understand your customers and your network. Attend this hands-on workshop to gain Facilities Management Reporting skills from A to Z. We’ll start with the basics and build throughout the workshop on the content and also the skill level. Participants will learn more about OASIS Canned Reports, FM Quick Reports, and the Analyzer Reports. We’ll round out the workshop with SQL Queries for reporting, joining Views, and understanding the FM Data Structure.

Trainer | Scott Dufner
Level | Intermediate
Prerequisite | OASIS Explorer knowledge; SQL commands knowledge
Target Audience | Outside Plant Managers and Staff; Data Reporting Personnel
Cost | $75

Note: Due to the great interest in our hands-on training opportunities, some of our workshops have reached full capacity. If you would like to be added to a waitlist, please email events@martin-group.com. Please indicate the name of the workshop and number of seats needed. Waitlist seating will be assigned on a first come, first-served basis. In the event Martin Group would decide to schedule additional workshops, those on the waiting list will be notified by July 31, 2009.

OMNIA Workshop | Component Groups: Tell Me More!
Wednesday, September 9 | 8:30am - 12:00pm
Wednesday, September 9 | 1:30pm - 5:00pm - FULL
You’ve heard the basics of using component groups – but you’re still not sure how they can benefit your company? Attend this class to learn how component groups can be utilized to increase service order efficiency, improve data quality, enable you to offer complex packages, and even be used as a marketing tool! Real life scenarios will be explored and hands-on opportunities will be offered to see how it all ties together.

Trainer | Christina Nath
Level | Intermediate
Prerequisite | Introduction to Products & Pricing training; Introduction to Service Order Flows training
Target Audience | Customer Service Staff; Products & Pricing Managers
Cost | $75

OMNIA Workshop | Utilizing Basic SQL Queries with the OMNIA Database
Wednesday, September 9 | 8:30am - 12:00pm - FULL
Thursday, September 10 | 1:30pm - 5:00pm - FULL
This workshop introduces relational Database concepts and SQL (Structured Query Language) in combination with OMNIA data. This introductory SQL workshop provides easy-to-understand SQL instructions and allows you to practice what you learn using the Microsoft® SQL Query tools and your existing knowledge of OMNIA. We will introduce the main components of a relational database and how to write SQL to access and manipulate OMNIA information contained within the database. During the workshop, you will learn to write basic SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE SQL statements in a well structured and efficient way to perform basic queries and maintain OMNIA data as well as learn to understand the concept of views and their role in reporting data.

Trainer | Craig Krcil
Level | Beginner/Intermediate
Prerequisite | None
Target Audience | Anyone who desires basic SQL command and database concept knowledge
Cost | $75

Note: Due to the great interest in our hands-on training opportunities, some of our workshops have reached full capacity. If you would like to be added to a waitlist, please email events@martin-group.com. Please indicate the name of the workshop and number of seats needed. Waitlist seating will be assigned on a first come, first-served basis. In the event Martin Group would decide to schedule additional workshops, those on the waiting list will be notified by July 31, 2009.

VMS Session | Understanding Marketing Opportunities
Wednesday, September 9 | 10:30am - 12:00pm
Attend this session to maximize communication and efficiency within your company. The spotlight will focus on VMS functionality your Marketing Department can use to gather customer data and effectively promote your company’s products and services. Information will be presented on PROMOM (a program that gives free minutes that if not used can be rolled over to next month) and PRODAD (a discount program depending on the occurrence of services, Packaging/Bundling opportunities, and billing future USOCs). We will also share creative uses for Optional Calling Plans, explain how the Sales function can benefit your company, and discuss the different charges and credits the MISACC (Miscellaneous Table) can do.

Speaker | Carol Hinker
Target Audience | Marketing Staff; Products & Pricing Managers; Customer Service Managers and Staff

OASIS FM Session | Improving Efficiency with Field Scheduling Tool
Wednesday, September 9 | 1:30pm - 3:00pm
In an economy where we are trying to do more with less, the need to utilize our resources efficiently has taken on a new priority. Missed appointments, changing schedules, and poor time tracking can mean lost revenue for your company along with reduced customer satisfaction. Martin Group’s Field Scheduling Tool was designed to address these issues and is continually being refined to meet our industry’s needs. Join us for an overview and a demonstration of new functionality within Field Scheduling Tool and find new ways to increase scheduling efficiency. From tracking a technician’s actual work time to displaying trouble on a map to aid in dispatching, let us show you how to make the most of your resources.

Speaker | Jeff Entringer
Target Audience | Facilities Management Managers; Dispatch Personnel; Outside Plant Staff; Customer Service Managers and Staff; Technical Staff

OMNIA Session | Considerations for Product Model Setup
Wednesday, September 9 | 1:30pm - 3:00pm
This session will focus on the major items you need to consider when rolling out new Products. Before you begin the necessary OMNIA setup and before you bill your customers, there are several items to be discussed and addressed. Some of these items include Service Order, Facility Assignment, Provisioning, Bill Presentation, and Customer Self-Care. We will take a look at each one of these, in depth, to see how setting up a product one way versus another can affect your company's business and processes. We will also examine what affect Bundling, Packages, Promotions, Component Groups, and Wire Centers can potentially have on your product.

Speaker | Steve Kludt
Target Audiencee | Marketing Staff; Products & Pricing Managers; Customer Service Managers and Staff

OMNIA Workshop | Component Groups: Tell Me More!
Wednesday, September 9 | 1:30pm - 5:00pm - FULL
Wednesday, September 9 | 8:30am - 12:00pm
You’ve heard the basics of using component groups – but you’re still not sure how they can benefit your company? Attend this class to learn how component groups can be utilized to increase service order efficiency, improve data quality, enable you to offer complex packages, and even be used as a marketing tool! Real life scenarios will be explored and hands-on opportunities will be offered to see how it all ties together.

Trainer | Christina Nath
Level | Intermediate
Prerequisite | Introduction to Products & Pricing training; Introduction to Service Order Flows training
Target Audience | Customer Service Staff; Products & Pricing Managers
Cost | $75

Note: Due to the great interest in our hands-on training opportunities, some of our workshops have reached full capacity. If you would like to be added to a waitlist, please email events@martin-group.com. Please indicate the name of the workshop and number of seats needed. Waitlist seating will be assigned on a first come, first-served basis. In the event Martin Group would decide to schedule additional workshops, those on the waiting list will be notified by July 31, 2009.

VMS Workshop | Gaining Efficiencies with Service Order
Wednesday, September 9 | 1:30pm - 5:00pm
Are you utilizing all the capabilities that Service Order has to offer? Are you ready to take your order flows to the next level? Efficiency is key to operating any aspect of business. In this hands-on workshop, you will have the opportunity to modify existing orders. Activities will focus on the ability to display web pages within the Service Order Flow, define dynamic questions, and set up auto load functions to ensure data integrity.

Trainer | Natalie Nydam
Level | Intermediate
Prerequisite | Basic Service Order Flow training
Target Audience | Employees responsible for modifying order flows
Cost | $75

VMS Workshop | Getting the Most Out of Your Report Writing Experience
Wednesday, September 9 | 1:30pm - 5:00pm
Report Writer has been a staple of the VMS reporting tools for decades. Enhancements to the REPORT program have made it a more streamlined and user-accessible option to use. The additions of customer-based parsing and conversion of source files into an Excel® output have only strengthened the Report Writer program’s overall usefulness. In this workshop, you will learn to use the parsing tables as well as other Report Writer functions to aid you in marketing your services to your customers. Other items covered will include merging of source files and understanding the benefits of the CONNX reporting tool.

Trainer | Haven Gauger
Level | Intermediate
Prerequisite | Basic Report Writer training
Target Audience | Employees who desire a broader knowledge base of report writing options
Cost | $75

OASIS FM Session | OASIS Engineering Enhancements
Wednesday, September 9 | 3:30pm - 5:00pm
During this session, we will review the latest developments in the OASIS Engineering mapping program. Now a self-contained ACAD environment for managing graphics and data, the Engineering program also adds additional labeling functionality, enhanced data management tools, and more dynamic staking abilities. Discover the significant changes in Martin Group’s OASIS Engineering mapping program and learn how it can benefit your management of Work Order designs, CPRs, staking sheets, and more!

Speaker | Scott Dufner
Target Audience | Facilities Management Managers; Engineering Staff; Outside Plant Staff

OASIS FM Session | Maximizing Efficiency within OASIS FM
Thursday, September 10 | 8:30am - 10:00am
In today’s economy, it is a must to improve overall performance and efficiency within your company to save a buck. Manual processes, unnecessary phone calls, and paper trails – just to name a few – are all leading causes of lost efficiency. Let us help you gain those efficiencies back by showing you how to utilize your OASIS FM software to its fullest. Let’s do more with the tools and resources available to us!

Speaker | Jeff Entringer
Target Audience | Facilities Management Managers and Staff; Technical Staff; Customer Service Managers and Staff; Dispatch Personnel; Plant Assignment Personnel

OMNIA Session | Maintaining & Optimizing Your Microsoft® Windows® Operating Systems
Thursday, September 10 | 8:30am - 10:00am
What do cars, homes, appliances, and computer servers all have in common? They all need regular maintenance to keep functioning well. This session will cover valuable tips to optimize performance for your Microsoft® Windows® Servers. Additional topics to be covered include how to use VMware for consolidating servers to reduce operating costs; Disaster Recovery planning; Disk to Disk Backups, and much more!

Speaker | Carrie Christensen
Target Audience | IT Managers and Staff

VMS Session | Using Your Bill as a Marketing Tool
Thursday, September 10 | 8:30am - 10:00am
The invoices you present to your customers are an important piece in the overall puzzle of generating sales opportunities to those customers. In this session, you will see how various bill displays (using totaling codes), enhanced management reports, bill messaging (selective and otherwise), as well as other miscellaneous bill presentation enhancements can prove to be valuable marketing tools.

Speaker | Haven Gauger
Target Audience | Marketing Staff; Products & Pricing Managers; Customer Service Managers and Staff

OASIS FM Workshop | Utilization of Work Order Process
Thursday, September 10 | 8:30am - 12:00pm - FULL
Learn how to utilize the tools within the OASIS FM Work Order module for tracking CPR, Work Order costs, and day-to-day technician activities. This workshop will incorporate activities designed to teach the proper maintenance of Work Orders. You will learn how to build Construction Units, add Work Order Materials, generate Cost Estimate reports, maintain CPRs, and integrate FM Work Order tools with other programs and FM Modules. Attend this hands-on workshop for an opportunity to learn the different ways you can create efficiency in your company by using the features within the Work Order application to create, report, and manage costs.

Trainer | Scott Dufner
Level | Beginner
Prerequisite | OASIS Explorer
Target Audience | Outside Plant Managers and Staff; Engineering Staff
Cost | $75

Note: Due to the great interest in our hands-on training opportunities, some of our workshops have reached full capacity. If you would like to be added to a waitlist, please email events@martin-group.com. Please indicate the name of the workshop and number of seats needed. Waitlist seating will be assigned on a first come, first-served basis. In the event Martin Group would decide to schedule additional workshops, those on the waiting list will be notified by July 31, 2009.

OMNIA Workshop | Paradise by the Dashboard Light
Thursday, September 10 | 8:30am - 12:00pm - FULL
Make valuable reports increase in value with Martin Group’s new Dashboard functionality! Learn to use the Dashboard web-based reports to analyze marketing, performance and trending data. Martin Group’s new Dashboard is a graphical representation for reports. Hands-on activities will demonstrate the process to create other custom reports to be displayed in your company’s Dashboard. This workshop will provide an overview of the Dashboard default reports as well as instructions on how to setup additional reports.

Trainer | Adam Hafner
Level | Intermediate
Prerequisite | XML knowledge and database administration suggested
Target Audience | Technical report writers who desire a web-based and graphical display of data
Cost | $75

Note: Due to the great interest in our hands-on training opportunities, some of our workshops have reached full capacity. If you would like to be added to a waitlist, please email events@martin-group.com. Please indicate the name of the workshop and number of seats needed. Waitlist seating will be assigned on a first come, first-served basis. In the event Martin Group would decide to schedule additional workshops, those on the waiting list will be notified by July 31, 2009.

VMS Workshop | Identifying Marketing Opportunities
Thursday, September 10 | 8:30am - 12:00pm
Attend this hands-on workshop to learn more about the reports your company can use to understand your customers and take advantage of your marketing potential. During this time, we will generate reports and analyze the results. You will take home so many valuable ideas for gathering data and marketing opportunities that we can’t list them all, but a few examples are: how to use the High Toll Report to identify your large toll users; run the Bill Register Trending Reports for graphing of billing data revenue streams; generate the USOC Trending Reports for graphing of USOCs and watch your billed products change in quantity; track Disconnect Reasons to determine why your customers are disconnecting a service; and much, much more!

Trainer | Carol Hinker
Level | Beginner
Prerequisite | Knowledge of VMS
Target Audience | Marketing Managers; Billing Managers
Cost | $75

OASIS FM Session | Utilizing Recent OASIS FM Enhancements
Thursday, September 10 | 1:30pm - 3:00pm
In our fast paced industry, software must quickly adapt to match industry trends and technology. Martin Group’s OASIS FM product line is continually being enhanced and streamlined to meet these needs. OASIS FM has seen many recent changes, such as improved management of Virtual Network Inventory, expanded functionality of the Tech Web Portal, enhanced handling of complex appointments in Field Scheduling Tool, and much more. Join us for a review of enhancements to Martin Group’s OASIS FM product line and how these changes can benefit your business today.

Speaker | Stacy Harris
Target Audience | Facilities Management Managers; Plant Assignment Personnel; Technicians; Dispatch Staff; Technical Staff

VMS Session | Analyzing Usage for Maximum Revenue Generation
Thursday, September 10 | 1:30pm - 3:00pm
The toll processed into your billing and CABS systems is an essential part in your company’s revenue generation. In this session, we will demonstrate how to take advantage of error reporting and correction, CABS reports, Switch audits, as well as other toll functionalities. Attend this session as your next step to maximize your company’s toll-generated revenue for end-user and CABS billing purposes.

Speaker | Haven Gauger
Target Audience | Billing and Usage Processing Managers and Staff

OASIS FM Workshop | OASIS FM Reporting Options
Thursday, September 10 | 1:30pm - 5:00pm - FULL
Wednesday, September 9 | 8:30am - 12:00pm - FULL
Data Reporting is more important than ever. To be effective and efficient in your customer and facilities decision-making, it is critical to understand your customers and your network. Attend this hands-on workshop to gain Facilities Management Reporting skills from A to Z. We’ll start with the basics and build throughout the workshop on the content and also the skill level. Participants will learn more about OASIS Canned Reports, FM Quick Reports, and the Analyzer Reports. We’ll round out the workshop with SQL Queries for reporting, joining Views, and understanding the FM Data Structure.

Trainer | Scott Dufner
Level | Intermediate
Prerequisite | OASIS Explorer knowledge; SQL commands knowledge
Target Audience | Outside Plant Managers and Staff; Data Reporting Personnel
Cost | $75

Note: Due to the great interest in our hands-on training opportunities, some of our workshops have reached full capacity. If you would like to be added to a waitlist, please email events@martin-group.com. Please indicate the name of the workshop and number of seats needed. Waitlist seating will be assigned on a first come, first-served basis. In the event Martin Group would decide to schedule additional workshops, those on the waiting list will be notified by July 31, 2009.

OMNIA Workshop | Utilizing Basic SQL Queries with the OMNIA Database
Thursday, September 10 | 1:30pm - 5:00pm - FULL
Wednesday, September 9 | 8:30am - 12:00pm - FULL
This workshop introduces relational Database concepts and SQL (Structured Query Language) in combination with OMNIA data. This introductory SQL workshop provides easy-to-understand SQL instructions and allows you to practice what you learn using the Microsoft® SQL Query tools and your existing knowledge of OMNIA. We will introduce the main components of a relational database and how to write SQL to access and manipulate OMNIA information contained within the database. During the workshop, you will learn to write basic SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE SQL statements in a well structured and efficient way to perform basic queries and maintain OMNIA data as well as learn to understand the concept of views and their role in reporting data.

Trainer | Craig Krcil
Level | Beginner/Intermediate
Prerequisite | None
Target Audience | Anyone who desires basic SQL command and database concept knowledge
Cost | $75

Speaker | Christina Nath
Target Audience | Marketing Staff; Products & Pricing Managers; Customer Service Managers and Staff

OASIS FM Workshop | Programming the OASIS Resource Management (RM) Tech Portal
Friday, September 11 | 8:30am - 11:45am
The OASIS Resource Management (RM) Tech Portal is a website that is so customizable your own web developers can change it as your business needs change. The OASIS RM Tech Portal utilizes the latest development framework from Microsoft®, supports ASP.NET themes, and utilizes Web Services for database interaction. Join us during this advanced workshop and learn how a web developer can customize the OASIS RM Tech Portal.

Trainer | Ryan Grinsteiner
Level | Advanced
Prerequisite | ASP.NET / C# coding skills; Advanced OASIS FM / Web Page knowledge; Minimum of 1 year working knowledge with Martin Group’s OASIS Facilities Management is suggested; Classic ASP coding skills are required at a minimum; All examples in this workshop will be coded in ASP.NET / C#
Target Audience | Web Page Developers; Technical Staff; IT Staff
Cost | $75

OMNIA Workshop | Advanced Service Order Management
Friday, September 11 | 8:30am - 4:00pm - FULL
The primary goal of this workshop is to learn techniques to enhance your Service Order flows to efficiently take care of your customer’s services. Learn how Service Orders can create an efficient work flow that fits your business needs. Many hands-on activities will be completed during this workshop to ensure understanding of each topic. We will cover the more advanced procedures in OMNIA Service Order, such as learning how to include a User Form/Stored Procedure/View/Enhanced User Form in an order flow, which can allow your company to track data specific to your company. You will also have the opportunity to learn more about decision nodes and the flexibility they can provide your work flow.

Trainer | Craig Krcil
Level | Advanced
Prerequisite | OMNIA Intro Service Order Flow training
Target Audience | Employees responsible for managing order flows
Cost | $100

Trainer | Adam Hafner
Level | Advanced
Prerequisite | SQL and database knowledge; understanding of the OMNIA Product Model
Target Audience | Database Administrators
Cost | $100

Note: Due to the great interest in our hands-on training opportunities, some of our workshops have reached full capacity. If you would like to be added to a waitlist, please email events@martin-group.com. Please indicate the name of the workshop and number of seats needed. Waitlist seating will be assigned on a first come, first-served basis. In the event Martin Group would decide to schedule additional workshops, those on the waiting list will be notified by July 31, 2009.

OASIS FM Workshop | Why Should Your Company be Using Circuit Builder?
Friday, September 11 | 12:45pm - 4:00pm - FULL
Hungry to see a graphical display of your customer’s plant information? We’ve got just the thing to fulfill your appetite! This hands-on workshop will be a great opportunity to see why Martin Group’s Facilities Management Circuit Builder is the latest and greatest application to visualize your facilities which serves multiple services (phone, video, internet, special circuits, and more). Lean how to create a database generated display of all plant assigned to a specific customer.

Trainer | Jeff Entringer
Level | Intermediate
Prerequisite | Intro to OASIS FM; OASIS FM Admin; OASIS FM Assignment
Target Audience | Facilities Management Managers; Plant Assignment Experts
Cost | $75