by Jeff Shelton
We wrapped up the Fall season with two more successful QAD regional user group conferences.
In September, the QAD Midwest User Group (MWUG) convened in Dearborn, Michigan, at the elegant Henry Hotel for two full days of valuable training and networking and a return to the enhanced features and resources QAD offered at our Spring event earlier in the year.
These three new enhancements included:
HANDS-ON DEMO AREA
During the Conference, QAD’s Hands-On Demo Area featured ten different workstations where QAD consultants were on hand to guide attendees through the entire QAD portfolio, including Redzone and Live Journey.
QAD PLATINUM TRACK
QAD’s Platinum Track spanned two days – offering QAD customers private meetings with the QAD Executive Team, followed by a Platinum Dinner.
SUPPLY CHAIN TRACK
Once again, QAD devoted an entire two-day track to critical Supply Chain issues facing QAD users: Demand and Supply Chain Planning, Supplier Relationship Management, Trade Compliance and optimization, Foreign Trade Zones…and MORE.
These three new features were value-added resources to an already packed agenda, including informative breakout sessions, customer case studies, technical sessions, networking with QAD executives, and access to our sponsors and third-party solution providers in the vendor fair.
A Welcome Keynote Address from CARTER LLOYDS, QAD’s Chief Product and Marketing Officer, kicked off the conference. Lloyds discussed QAD’s Product Roadmap for the Future – specifically the milestone release of QAD ERP O³.
QAD ERP O³ WEBINAR
At the request of the user group members, TONY WINTER, QAD’s Chief Technical Officer, is offering a follow-up webinar on December 15 to specifically discuss changes to the technology stack and the technical implications for customers.
You can find out more about the webinar and register HERE.
Hot on the heels of the Midwest User Group event, the QAD West Coast User Group (WECUG) convened its Fall user group conference in October at the beautiful Oceanfront Seabird Resort in Oceanside, CA. The WECUG event highlighted many of the same sessions, features, and resources as Midwest….but for an entirely different audience of West Coast-based QAD customers. With over 175 attendees, the conference was the highest-attended West Coast QAD conference in history.
We hope to see you at one of these informative events!
The VALUE of the QAD User Groups
As highlighted by the conference benefits above, the key value of the QAD regional user groups is to bring together QAD customers and other stakeholders in the QAD environment to provide valuable training, education, and networking opportunities. QAD is instrumental in providing the resources and support to make these events successful. The promotional support of our vendors and sponsors helps make these events the most cost-effective investment for QAD customers.
Registration is discounted significantly for user group members. (in the case of MWUG, the cost is only $95/person—a phenomenally low cost for a two-day conference!)
While the value and benefit of the user groups are driven primarily by the bi-annual conferences, user group members also receive access to several other benefits – afforded primarily through online access to secure member portals on each group’s respective websites. These benefits include:
- Searchable online member directory
- Resource Guide
- Free job postings
- Access to conference archives, slides, and handouts
- Access to member and user group-published webinars
- Quarterly user group newsletters
Membership in the QAD user groups is corporate. The membership includes your entire company, giving any employee access to member benefits, including discounts on attendance for the bi-annual conferences. Annual membership dues range from $175 – $250 per company – a nominal investment considering the education and networking opportunities afforded.
To learn more—and join the QAD user group in your regional area—please visit us at:
Midwest – www.midwestusergroup.org
West Coast – www.wecug.com
Jeff Shelton is the administrator for the QAD Regional User Groups.
