Business
Computer
Design;Int’l.
COMMON Exhibitor Profile
COMMON;recently;caught;up;with;Eric;Figura,
Director;of;Sales;and;Marketing;at;Business
Computer;Design;Int’l,;Inc.,;a;long-time;exhibitor,
advertiser;and;sponsor;of;COMMON,;to;get;their
unique;perspective;on;their;involvement;with
COMMON;and;how;it;has;benefited;their;company,
and;what;they’ve;done;to;maximize;and;retain
customers;in;today’s;economy.
1) How long have you been exhibiting at
COMMON?
BCD;has;exhibited;at;every;Expo;that;COMMON
has;ever;held;starting;with;the;inaugural;Expo
held;in;Anaheim,;California;back;in;October
of;1992.;When;COMMON;changed;from;two
conferences;per;year;to;one;Annual;Meeting;and
a;fall;COMMON;Focus;event,;BCD;continued;to
participate;in;both.;This;now;makes;35;consecutive
COMMON;Conference;/;COMMON;Focus;Expos
BCD;has;exhibited.
2) How has becoming a member of COMMON
helped enhance your company’s success?
Becoming;a;COMMON;member;has;allowed;us;to
exhibit;at;every;COMMON;Expo;as;well;as;offer;our
technical;staff;continuing;education;opportunities
by;attending;numerous;COMMON;sessions,
both;have;been;successful;for;us.;In;addition,;we
have;conducted;many;Labs;and;Sessions;during
COMMON;conferences;on;topics;that;include
PHP,;Rapid;Web;Application;Development,
Portal;Technology,;and;Report;and;Document
Distribution;and;Management,;allowing;us;to;offer
education;in;our;areas;of;expertise.;To;date;BCD
has;had;the;honor;of;winning;three;of;COMMON’s
Best;Traditional;Lab;Awards;for;highest;rated;labs
as;voted;by;COMMON;members;since;2004.
3) What factors most influence your company
when determining whether or not to exhibit?
Some;of;the;factors;that;have;continued;to
reinforce;our;decision;to;keep;participating;in
COMMON;Expos;have;included:;The;COMMON
conferences;are;the;largest;attended;conferences
in;the;IBM;i;marketplace,;COMMON;offers;more
sessions;and;labs;to;draw;the;greatest;variety
of;prospects,;and;the;COMMON;Expo;offers;the
largest;number;of;attendees;and;most;number;of
Expo;hours,;which;allows;us;to;connect;with;new
prospects.;In;addition,;the;greatest;number;of
BCD;clients;attend;COMMON,;more;than;any;other
conference;in;our;marketplace;by;far.
4) What do you find are the most important
benefits about exhibiting at COMMON?
Some;of;the;important;benefits;of;exhibiting;at
COMMON;include:
•;Size;of;the;audience,;whether;good;or
challenging;economic;times,;COMMON;delivers
more;attendees;than;any;other;conference.
•;COMMON;members;genuinely;attend;the;Expo,
visit;booths;and;talk;to;the;vendors.
•;People;who;attend;COMMON;have;a;technical
wherewithal;that;matches;up;well;with;the
profile;of;prospects;we;seek.
5) BCD also is represented on COMMON’s Expo
Advisory Council (EAC). Why do you feel it is
important to be part of this committee?
Being;a;member;of;COMMON’s;EAC;is;important
to;BCD;because;it;gives;us;an;opportunity;to;make
sure;ISV;(independent;software;vendor);concerns
and;recommendations;are;discussed;and;voted
on;during;the;advisory;meeting.;We;talk;with
many;ISVs;about;their;concerns;and;needs;during
COMMON;and;outside;of;the;event;and;raise
these,;along;with;ours,;at;the;advisory;council
meeting.;I;have;seen;numerous;recommendations
come;to;fruition;as;a;result;of;these;meetings.
Having;attended;35;consecutive;COMMON
conferences;and;Expos,;being;an;active;ISV;in;the
IBM;i;marketplace,;and;having;a;seat;on;IBM’s
IBM;i;ISV;Advisory;board;gives;BCD;the;broad
experience;to;contribute.
