SAS Demo

[Darth_Mahler]

I work for a small company that primarily uses access & excel for data needs and I just came from a company that had SAS. I've tried convincing my boss & his boss (SVP), that SAS would be extremely helpful in speeding up current processes and allow us to do much more high-level statistical analysis for our decision making. We have had the SAS reps out, but they fail to see the benefit of getting SAS right now. They see it as a fancy tool that we can get by without. The fact is that I know a project that just took approx 5 months to complete could have been done in under a month with SAS. It is a recurring project that I'll start again later this fall. Has anyone ever heard of SAS allowing someone to demo their product for a few months? Perhaps just at a reduced rate? My manager didn't believe me when I told him how much faster I could do the project, but I'm confident I could get all the code written and executed in a month. I'm after a PC SAS licence, with Base SAS and SAS stat. SAS Graph and SAS Access would be helpful as well, but I could do this project without them.

If anyone who has heard of this being done or a SAS rep could respond, I'd much appreciate it.

[esjackso]

I might be remembering this wrong, but I think SAS used to let new customers buy licences abandoned from other companies at reduced rates.

I think SAS has a sales chat through their website ... it wouldnt hurt to ask there either.

EJ

[TomKari]

Congratulations on your astute thinking!

I've never been in this situation with SAS, but with other software vendors, what I've done is to sit down with their sales rep., explain the scenario, demonstrate that a sale is likely, but that a 'proof of concept' (POC) is needed to demonstrate to management the cost-effectiveness of the purchase. They've never failed to give me a sixty or ninety-day trial license to conduct the POC, at which point a sales process begins. I would suggest this as a mechanism for you to try.

Incidentally, you mention PC SAS. When you have the time, you might want to explore Enterprise Guide. It encompasses pretty much all of the capabilities of the SAS interface you're accustomed to (which is referred to as 'Display Manager' in SAS terms), and also includes a framework of point-and-click type tasks to greatly reduce the learning curve for new users, like those at your new company, to become effective with SAS.

Good luck!

  Tom

[kajoyn]

Thanks for your question. The person best suited to answer your question is on vacation until Monday. I will keep looking, but a response will be posted by Monday at the latest.

[jakarman]

Really a difficult trial/start to get SAS.

If it comes to a plan of the financial impact, See: Order SAS® Software: Order Form as the standalone windows workstation version is seen as a simple commodity approach, the prices are given, also the renewal fees at 28%. With analytics-pro Eguide is included (system req). Access )PC files, etc) are separated licensed.

Neverthelless a trial period for a POC would be a more nicer and friendlier approach. 

[Reeza]

There's essentially a copycat version of SAS out there, known as WPS, which is pretty much the same price so I prefer SAS for the support level you get. However they will provide a 30 day trial free of charge. But basically you're stuck with your 30 day promise to your boss

World Programming

[Darth_Mahler]

I may check that out if a trial period is not available via SAS.

[ChrisHemedinger]

As others have already stated, it is common for SAS to grant a trial license for proof-of-concept / proof-of-value projects as long as there is sufficient sponsorship within an organization.  The exact practices for this may vary based on your locality, so engaging with a SAS representative from your region is the best approach to start.

The SAS web site features hundreds of success stories across different companies and industries.  You may be able to find a success story that closely matches your situation, which might help to support your case for the value of adding SAS. 

From your original post, it sounds like you also have ideas for how the use of advanced analytics can improve your business processes, perhaps in ways that your organization's leadership has not yet considered.  Perhaps SAS has capabilities that go beyond the short-term needs of your project, and your company is not yet convinced of the value/need for doing more.  For thought-leadership articles on the value of applied analytics, visit these resources (all sponsored by SAS, but feature ideas that are useful regardless of selected products):

• AllAnalytics.com
• The Knowledge Exchange
• SAS Blogs

Good luck!

Chris