IDG Enterprise

Does Technology Makes Us Smarter Or Dumber?

Michael Friedenberg — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:17:17 +0000

Exhibit A: I was driving up Silicon Valley’s Route 101 in northern California last month when I noticed a strange-looking SUV in front of me. On its roof was a tripod structure topped with a spinning cylinder. Out of curiosity, I sped up and pulled even with the driver’s side. Inside I saw a man in the driver’s seat, kicked back and relaxing with a People magazine. I realized this was one of Google’s self-driving cars, which were being tested in the area.

Exhibit B: Home sick with the flu one day, I was watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and his guest was Missy Cummings, an associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT. She was talking about how drones are changing the future of battle. They’re not only more effective, but also cheaper to build and fly. Organizations that use drones can also save a ton of money by not putting resources towards “an expensive pilot that costs millions of dollars to train.” The professor noted that within a few years, the technology will likely move into the commercial space, where companies such as UPS and FedEx might use drones to ship packages across the United States.

Exhibit C: Attending the Consumer Electronics Show this year, you would have thought it was the Year of Smart: smart homes, smart cars, smart fridges, smart forks and spoons, smart watches, smart TVs, and even smart toilets. All of these devices have the ultimate goal of tracking, storing, analyzing, optimizing and educating us humans on how we can be better, healthier, fitter or smarter. It was all a bit overwhelming. If only everything that happens in Vegas really did stay there.

I look back at the time my parents taught me how to parallel park, and it’s a very fond memory. Now all you need to do is push a button and your car will parallel park itself. Makes me wonder what our lives will become. Is the future really about pushing a lot of buttons to get things done?

For me, all of these recent experiences bring to mind Pixar’s 2008 movie Wall-E, the computer-animated sci-fi film that critiques mankind’s impact on the planet. When humans first appear in the movie, which is set in the distant future, everyone is sitting on a space cruise ship, strapped to cabana chairs and grossly overweight. As computers took over everything, people decided to kick back and relax.

Taken together, do you think all this technological advancement will make us smarter or dumber?

CIOs See Risks and Rewards in Startup Mania

Michael Friedenberg — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:38:35 +0000

Are we in a tech bubble? Pundits and market-watchers have been batting that idea around lately, focusing on the poor stock performance of once-dazzling social-media innovators like Facebook, Zynga and Groupon.

Yet while some venture capitalists are growing wary of the tech sector and the unsustainable valuations of certain consumer-focused startups, others, like Marc Andreessen, dismiss those concerns as more of a “tech depression” than a bubble. At an investor conference in mid-December, Andreessen castigated his fellow pundits for their gloomy predictions about longtime enterprise tech leaders (such as HP, where Andreessen serves on the board). Well, good for him. Enterprise tech will never be as glamorous or sexy as consumer tech, but it still makes a pile of money for this industry. In fact, IDC (our sister company) predicts a 5 percent to 7 percent increase in overall tech spending this year.

And Wall Street always follows the money. Witness the venture capital flowing into enterprise-focused startups. Companies like Splunk and Fusion-io have had very successful IPOs for their data indexing and software-defined storage solutions, respectively. Others, like Box, IO, Nimble, GitHub, MapR, Delphix and Cloudera, are raising millions in capital to bring enterprise-class solutions to the CIO market. Most of these companies are focused on the hottest areas of technology–mobile security, data analytics, cloud applications or virtual data centers and networks–and their biggest selling points are based on saving money within IT capital budgets or driving new revenue.

Investing in these cutting-edge technologies could lead to incredible rewards, but they come with incredible risks for CIOs. Your reputation is on the line every time a new product is rolled out to the enterprise.

So how can CIOs take advantage of startup mania without ending up in survival mode? The smartest ones I talk to look deeply into the new company’s financial position (of course) but also investigate what percentage of the its revenue goes toward R&D. They talk firsthand to the big reference customers and check into the experience and reputations of the founders. They also inquire about what might happen if one of the industry giants acquires this bright, shiny startup.

I’d love to hear more about how you’re working with startups these days. Drop me a line anytime.

10 Resolutions for CIOs to Kick-Start the New Year

Michael Friedenberg — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:23:50 +0000

Happy New Year. Have you made any resolutions yet? If you’re still mulling over the possibilities, allow me to share CIO’s Top 10 resolutions. As we’re fond of saying around my company, “The biggest room in the house is the room for improvement.”

10. Lose some weight. I mean the legacy kind, not your own. Resolve to get rid of whatever legacy systems you can this year to make way for more modern architectures.

9. Spend quality time with your (work) family. Especially your chiefs of marketing, research and finance, if you want to deliver the value necessary to succeed.

8. Exercise daily. Get away from your desk and get out there with your customers, partners, clients or distributors. See how they view your partnership and learn what you can do to inspire deeper loyalty.

7. Travel less. Leverage social and collaboration tools to help your business and your employees get more done with less running around.

6. Improve your handicap. Not the golf kind, but your areas of professional weakness. Get better at communication, marketing the value of IT, meeting deadlines and working across company lines.

5. Smile more. How does the rest of the company view your IT organization and its attitude toward end users? What can you do to warm up those relationships?

4. Pay IT forward. With technology now touching every aspect of business, it’s time to cross over departmental lines and help your colleagues achieve their business goals. Don’t wait to be asked.

3. Eat better. Feed your architecture with healthy new technologies that make cloud, social and mobile work more effectively.

2. Think bigger. Innovate rather than sustain. Make the role of the CIO synonymous with innovation.

1. Value every day. You’ve mastered the art of delivering IT on time and on budget. Now shift your focus to delivering measurable business value through IT, whether it’s enhancing customer loyalty, boosting revenue growth or raising employee satisfaction levels.

Let 2013 be the year that CIOs and IT organizations move beyond business alignment and kick-start the future. And from all of us at CIO magazine, we wish you a healthy and prosperous 2013.

The Top 10 Priorities for CIOs in 2013

Michael Friedenberg — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:08:18 +0000

CIO — As we approach the new year, I share 10 of my all-time favorite quotes paired with some questions to spark your thinking about CIO priorities for 2013.

10. “The medium is the message.” Philosopher Marshall McLuhan’s phrase still resonates in our four-screen world of TV, desktop, tablet and smartphone. How can you optimize the user medium to enhance the business message?

9. “All software is going to look like Facebook.” Salesforce CEO Mark Benioff’s remark predicts a world in which software is self-explanatory. How does that change the CIO role?

8. “Accumulating data about you isn’t just a strange hobby for these corporations. It’s their whole business model. And you are not their client. You are their product.” Senator Al Franken’s observation about the big business of big data could mean big opportunities for our industry. What are the ramifications for your business?

7. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci’s saying reminds us that the era of IT complexity must end. What legacy systems will you retire this year?

6. “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Aristotle wasn’t thinking of cloud or mobile devices here, but his aphorism still applies to technology. How will you integrate these tools to create new business opportunities?

5. “It’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the result that makes our heart sing.” Steve Jobs reminded us how much design matters. Where can CIOs put good design to work?

4. “Resistance to change is often just a lack of clarity.” Business author Dan Heath nailed it. Where can you clarify the mission for your IT troops?

3. “Never mistake activity for achievement.” Basketball coach John Wooden made a great point: Are you working hard without delivering business value?

2. “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.” Futurist Alvin Toffler saw the value of lifelong learning. What will you relearn this year?

1. “You better start swimming or you’ll sink like a stone, for the times they are a-changin’.” Bob Dylan probably doesn’t know many CIOs, but we do. Is there any C-level exec more adept at change? (Keep up the great work!)

Is Your Content as Accessible as It Should Be?

Bob Melk — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:03:09 +0000

According to a study conducted by IDG Research, 57% of smartphone and 31% of tablet users engage with content on their mobile device. IDG Enterprise’s Customer Engagement research, however, revealed that mobile content access has several limitations. The majority of IT decision-makers (87%) report impediments to viewing and accessing information to help them make purchase decisions on mobile devices, including: user interface not optimized for a mobile device (49%), difficulty typing (34%) and security concerns (33%).

Beyond creating trusted, relevant content, tech marketers need to produce content that is viewable and interactive on mobile devices. Developing information that is optimized for a variety of devices will make it easier for customers to access the information they need, when they need it, on their preferred device – ultimately enhancing their purchase experience.

IT marketers also need to evaluate how they are using social media to engage ITDMs. Three-quarters (73%) of ITDMs have engaged with a technology vendor using social media or business networking sites. In addition to maintaining a social presence to shape conversations, actively engaging ITDMs on social media has more tangible benefits. More than two-fifths of respondents report that the ability to interact with or follow technology vendors on social sites has improved their willingness to recommend vendors to others (44%), their overall vendor satisfaction (43%), customer service experience (43%), and their feelings of brand loyalty (40%).

Our research demonstrated that ITDMs also actively disseminate valuable content to their peers – creating a valuable opportunity for marketers to expand their reach. While ITDMs are most likely to use email (86%) to share content/assets they read and download, they also access social/business networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. Providing social media and email links alongside content via a built-in toolbar will encourage sharing. 91% of respondents reported that would share content with their peers via a built-in tool.

Bottom line: ITDMs are embracing mobile and social. IT marketers should too… there are numerous benefits to doing so.

Is your team effectively measuring the ROI of mobile and social initiatives?

Source: Customer Engagement: The Role of Content in the IT Purchase Process, IDG Enterprise, 2012

Download our free white paper, “Connecting the Dots Between Content and Sales” to learn more about the role of content in the IT purchase process.

Data Services Enhance Search Marketing

Bob Melk — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:39:29 +0000

Considering the ubiquity of IT vendors’ web presence, the popularity of social marketing, and the ‘always on’ connectivity enabled by smart mobile devices, IT decision-makers should, in theory, have access to all the information they need to make knowledgeable technology and security purchases for their organizations. However, IDG Enterprise’s recent Customer Engagement research demonstrates how difficult it can be to cut through the white noise to find enough high quality trusted information.

81% of respondents report that locating enough high-quality, trusted information to make informed enterprise IT purchase decisions is at least somewhat challenging. Time crunched IT executives appear to be feeling this pain most acutely, with 42% of IT heads reporting it is extremely or very challenging compared to 35% of non-heads of IT.

When searching for content online, the majority of IT decision-makers (ITDMs) prefer to click on organic search results (68%) compared to 5% that prefer paid results. Familiarity of a source not only increases the likelihood of a tech buyer clicking on a link (83%), it also increases the trust tech buyers have in the information they read online (73%).

The majority of ITDMs are aware of marketers’ efforts to reach them through data services techniques. Only 20% of respondents said that they do not notice when content is delivered relating to search or previous downloads. Their level of appreciation for this content, however, varies. The research shows that 45% of respondents notice and appreciate content delivered related to their search history, while 35% notice but do not appreciate this tactic. Conversely, 39% notice and appreciate content delivered related to previous downloads, while 40% of respondents report that they notice, but do not appreciate that service. IT heads are not only receptive to receiving related content; they appreciate it more than non-heads – most likely due to the resulting time savings.

Knowing that tech buyers are receptive—and even appreciative—of related content should give marketers enough incentive to consider using data services to enhance search marketing efforts. Data services not only present a valuable opportunity to deliver the high quality, relevant content that ITDMs are actively seeking, but they also provide the most relevant content possible to tech buyers, increasing the likelihood of engagement and enhancing your credibility with this important audience.

Have you considered using data services to enhance your search marketing efforts?

Source: Customer Engagement: The Role of Content in the IT Purchase Process, IDG Enterprise, 2012

Are You Nurturing or Nagging?

Bob Melk — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:31:57 +0000

“Content is king” may be one of the most overused phrases in online marketing. However, the importance of relevant content in a marketing strategy cannot be overstressed, and content marketing is not going away anytime soon. IDG Enterprise’s recent Customer Engagement research not only reinforces the crucial role of content during the IT purchase process, but also reveals that quality, quantity, timing and follow-up are all key components to be considered when developing a lead nurturing campaign.

IT decision-makers (ITDMs) thirst for unbiased, relevant content as they investigate new products and solutions for their organization, opening the door for tech solution providers to share their thought leadership and build relationships. However, ongoing communication with a prospect after they have engaged with a vendor’s asset/content (lead nurturing) does not happen overnight and must be carefully designed to be effective.

Although IT decision-makers do consume a significant amount of content, it is pertinent to understand quantity and timing preferences for optimal information delivery and how it connects to the sales process. Just 3% of respondents report that they are receptive to being contacted by a sales person after consuming one piece of content related to a purchase. Does that mean they are not a serious lead? No, this just emphasizes the importance of lead nurturing.

Registering to access a piece of content does increase familiarity and openness to receiving additional related content. Two-thirds of respondents are receptive to being sent content related to the assets they have registered to receive. However, delivery of related content must also be timely. After an initial asset is downloaded, Enterprise ITDMs appreciate receiving an additional 2 pieces of related content within 4 weeks. Typically, ITDMs consume 5 pieces of content prior to being ready to speak with a sales representative and they typically consume 8 pieces of content, created by, or on behalf of the solution provider/partner they eventually select. The best time for solution providers to contact ITDMs is within 6 days of them downloading and consuming their desired amount of content.

Marketers must carefully examine existing content and lead nurturing strategies to ensure that they are meeting the expectations of tech buyers and getting the most out of their content marketing dollars. However, even the most carefully planned content marketing strategy will not be successful without sufficient follow-through. This research captures a significant gap in the communications that ITDMs expect to have with solution providers throughout the purchase process and what those providers deliver. Marketing and sales need to collaborate more effectively throughout the lead scoring process and to the point of ‘sales readiness’ to ensure leads are contacted within an average of just 6 days after the appropriate level of content has been consumed. Only through this partnership will leads effectively convert to sales.

How involved is your sales team in your content marketing efforts?

Do you feel that your content strategy meets the expectations of tech buyers?

Source: Customer Engagement: The Role of Content in the IT Purchase Process, IDG Enterprise, 2012

Download our free white paper, “Connecting the Dots Between Content and Sales” to learn more about the role of content in the IT purchase process.

CIOs Must Face the Talent Challenge

Michael Friedenberg — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:17:01 +0000

The more CIOs I talk to, the more apparent it becomes that the talent wars have hit a whole new level of sophistication. Here are some intriguing approaches and questions to consider, gathered from my most recent CIO conversations:

Establish rotational assignments between IT and business units: How many of you are currently doing this? If you want your team to have a deep understanding of your business, it’s essential to develop deep departmental expertise. Moving your high-performers from group to group can greatly change the organizational mind-set.

Emphasize change leadership over change management: It’s vital for the IT organization to lead during the process of change and transformation. How can IT be the enabler in moving the company from fear of change to embracing it?

Become a talent exporter instead of a talent importer: You’ll know the IT organization is developing and growing its talent when members of your team are tapped to lead new business initiatives. What are you doing today to make your group the model business unit for the company?

Pay real attention to succession planning: As Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and Great by Choice, puts it, “We cannot predict the future. But we can create it.” How much thought are you giving to the success of your successor? Are you making the time to build a managerial legacy?

Manage remote teams more effectively: As our work becomes more virtual and mobile, the skill sets needed to manage these teams become far more critical. What are you doing differently to communicate, multitask, collaborate and execute in ways that take advantage of the virtual work environment?

Understand the impact of cultural differences: The more global your workforce, the more pressing the need to have team members in place who can excel in a culturally diverse business climate. As the core provider of collaboration and communication tools, IT can serve as the global proof-of-concept of how a well-integrated company functions.

I suspect many of these practices are already in use at your organizations, but I’d love to hear from you about what’s missing from my list. What are some of your best practices for attracting and growing your top talent?

Build Relationships with Content

Bob Melk — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 02:01:15 +0000

Technology is transforming how businesses operate– from big data, mobility, BYOD, cloud, social and beyond– and it’s also driving rapid change in how IT decision-makers (ITDMs) engage with content to meet business needs. The recent Customer Engagement research, conducted by IDG Enterprise, revealed that IT decision-makers download an average of nine assets during the purchase process and validated that they need clearly differentiated content at each stage of the purchase decision. The mandate for vendors to strengthen their publishing capabilities could not be clearer.

ITDMs use articles, how-to videos, product reviews, ROI tools and more to assist in the decision-making process, opening the door for tech solution providers to not only share their thought leadership, but to build relationships with ITDMs throughout the purchase process with a variety of assets.

Tech marketers need to build an extensive library to facilitate ongoing discussions and stay top-of-mind through each stage of the purchase process. The challenge will be to provide unbiased, relevant content to ITDMs—at just the right time— as they investigate new products and solutions for their organization. This is an area marketers struggle to develop and maintain in a rapidly transforming marketplace. Content services, like those provided by IDG Enterprise’s Custom Solutions Group, enable marketers with the ability to grow their library and include a trusted, third-party voice, reducing perceived vendor bias – a crucial piece of the puzzle for any tech marketer looking to connect with potential customers.

How are you engaging ITDMs with content?

Download our free white paper, “Connecting the Dots Between Content and Sales” to learn more about the role of content in the IT purchase process.

Hey CIOs! Show Your CMO the Love

Michael Friedenberg — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 21:46:21 +0000

Nearly two years ago, I confidently predicted big changes in the CIO-CMO relationship. I was sure CIOs and marketing chieftains would overcome their historically conflicted, confrontational relationships to find new common ground and learn to collaborate more closely on issues of customer engagement.

Unfortunately, I’m not seeing it yet. (Another pundit bites the dust!)

Yet in today’s business environment, it’s hard to find any two jobs that are transforming faster than those of the CIO and CMO. Marketers know how heavily their success depends on finding the proper balance of art and science. But their deep backgrounds in the art of marketing cannot satisfy today’s business demands for using the science of technology in marketing efforts.

CMOs’ worlds turned technical overnight–suddenly they have to deal with marketing automation, business intelligence and analytics, social tools, lead nurturing and Web development. And since most people in marketing lack technical backgrounds, it should be clear that their increased collaboration with CIOs is a personal gain, not a professional threat.

Meanwhile, on the CIO side of the world, we’ve quickly realized that delivering value to the business means moving beyond cost efficiencies and process optimization to driving growth, increasing speed-to-market and putting customer intelligence to strategic use. Partnering with CMOs helps IT leaders expand their communication skills and connect directly with the business. You can fortify and shape key marketing decisions with big data analysis. You can influence plans for product development. And you can improve your own value in the job market to boot.

At a number of our recent CIO events, we’ve had some fascinating CIO-CMO panel discussions that clearly demonstrate the benefits of a stronger relationship for both sides. IBM and Forrester Research have also keyed in to this critical relationship at some of their recent events. Gartner is even predicting that CMOs will spend more on technology than CIOs by 2017 (a claim I find ridiculous).

But I do believe that there’s a stunning opportunity here for CIOs who understand the inherent value of working with sales and marketing leaders. What could you possibly be waiting for? Get in there and close the relationship gap.