Action Gamessys: Help Making Money

Customers

First of all, Krigsman says customers need to know why they are doing the project. He says customers often see enterprise IT projects as different from normal business projects but that customers shouldn't view technology projects differently. Like any other project, IT projects have a budget and need a plan, a clear set of goals and a clear idea of the expected benefit.

To improve the project planning process, Krigsman suggests that customers take a hard look at what could go wrong early in the process. He says denial is a serious issue for many enterprise customers. He has written about this subject before in a post called "The twin evils of IT gridlock and denial." Krigsman wrote:

Project progress continues, despite lack of consensus. In denial situations, the team does not address disagreements, agreeing to wait until sometime in the future to resolve open issues. Problems then simmer below the surface only to "unexpectedly" erupt later, usually in more severe form.

Customers need to add conflict resolution into the earliest stages of the planning process.

System Integrators and Other Professional Services Providers

Krigsman says system integrators and other professional services providers need to remember to put customer's interests first and foremost.

Krigsman suggests one way consultants can improve customer's projects: demand clarity from the customer, especially at the start of a project. "System integrators should view project efficiency as a worthy goal, even if they make less money in the short run," Krigsman says. Making sure your customers have a clear idea of what they want done will help you over the life of the project.

There's a benefit for consultants here too, though: "Some customers take unfair advantage of their integrator during the initial bid process by pretending that a poorly planned project is well defined," Krigsman wrote.

Vendors

Meanwhile, Krigsman says vendors need to do a better job of simplifying products and educating the customer so that the customer can make wise technology decisions regarding their product.

Krigsman suggests that vendors could tie sales compensation to successful project outcomes. A sales representative would be rewarded not just for the size of a sale but for the customer's success in implementing the project. This would discourage sales people from doing pointless upselling and incentivize customer education.

Perhaps other teams, such as engineering and product management, could be similarly compensated to bring all parties on the vendor side into alignment?

It's All About the Long Run

The common theme seems to be that each part of the Devil's Triangle needs to focus on the long-term. Customers need to consider problems and solve disputes before spending money on a project. Vendors and consultants need to prioritize their reputation and the success of their customers over short-term sales and billings. It sounds simple when put that way, but it's always easier said than done.

For some examples of what not to do, check out Biggest ERP Failures of 2010, which includes commentary from Krigsman.

Not so long ago, comparison shopping required actually going to several stores or sifting through every circular in the Sunday paper. And even as at-home internet access became commonplace, that didn't really help if you'd gone to the store without doing the legwork in advance. But the rapid growth of web-enabled phones could be leading to better retail prices and more informed consumers.

A recent Wall Street Journal story cites some interesting statistics to lend credence to this theory. First, there's the report by Coremetrics that says the number of customers using mobile devices to access retail websites on Black Friday in 2010 was more than 50 times greater than just a year earlier.

Second, the Journal quotes a retail consultant as saying that 45% of smartphone users had used their mobile devices for purposes of comparison shopping.

With this increasing transparency for prices, retailers may be forced to either cut prices to keep customers in the store or offer items that can't be purchased elsewhere.

Many stores have already put an end to the practice of offering a lower online price than you'd get at a retail location. "Those days are over," says the president of PriceGrabber.com. "The line between offline and online has been blurred."

Some retailers are attempting to use smartphones to their advantage. For example, Best Buy has partnered with a price comparison app so that whenever someone searches for something at Walmart that could also be purchased at Best Buy, the user will be shown ads for these comparable BB products.

"That is an opportunity to steal a sale right when someone is in the throes of making a decision. That is what makes mobile so powerful," says Best Buy Chief Marketing Officer.

Have you been using your smartphone to compare prices this holiday season?

Phone-Wielding Shoppers Strike Fear Into Retailers

Thanks to Lyn for the tip!

bench craft company scam

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Help Making Money

Customers

System Integrators and Other Professional Services Providers

Vendors

It's All About the Long Run

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