Google Apps go legit

/ Robert Pease / Leave a comment

The news (via The Guardian) that CapGemini is making Google Apps part of its solution set is making the rounds today and getting some good coverage including here and here. 

This statement by Steve Jones of CapGemini is a bit of bunk especially considering the long availability of productivity products like OpenOffice but I’ll give him creative credit for the "haves and have nots" characterization around software access in the enterprise – I have been made aware of the "two americas" but was not aware of the "two enteprises."

"Up to now, says Jones, licensing and data-storage costs have prohibited these "disenfranchised employees" from being given access to Office-style apps."

Much of the talking points on the annoucement seem to be focused on moving from personal productivity to team productivity with the power of the internet.  Wow…that’s a new concept.

"If you look at the traditional desktop it is very focused on personal productivity," said Robert Whiteside, Google enterprise manager, UK and Ireland. "What Google Apps brings is team productivity."

All in all this is good news for Google and its enterprise biz but hardly the death knell for Microsoft or IBM/Lotus.

News flash – managing Exchange is pain

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This story from eWeek covers the topic of the pain that companies feel from their Exchange environments as well as some alternatives available to address that pain.  This story is consistent with what we see and hear across corporate messaging environments.  Companies are needing Exchange to do things above and beyond its original intent from being a file management system/document repository to e-discovery activities.  Unifying voice together with email all through Exchange for "unified communications" will make it even more mission critical as well as intensify much of this pain.  If you think your business comes to a halt when email goes down, just wait until it takes your voice system down with it.

Just email me

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This post by Robert Scoble pretty much nails why email is here to stay.  Scoble is an interesting fella and I enjoy reading his posts although the drama gets a bit old. Anyway, he puts forth a conversation he had about how to share news and pictures of the arrival of a new baby (early congrats by the way). 

And now you know the trouble that these Web 2.0 sites will have in getting everyday people to try them out.

Most of the population (aka ‘everday people’) have no awareness or inclination to try the new tools out there with cute names and default to the most known and dependable way to connect electronically – email.  Further, without a need to learn how to use something else, they will continue to rely on email.  Would Flickr be easier?  Yes.  Does Twitter make broadcast updates quicker?  Sure.  But "everyday people" don’t use them so after you use all the new web 2.0/social media tools, send an email to make sure everyone gets the information.

A great customer experience today

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If you run or aspire to and live in the greater Seattle area go to Everyday Athlete for you next purchase.  Marel and I were there today and Lance did a fantastic job of getting us set up.  I needed a new pair of shoes and, after developing a nifty case of plantar fasciitis after the Virginia Mason/Seafair half marathon in July, I actually solicited some advice on the best shoe for me based on how I run.  Apparently you are no longer bulletproof in your mid-30s and it is important to both stretch and have a relatively new pair of shoes before you embark on a distance run.  Who knew?

Anyway, overall great experience and recommend you stop in if you are shopping around.  They’ve also got great information on upcoming races and events. 

Another great option is Road Runner Sports over by Green Lake where Marel actually won a pair of shoes a couple years ago. 

Another reason not to be the first to buy

/ Robert Pease / Leave a comment

Or camp out overnight…

Troubling news today for all those iPhone early adopters (suckers?) who shelled out $599 for the nifty new device a scant 2 months ago (June 29) – you can now get it for $399.  Holiday sales promotion or response to slower than anticipated market adoption?  Regardless, Apple shares fell 5% in a universally ugly day in the markets (and are staying down in after hours trading).  This story from Bloomberg digs a bit deeper into the details.

I tinkered with one the other day in the Apple store and it is definitely "cool" but I’m not quite sold and have huge baggage from a previous AT&T wireless relationship… 

Updated:  Looks like Stevie Jobs is giving you "early adopters" a hundo for your enthusiastic early support.  Suppose that eases the pain a bit, but I agree with Andy on his point about embarrassing your fans.  Even Fred Wilson is bumming on Apple.

e-Discovery: a waste of IT time, money, & talent

/ Robert Pease / Leave a comment

So according to this recent survey by our Seattle-area neighbor Michael Osterman (via Information Governance), IT departments respond to (on average) 191 email search and discovery requests each year. That’s almost 4 per week!  No wonder firms like Forrester Research forecast it to be a $4.8 Billion market by 2011 and why all sorts of vendors and service providers are jumping into the space.  But what about the folks in IT carrying the load?

I don’t see how this is sustainable given all the other things on the IT agenda.  I continue to be amazed at how knowledgeable the IT, messaging, shared services, infrastructure, security, etc. folks are about evidence collection, preservation, and production especially around email.  This is not core to the business and backlash is brewing.  It is not a business process or competency that any company will be able to differentiate on or build shareholder value around. 

As long as people keep sending email and discovery requests continue to arrive, this is the state of affairs and I think it is a pretty safe prediction to say that both show no signs of slowing down.  At some point companies and their IT departments must realize the best defense is a good offense and implement processes and technologies that allow them to prepare for this costly part of doing business.

Provide content the way people want to consume it

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Enterprise software is not for the meek as selling it is time-consuming, difficult, and fraught with peril especially as an emerging company trying to solve a critical (and extremely visible) problem.  So, how do you sell to someone who doesn’t want to be sold to? 

Focus on solving their problem and the selling will run its course (although most likely NOT on your timeline).  One of the things marketing needs to do to support the selling process and drive demand for the product or service is to package up the story, the value, the ‘solution’, etc. in a way that people want to consume it.  Static brochure-ware websites and whitepapers definitely have their place in the marketing arsenal but must be augmented by things like podcasts, video/graphics, RSS feeds, peer surveys, and real issues based research (not disguised marketing pieces). 

Serving up a variety of packages for content allows your targets to consume it on their terms and and in a way they are accustomed to so that it doesn’t feel like they are being sold to.  Position yourself as a valuable part of their job and create situations that allow them to be successful in their jobs and you will be on your way although budget cycles, competing priorities, and staffing changes will certainly color the journey.

Taking the Mac plunge

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Apple_mac
Although I took a vacation day today, we stuck pretty close to home except for a journey over to the University Village Apple store where we bought a MacBook. 

The earth is not spinning backwards and dogs and cats are not living together so all seems right with the world even though this is our first foray into Apple land.  Early feedback is really positive.  We needed something for home to do pictures, movies, music, internet on and, quite frankly, after spending a few too many confusing cycles on the Dell configuration site (as well as feedback from trusted techie friends) we took the Mac plunge.

Also got to hand it to the marketing folks in Cupertino for the experience..not just a retail presence but a "place" to spend time.

Where there is smoke there is fire not true for Mr. Quattrone

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In a case that highlights both the excess of the dot-com era and the perils of both sending email as well as basing a criminal investigation solely on it, all the remaining charges against former CSFB investment banker Frank Quattrone were dismissed by a federal judge.  Here’s the NY Times story on it and MarketWatch’s commentary on this ‘quiet’ ending.

In an era defined by "smoking gun" emails, federal prosecutors thought they had nailed him with six little words – "time to clean up those files"

Not so much…

Or according to Frank himself – "The legal system has rendered its final verdict. … The opera is over."

Four years, who knows how much in legal bills, and untold levels of legal maneuvering bring this much hyped case to a quiet conclusion.  Mr. Quattrone is free to return to the securities industry and do his thing – namely print money for himself and whatever firm he calls home ($200MM personally from 8/98 to end of 2001…good for him).  I think it is fair to assume that he would rather of not sent these six words in an email.

I remember reading the original complaint filed against him and the snippets of emails that were used to build the case around obstruction.  Although highly suspect, the email contents alone did not make a clear and convincing case.  Email records provide lots of information however intent is not one of them.