http://www.forrester.com/ Forrester is an independent technology research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice about technology's impact on business. en-us 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 120 http://www.forrester.com/imagesV2/affiliates/logos/forrester.gif http://www.forrester.com/ http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54850&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54850 Consumer electronics (CE) design has long followed an upward technology curve as firms respond to consumer expectations for "more" — more features, more horsepower, more of everything. While consumers still expect their devices to become faster and more feature-rich over time, a recent slew of commercial successes using the "less is more" approach begs for a deeper analysis. We found that consumer product strategists should apply the less-is-more approach when: 1) users have a need but find existing solutions too complex, and 2) when consumers are willing to settle for less in exchange for convenience. Firms should conduct research to uncover opportunities to reach new and wider audiences using the less-is-more approach. Consumer Technology Adoption High-Tech Media & Entertainment Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Nathan Safran" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54850&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54850 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54800&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54800 In 2005, the Belgian incumbent telco Belgacom needed to build a very strong position in the Belgian TV market in order to compete with multiple-play service providers. Four years later, Belgacom TV is a leading IPTV company in Europe and had a 30% share of the Belgian digital TV market at the end of Q4 2008. The emphasis it puts on premium content, service quality, and innovation has helped build consumer intimacy with this relatively new Belgian TV brand. Customer Experience Telecommunications Services High-Tech Media & Entertainment Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Laurence Meyer" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54800&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54800 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54656&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54656 Data from Forrester's Business Data Services surveys show continued interest in green IT services. One-third of the surveyed enterprises plan for a green IT services engagement in the coming year. Some of these prospective clients are aggressively using green selection criteria when they choose a services provider, a trend that we expect to grow markedly in the coming years. To get ready, green IT service providers must get more explicit about their partnership structures and offer a well-rounded suite of services that enable clients to improve their sustainability posture while reducing costs, differentiating their firm, and mitigating risks. IT Services Security & Risk High-Tech Professional Services Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Christopher Mines" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54656&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54656 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54480&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54480 Web 2.0 technology's use in business is very new, making the success of these initial deployments hinge on how well IT and business leaders understand their value and create implementation plans. We have seen that the more successful deployments have vibrant social communities, with business leaders fully involved. As a proxy for estimating this success, Forrester looked at how IT and line-of-business (LOB) decision-makers at small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) and enterprises were using social technologies. We found that while they used social technology, these individuals tended to be more observers than active participants in both their personal and their professional use. We also see that the more frequently someone engages in social activities, the more likely he or she is to do them for business purposes. To take advantage of these trends and ensure success, Forrester recommends providing a free sampling of the product to encourage use, bundling training services into the base product package, and marketing to encourage decision-makers to be more actively engaged. Information & Knowledge Management IT Management High-Tech Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT "TJ Keitt" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54480&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54480 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=47951&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-47951 Our Q1 2009 Global CMO Recession Online Survey reveals marketing leaders under pressure to deliver results while enduring budget cuts in excess of 20%. To keep their businesses moving forward, marketing leaders are cutting back on traditional tactics and investing in digital channels like Web sites, social media, and email. Forrester recommends that marketing leaders expand their focus to include enabling technologies that build brands and a true picture of the multichannel customer. This added emphasis will help deliver quick results while protecting long-term brand health. Economy Marketing & Advertising Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Lisa Bradner" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=47951&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-47951 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54857&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54857 With the costs of product life-cycle management (PLM) applications under more and more scrutiny, software-as-a-service (SaaS) is getting more attention as a viable alternative approach to on-premise deployments. Today, however, the adoption of SaaS for PLM remains very modest relative to other application categories, with companies reporting security risks, total cost concerns, and integration requirements as primary inhibitors of adoption. Product development IT professionals should take note of SaaS success stories for human resources (HR), sales force automation (SFA), and customer relationship management (CRM) applications and explore how SaaS PLM offerings can lower upfront costs and make functionality both faster and easier to deploy. In terms of vendor support, emerging SaaS players including Arena Software and Datastay are already working to prove the viability of their SaaS PLM offerings as additional options among the panoply of other small and medium-size business (SMB) offerings from Dassault Systemes, PTC, and Siemens PLM. IT Services IT Spending & Budgeting Packaged Applications High-Tech Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Roy C. Wildeman" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54857&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54857 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54848&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54848 A usable market segmentation analysis is one of the keys to any market-driven company's success, yet many segmentations fail. This is troubling not only because these types of failures tend to be expensive, but also because the need for organizational alignment that segmentation can drive is widely recognized. In general, a combination of too much complexity and lack of organizational buy-in drives segmentation failures. Firms can successfully hurdle these problems by using a relatively simple share-of-wallet-based segmentation approach. Firms should ensure that they survey their customers on share and size of wallet, integrate share of wallet into their segmentation approaches and customer databases, and continue to build on their segmentations with more granular analysis that looks at segment motivations. High-Tech Media & Entertainment Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Brad Bortner" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54848&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54848 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54538&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54538 Increasing numbers of consumers are engaging in conversations about brands online. Interactive marketers must realize that while they no longer can control what people publicly say about their brands, they can minimize the damage if these conversations turn negative. Taking simple steps to prepare today will prevent a social media meltdown tomorrow. Customer Experience Marketing & Advertising Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Rebecca Jennings" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54538&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54538 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53726&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53726 American Airlines' mobile strategy is wide-reaching to reflect the many different people who fly with the company. Many of its passengers are Connectors, who are well positioned to take advantage of American Airlines' email and SMS alerts, and SuperConnecteds, who can benefit from American Airlines' mobile Web site. American Airlines' strategy focuses on providing information to the widest set of passengers and addresses the most basic needs of its mobile passengers. The SMS alerts and mobile Web site that support this strategy are easy to use and familiar to many passengers. The result is a wide audience that benefits from accessing information on their mobile devices but has a less than optimal experience when seeking to use their cell phones for more advanced services or booking. American Airlines has an opportunity, as well as the long experience and commitment, to develop a strategy that deepens its engagement with the Connectors and SuperConnecteds who fly with it. Customer Experience eBusiness/eCommerce High-Tech Travel Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Julie A. Ask, Seth Fowler" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53726&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53726 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53631&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53631 Relevance is the gold that marketers seek and the means by which customer intelligence professionals secure their tenure. Marketers require relevance to reach customers in our increasingly cluttered and information-overloaded environment. The recipe for relevance includes three key ingredients: data, insight, and technology. More sophisticated marketers will sprinkle in some automation for good measure, but ultimately some ratio of these ingredients along with calculated timing results in satisfying returns. Customer Experience Marketing & Advertising Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT "John Lovett" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53631&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53631 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54841&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54841 Forget the 1950s: Consumers are living in the golden era of television, whatever the problems of the broadcast TV industry. Not only do consumers have more control over when and where they watch TV, but they also have access to more shows and more channels from a greater variety of sources. Along with this surge in content, vastly improved TV technology has become increasingly affordable; consumers, even in a recession, are able to buy TVs that seriously enhance the viewing experience. Low-cost players have entered the market, and discount retailers are offering high-end brands and competing directly with many traditional electronics stores. The maturing TV market changes the way consumers shop for TVs, and manufacturers and retailers need to understand their role in these changes and how to address consumers' expectations around TV style and price. eBusiness/eCommerce Consumer Technology Adoption High-Tech Manufacturing Media & Entertainment Retail Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Nathan Safran, Abe Garon" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54841&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54841 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53331&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53331 This document provides highlights of an extensive data set collected via Forrester's Enterprise Global Technology Adoption Survey, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, And Africa, Q1 2009. Survey respondents, IT executives and technology decision-makers from companies with 500 or more employees, hailed from Australia/New Zealand, greater China (including Taiwan and Hong Kong), Japan, India, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and South Africa. Topics covered in the document include telecom, IT services, IT security, hardware, software, IT spending plans, product localization, green IT, and sources of information that influence purchasing decisions — all segmented by region. Client Systems IT Infrastructure & Operations IT Services IT Spending & Budgeting Networking Packaged Applications Security & Risk Telecommunications Services High-Tech Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Jennifer Belissent, Ph.D., Heidi Lo" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53331&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53331 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=48002&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-48002 Consumers are rapidly adopting social media communication technologies and behaviors. Customer service professionals are beginning to look at incorporating these collaborative tools to deliver better customer experiences at a lower cost. This approach seems to have great promise; however, there is little documentation at present on the cost-effectiveness of incorporating social strategies and technologies for businesses. Forrester talked with early-adopter companies and reviewed the solutions from leading vendors to understand the variables to consider for determining the business value of online communities for customer service and support. The early evidence indicates that social technologies are a sound choice because they provide an attractive ROI in a short period of time while delivering better customer experiences. Customer Experience IT Spending & Budgeting Packaged Applications Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Natalie L. Petouhoff, Ph.D." <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=48002&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-48002 http://www.forrester.com/rb/teleconference/forrester_wave%26trade%3B_interactive_agencies_web_design_capabilities%2C/q/id/5662/t/1 Forrester evaluated the Web design capabilities of leading interactive marketing agencies across 18 criteria. Agencies included: ArcWorldwide, Ascentium, Blast Radius, Critical Mass, IBM Interactive, IconNicholson, iCrossing, IMC2, Molecular, Ogilvy Interactive, Organic, Razorfish, Resource Interactive, R/GA, Rosetta, Sapient Interactive, VML, and WhittmanHart. Customer Experience eBusiness/eCommerce Marketing & Advertising Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Vidya L. Drego" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/rb/teleconference/forrester_wave%26trade%3B_interactive_agencies_web_design_capabilities%2C/q/id/5662/t/1 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54838&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54838 Bundles have emerged as a strong opportunity for service providers to drive acquisition and improve customer retention, but only 20% of US online consumers subscribe to voice, broadband, and pay-TV service from a single provider. Today's consumers have different needs, so standard three-tier phone, broadband, and pay-TV service bundles will not appeal to everyone. In order to shake up the bundle service market, consumer product strategists should create new bundles that give consumers what they want at the prices they will pay. To design these "perfect bundles," product strategists should conduct conjoint studies — also known as feature tradeoff analyses — to take the guesswork out of service bundle development. They should also employ conjoint studies to help understand future demand for new and emerging services and features, which can ultimately help the provider prepare for and invest in the right product development opportunities. Telecommunications Services Consumer Industries Consumer Technology Adoption High-Tech Media & Entertainment Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Doug Williams" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54838&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54838 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54826&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54826 The global economic recession is extracting a heavy toll on enterprise IT budgets. As a result, sourcing and vendor management executives at multinational firms responsible for network and telecommunications (N&T) are looking for improved flexibility and innovation in service pricing and delivery, along with concessions to help them justify their vendor and service choices. To help clients set expectations on how far they can reasonably push their service providers to be more attentive, responsive, and flexible, we interviewed 29 reference customers of nine major international telecom operators about customer satisfaction. We also used data from two recent Forrester surveys to: 1) identify global multinational enterprise (MNC) N&T service buyers' priorities over the next year; and 2) compare enterprise customers' biggest vendor relationship challenges with some of the largest North American and European network operators. Based on our analysis, Forrester recommends vendor consolidation to remove extraneous players and create a strategic N&T environment and the use of specialists and smaller or regional players for innovative, lower-cost service delivery options. Economy IT Spending & Budgeting Sourcing & Procurement Telecommunications Services Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Brownlee Thomas, Ph.D." <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54826&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54826 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54780&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54780 Even though cloud services delivered by major IT service providers hold potential promise for long-term value, they are currently awash in a frenzy of irrational exuberance. Forrester's data shows that a growing number of enterprise clients are implementing or seriously investigating cloud IT services delivered by major IT service providers. But cloud services still have to clear technical and business hurdles to be enterprise-ready for many firms. Decision-makers who monitor how these key issues play out over the next months will be in a stronger position to leverage value from cloud services near-term and in the future. Forrester surveyed 11 major global IT service providers to provide sourcing decision-makers with the provider perspective on barriers to cloud services adoption in the enterprise. IT Infrastructure & Operations IT Services Sourcing & Procurement High-Tech Professional Services Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Paul Roehrig, Ph.D." <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54780&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54780 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54395&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54395 The past year has tested the mettle of the insurance industry. Insurers like The Hartford Financial Services Group and Lincoln National Group converted to bank holding companies to take advantage of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds. The downturn laid waste to an industry that had been seen as a safe employment haven, and, because of its financial conservatism, the industry shifted its cost-cutting focus into high gear. These insurance industry changes have prompted the emergence of new approaches, new vendors, and new markets that are changing the insurance technology vendor landscape. This report provides brief descriptions of companies meeting diverse or emerging insurance industry needs and offers insights into new strategic opportunities for vendor partnerships and acquisitions in areas like agent performance management, business intelligence and analytics, and core insurance applications for global insurers. Information & Knowledge Management Packaged Applications Financial Services High-Tech Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Ellen Carney" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=54395&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-54395 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53347&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53347 Retailers have been striving to provide seamless multichannel shopping experiences in order both to stay ahead of the market in an increasingly interconnected world and to align themselves with consumer multichannel behavior. In a recent report, Forrester used its Cross-Channel Review methodology to provide insight into the current state of consumers' cross-channel experiences across four industries. This was accomplished through an evaluation of the Web site, interactive voice response (IVR), phone, and email experiences as well as the transitions across those channels. The four discount retailers fell below the other industries evaluated with an average score of -9.8, compared with a total average score of -2.3. In order to improve on their firms' cross-channel design, retail eBusiness professionals are encouraged to use these particular examples from the industry together with examples of consumer multichannel shopping preferences. Customer Experience eBusiness/eCommerce Marketing & Advertising Consumer Industries Financial Services Manufacturing Retail Travel Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Sucharita Mulpuru" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=53347&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-53347 http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=48356&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-48356 To paraphrase the title of Richard Fariña's 1960s novel, "been down so far it looks like up to me" is an apt description of the US and global IT market markets at mid-year 2009. While the Q1 2009 tech market indicator data ranged from bad to ghastly, we think that the US tech market is more than halfway through the downturn, and the global IT market is not far behind. The very weak Q1 results in both the US and the global market, and likely similarly poor results in Q2, mean that our 2009 growth forecasts are lower than before, with the US IT market now expected to shrink by 5% in 2009 and the global IT market to drop by 11% in US dollars. Computer and network equipment vendors have been especially hard hit, with licensed software revenues and IT outsourcing also weak. However, the weak results in the first half of 2009 also mean that the market will hit bottom sooner, setting a low base from which positive year-over-year growth will start to occur in Q4 2009 and into 2010. Vendors can start to look beyond the downturn and get prepared for a strong tech recovery in late 2009 and 2010. Economy IT Spending & Budgeting High-Tech Professional Services Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT "Andrew Bartels" <resourcecenter@forrester.com> http://www.forrester.com/go?docid=48356&src=RSS_CustomFeed&cm_mmc=Forrester-_-RSS-_-Document-_-48356