For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Addressing Diverse Stakeholders In The IT And Business Services Buying Process

Planning For 2010 Requires A Clear Understanding Of Roles

by Chris Andrews, November 20, 2009

For years, Forrester has written about the evolution of information technology (IT) into business technology (BT) — an idea that is rooted in Forrester's view that technology is becoming more relevant and strategic to business processes. This trend, which . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Aligning With Business Customers Requires Strategy, Stakeholder Focus, And Metrics

by Chris Andrews, October 20, 2009

Creating greater alignment with business customers is an incredibly hot objective for technology strategists and one that is supported by powerful long-term market trends. Our recent survey of strategy professionals found that 91% of respondents say that . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Xerox's Acquisition Of ACS Underscores A Converging Market

The Company Makes A Bold Services Play

by Chris Andrews, Pascal Matzke, October 6, 2009

On September 28, 2009, Xerox announced that it was purchasing the business process outsourcing (BPO) company Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), in a deal valued at approximately $6.4 billion. Coming just after Dell's acquisition of Perot Systems, this . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Dell's Plans to Acquire Perot Systems

One Small — Though Challenging — Step Toward Dell's Services Aspirations

by Pascal Matzke, Chris Andrews, September 22, 2009

While the proposed acquisition of Perot Systems by Dell does not come as a surprise — Dell has been orchestrating a more determined services strategy — it anchors the commitment. The deal, valued at $3.9 billion, will fill some of Dell's gaps in its IT . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Being Innovative Means Moving Beyond The Hype

B2B Tech Vendors Need To Focus Innovation On Strategy, Management, And Metrics

by Chris Andrews, August 12, 2009

In a recent survey of technology strategy and marketing professionals, more than 84% said that "providing more innovative products and services" is a primary goal for their organizations given the current economic climate. The data shows just how important . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

How The Recession Is Affecting Tech Vendors

Despite The Challenges, Tech Strategists Seek To Innovate And Provide Solutions

by Chris Andrews, July 10, 2009

For the first few months of 2009, many technology companies operated in a general state of confusion. As the credit crunch of late 2008 took its toll on spending, technology vendors were adapting their strategy on the fly — trying to quickly align their . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

SWOT: The Evolution Of IT Service Providers To Business Technology Competitors

The Business Technology Offerings Of Accenture, Capgemini, Cognizant, And IBM

by Chris Andrews, June 22, 2009

The market for traditional IT services will change dramatically over the next five years as more vendors realize the benefits of aligning their technology solutions with the needs of business customers. Unlike other technology trends that come and go, . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Capgemini's TechnoVision Framework Translates Emerging Technologies Into Business Value

by Chris Andrews, June 4, 2009

At Forrester we see continuing evidence that technology vendors are incorporating the needs of business users into their strategy, offerings, and go-to-market approaches. While many vendors target business customers simply as a way to reach stakeholders . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Four Essential Components Of Successful Innovation Initiatives

by Chris Andrews, April 2, 2009

In 2009's difficult economic environment, many technology vendors are placing a renewed emphasis on their innovation capabilities. Not content with adopting a reactive market strategy, these vendors are pushing forward with plans to develop disruptive . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Market Momentum: Tech-Enabled Business Services Market Activity, H2 2008

by Chris Andrews, March 17, 2009

Many IT service providers are seeking to embed themselves deeper in the core business processes of their customers. In the process, they are uncovering new market opportunities that are increasingly differentiated from traditional IT services work. Service . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Five Strategic Priorities That Change In A Recession

New Market Conditions Force Vendor Strategists To Align Short- And Long-Term Goals

by Chris Andrews, February 18, 2009

The economic crisis that hit financial markets in October 2008 has taken its toll on the technology industry. IT customers — many of whom were in a state of confusion in late 2008 — have now implemented their recessionary plans and reduced or eliminated . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

What The Events At Satyam Mean For IT Service Providers

by Chris Andrews, Sudin Apte, January 26, 2009

In early January, Satyam sent shock waves across the IT services industry when its founder, B. Ramalinga Raju, revealed that he was responsible for deep accounting irregularities at the company. While the full extent of the fraud is still unknown, the . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Market Overview: The Tech-Enabled Business Services Market Opportunity

by Chris Andrews, Chris Townsend, January 22, 2009

As technology becomes embedded in lines of business and business increasingly relies on technology, a new market opportunity is emerging for IT service providers. This market — which Forrester calls the business services market — is supported by powerful . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Ten Best Practices For Aligning Your Technology Offering With Business Needs

Meeting Business Needs Requires More Than Just Good Marketing

by Chris Andrews, January 12, 2009

A recent Forrester survey showed that 86% of technology strategists consider aligning their products and services with the needs of business customers to be important or very important to their company's organizational objectives. This finding highlights . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Hot Companies To Watch: Q4 Update

Profiles Of Emerging Companies And Technology Trends That Tech Vendors Need To Know About

by Chris Andrews, December 19, 2008

In this series, we highlight interesting new vendors and important technology trends. At Forrester, we've seen a strong interest in emerging technologies among our strategist clients as vendors seek to stay innovative and identify the "next big thing" . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Selling IT Services In An Economic Downturn

When Economic Conditions Are Poor, Segmentation And Positioning Matter More Than Ever

by Chris Andrews, November 4, 2008

The global credit crunch is beginning to affect providers of IT services and outsourcing. Vendors in this market have spent years building up their value-added service offerings in an effort to generate higher margins and foster more strategic relationships . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

The Vendor Positioning Self-Assessment Tool For IT Services And Outsourcing Providers  (246 KB XLS)

by Chris Andrews, Daniel Krauss, October 22, 2008

This vendor positioning review self-assessment tool gives you the opportunity to score your own vendor positioning and compare the results with the positioning of ten leading IT services and outsourcing providers and their services, which have been evaluated . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

The Priorities Of Tech Strategists And Marketers

Results From Forrester's Survey of Tech Industry Professionals

by Chris Andrews, October 21, 2008

In August 2008, Forrester conducted an online survey of senior-level strategy and marketing professionals from global technology firms. We gathered information on a range of topics, such as individual interests, organizational priorities, and go-to-market . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

IT Services And Outsourcing Providers Positioning Benchmark, Q3 2008

A Review Of IT Services Marketing Practices With A Self-Assessment Tool

by Chris Andrews, Daniel Krauss, October 14, 2008

Forrester used its vendor positioning review methodology to evaluate 10 leading IT services and outsourcing providers across 14 criteria and three service domains and determine where they are currently positioning themselves on the continuum between information . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Infosys Adapts To Global Market Change

The Axon Acquisition Denotes A Major Shift In Infosys' Global Growth Strategy

by Chris Andrews, September 22, 2008

With its proposed $753 million acquisition of UK-based consulting firm Axon Group, Infosys is taking a big step to reposition itself in an increasingly challenging market environment. Like most of its India-based competitors, Infosys is facing intense . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Hot Companies To Watch: Q3 Update

Profiles of Emerging Companies And Technology Trends That Tech Vendors Should Consider When Planning Strategy

by Chris Andrews, September 10, 2008

In this series, we highlight interesting new vendors and important technology trends. At Forrester, we've seen a strong interest in emerging technologies among our technology strategist clients as vendors seek to stay innovative and identify the "next . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Tech Horizons: What The Startup Xobni Teaches Tech Vendors About Innovation

The Company Scores A Win With A Simple Improvement To Microsoft Outlook

by Chris Andrews, July 16, 2008

The San Francisco-based startup company Xobni offers personal computer users a free plug-in to Microsoft Outlook that adds improved functionality and social networking capabilities to the popular email program. The company is notable for the simplicity . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Hot Companies To Watch In 2008: Q2 Update

Profiles Of Emerging Companies And Technology Trends That Tech Vendors Should Consider When Planning Strategy

by Chris Andrews, June 19, 2008

The wide-ranging popularity of our first "Hot Companies To Watch" document, published in April 2008, highlighted a few important facts about technology strategists. First, it reflects the high level of interest technology professionals have in understanding . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Forrester's Tech Horizons Methodology: Predicting Which B2B Innovations Will Succeed

How To Evaluate The Potential Of An Invention Or An Emerging Market — Before You Begin The Forecasting Process

by Chris Andrews, May 8, 2008

Evaluating the potential of emerging markets is becoming an increasingly critical component of innovation. Companies are realizing that they can no longer generate all of their innovation internally and are instead looking to external sources — such as . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Forrester's Strategy Review Methodology Tool  (55 KB XLS)

by Chris Andrews, May 1, 2008

Forrester's Strategic Review Methodology Tool