For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

The Forrester Wave™: Web Content Management For External Sites, Q2 2009

SDL Tridion, Interwoven, And FatWire Lead, While Microsoft Makes Inroads

by Stephen Powers, Tim Walters, Ph.D., June 1, 2009

Forrester evaluated 10 leading Web content management (WCM) vendors across approximately 115 criteria and found that SDL Tridion continues its leadership in enabling organizations to deliver persuasive customer experiences on publicly facing Web sites. . . .

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

Best Practices: WCM Adoption In External Web Sites

by Stephen Powers, Tim Walters, Ph.D., November 14, 2008

High-cost, resource-intensive Web content management (WCM) projects supporting external Web sites leave many organizations dissatisfied. While poor technology selection contributes to the frustration, the biggest problems afflicting WCM projects result . . .

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

To Succeed With Web Content Personalization, Start Failing Now

by Tim Walters, Ph.D., November 7, 2008

Today, most information and knowledge management (I&KM) professionals supporting Web teams acknowledge the benefits of personalizing the Web experience by delivering targeted and even unique content to individual visitors or segments of visitors. . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Maximizing eCommerce Content To Drive Sales

The Weak Muscle Of eCommerce Technologies And The Need To Improve

by Brian K. Walker, May 5, 2008

Rich and accurate product information is critical when it comes to selling online today — yet most eBusiness leaders at online retailers struggle with managing even the most basic content successfully. Inefficient and poorly supported homegrown tools . . .

For Interactive Marketing Professionals

The Chaos of Content

Content Management Tactics for the 21st-Century Marketer

by David Daniels, August 20, 2007

Content remains a top priority for marketers, highlighting the importance of content management capabilities for operational efficiency.

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

Manufacturer Uses Content To Differentiate A Commodity Product

by Kyle McNabb, December 13, 2006

A European manufacturer of home decoration products, facing increasing commoditization of its core products, drove differentiation through its use of persuasive content — such as selection guides, usage information, color schemes, and safety guidelines . . .

Service Catalogs: The Heart of Service Delivery Management

by Julie Giera, September 23, 2003

Service catalogs are the cornerstone of service delivery and automation, and the starting point for any company interested in saving money and improving relationships with the business.

Who Cares About Catalogs?

by Christopher M. Kelley, Kate Delhagen, Amy Dash, December 5, 2002

Has the Web killed catalogs? No: Consumers still love them. In fact, 79% of consumers browse through most of the catalogs they receive. But retailers must optimize catalogs to take advantage of the new ways that online and offline consumers now use catalogs.

Bricks, Clicks and Slicks — Integrating Multiple Channels to Drive Retail Success

by Tom Harwick, September 16, 2002

The ability to effectively support multi-channel marketing and sales will become more important as consumers gradually gravitate to the Internet and as catalogs take on a different type of importance.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Is a Product Information Repository Right for You?

by Erica Driver, Robert Markham, July 2, 2002

Product information management vendors aim to help manufacturers and distributors create centralized product information repositories that can be used for multiple purposes by people in various roles throughout the company.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

A B2B Catalog Can Be a Half Million-Dollar Project

by Erica Driver, June 14, 2002

Buying B2B catalog management software and getting it installed, loaded with content and running can easily be a half million-dollar proposition. On average, it costs $250,000 for the software and approximately 50 percent of that for services.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

B2B Catalog Management Services Offer Less-Expensive Alternative

by Erica Driver, June 10, 2002

Companies that need a B2B catalog management solution but are not in a position to spend the money upfront have the option of using a hosted B2B catalog management service, which is less expensive over the short term.

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

IT Trends 2002, Midyear Update: B2B Catalog Management

by Erica Driver, April 5, 2002

We continue to expect the demise of most specialist B2B catalog management vendors as some are acquired and others falter in the face of competition. But we are refining the time line to stretch from 2003 to 2004.

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

The Future of B2B Catalog Management

by Erica Driver, March 4, 2002

We expect the demise of most specialist B2B catalog management vendors, as some are acquired by broader application vendors and others falter in the face of competition from cross-media product information management vendors.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

In Some Industries, Online B2B Catalogs Present Strategic Opportunity

by Erica Driver, February 25, 2002

Depending on the industry, suppliers will implement online B2B catalogs as their customers demand. Benefits of doing so include reducing costs and improving customer service and satisfaction as well as increasing flexibility.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Industries Leading in Adoption of B2B Catalogs

by Erica Driver, February 25, 2002

While many decisions about implementing B2B catalogs will be customer-driven, companies should consider the strategic benefit of streamlining, enhancing and distributing rich product information to the right customers and prospects at the right time.

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

B2B Catalog Management Goes Cross-Channel

by Erica Driver, February 20, 2002

We recommend that sell-side companies that distribute product catalogs through multiple channels shift their focus from Web B2B catalog management specialists to cross-media product information management system vendors.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Component Suppliers: Consider Integrating B2B Catalogs into Customers’ CPD Systems

by Erica Driver, February 1, 2002

Giga expects to see i2 and other vendors that offer B2B catalog management solutions deepen integration with CAD/CAM and collaborative product development solutions during the coming 12 to 18 months the uncertainty being customer demand.

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

Aftermarket Suppliers Have Choices in B2B Catalog Management Solutions

by Erica Driver, January 31, 2002

The B2B catalog management solutions market is highly fragmented with vendors that specialize in catalog management competing against those that offer catalog management in the context of broader applications such as B2B order management.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Cross-Media Catalog Production Solutions Provide Single Repository for Catalog Data

by Erica Driver, January 10, 2002

By eliminating the need to maintain two separate product information databases, companies can reduce costs, improve data quality, increase productivity, reduce delivery time for customized catalogs and possibly improve customer service.

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

When To Pull The Trigger On Sell-Side Content

by John P. Dalton, Harley Manning, Moira Dorsey, Katharine M. Gardiner, January 9, 2002

Before forking over a six- or seven-figure investment in sell-side content management, companies should assess market opportunities and organizational commitment.

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

Rehabilitating B2B Content

by John P. Dalton, Harley Manning, Katharine M. Gardiner, December 28, 2001

Sell-side firms struggle with complex - and expensive - content management challenges. To succeed, firms must either master application integration and content classification or find a hosted solutions provider.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Six Steps to Putting Up a B2B Catalog

by Erica Driver, December 20, 2001

Vendors that approach catalog management from either a content management or e-commerce perspective still have a content-centric or commerce-centric worldview and lack core competency in catalog management.

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

Consider Additional Requirements for European B2B Catalog Management Solutions

by Erica Driver, December 20, 2001

Two additional areas of functionality that European companies should include in B2B catalog management solution evaluations are support for multiple languages and output to both the Web and destinations such as paper, wireless devices and interactive . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

What Should B2B Sell-Side Apps Do?

by Laurie M. Orlov, Christopher Mines, Taichi Nakashima, Meredith Child, December 18, 2001

B2B sell-side apps are converging from channel management, B2C, and ERP roots. Today's hodgepodge will morph into a value chain selling suite, distributing management of relationships, commerce, and orders.