Every day, individuals contend with language that uses extreme and urgent superlatives. Completion of a straightforward task is celebrated as “Awesome,” and a promise to return a telephone call is “Perfect.” I often ask myself: When does a situation truly warrant such a degree of description and attention?

Summit Europe 2014Well, at SiriusDecisions we believe that the transformation of our lives and businesses that has resulted from the development of the Web is worthy of truly extreme and dramatic superlatives.

Unlike a change, a transformation signifies a more fundamental, permanent alteration in behavior and a new understanding of why we perform certain actions. I repeat, our business world has not merely changed because of the Web – it has transformed.

To prepare and initiate the necessary transformation within our work-related B2B functions can be a very tough job and requires the best tools, advice and guidance we can find. That’s why I’m gratified that so many people will be attending the SiriusDecisions 2014 Summit Europe, where senior sales, marketing and product executives will come together to learn and exchange ideas in order to continue their transformation process.

At the Summit, SiriusDecisions will bring together a team of its seasoned analysts who, via personal experience and fact-based research, constantly advise clients on how to tackle the challenges, frustrations and heartaches they face on a daily basis. Moreover, representatives from companies large and small will present their experiences and offer individual insights.

Since transformation has been driven by the innovative use of technology, a host of technology vendors, implementers, data providers and agencies will be on hand, representing a vital force that contributes to the wider B2B marketing community.

A theme ever present in our SiriusDecisions research and guidance is the alignment of marketing, sales and product functions. This is achieved via adoption of common standards, commitment to goals and disciplined process control. No function can operate in a bubble; uniting departments within a B2B business means reinforcing the need to support the company’s growth plans. Think about it. Have you ever heard of a business that does not want to grow, whether organically or by acquisition? This is a topic that senior vice president and chief research officer Tony Jaros will explore at the Summit.

Speaking of growth, SiriusDecisions is expanding within the EMEA region. Since I joined (a third of the way through 2013), the company has doubled in size. With new analysts based in Europe, as well as customer support managers and account executives covering parts of continental Europe, the company is better placed to support our European family. We all will be on hand to meet you at this year’s Summit.

When you arrive, please take a moment to say hello to Justin Hall, our newest recruit, who is a research director in our Demand Creation Strategies service. Not only does Justin have a new job, his life has recently transformed owing to his new role as a father, his daughter having been born just a few weeks ago. In his own words, “She is just perfect.”