Route 56 Podcast

Route 56 #8 - September 29, 2006 - Analyzing the Analysts - Looking at CRM From Their Side and At Them

This is short by my standards. Less than a million years long. This episode takes a look at the CRM world through the eyes of the analysts (I wear glasses) and through my analytic eyes (I said I wear glasses) at the analysts themselves. In short, so to speak, there are four segments:

1. Analyzing the analysts - I discuss the major analyst firms in CRM - Gartner Group, Forrester, IDC and Aberdeen Research, recently acquired by Harte Hanks for reasons that make no sense no matter what they were - which tells you what I think of Aberdeen. I also name the best analysts in the business. I could tell you here but then you wouldn't listen to the podcast.


2. The NY Five Minutes - a few snippets on what analysts are reporting when it comes to CRM recently - for example, Gartner on Oracle CRM


3. Companies You Should Know But Probably Never Heard Of - This segment is me with my analyst hat on - companies that I expect to do very well in the CRM space but you probably don't know them for one reason or another. I met some of them at the Gartner CRM Conference I spoke at a couple of weeks ago. Others I just know from other places. I highlight two and mention others to keep your eyes on.


4. Finally, an interview with Denis Pombriant that is prefaced by something quite cool - his own kids, Alec and Jack composed and then played jazz that introduces my interview with this remarkable guy. My first user created content and by the kids of the dad I interview on his perception of where CRM is now trending and moving toward. Best analyst out there for the 2.0 view from the summit.

Okay, time to attribute the music. But I want to preface it with something about one of the artists. Maria Daines is the artist who does two pieces here and there are links to her site etc. where I attribute it below. But I gotta tell you, she is amazing. She is really good (that's my insightful musical analysis) not amateur in any way and has a voice that deserves greater visibility. I think she lives in Europe somewhere which may be why I don't know much about her and have never heard her until now. But I am SO impressed I can't tell you. The vocalist I think she's most like is Janice Joplin. Which says a lot. I loved Janice Joplin. I did.

The Music We Love

1. The Opening of the Episode - "Business Ain't Music" by Maria Daines


2. Analyzing the Analysts - "Forecast" by GsE-Prophet


3. The NY Five Minutes - "New York, New York" by realla squad


4. Companies You Should Know... - "Your Time Will Come" by Maria Daines (its number 49)


5. Denis Pombriant Interview - "Title Unknown" by Alec and Jack Pombriant


6. Closing of the Episode - "Business Ain't Music" by Maria Daines
   
   

Here's the link to directly listen to this podcast episode Click HERE

Technorati : Aberdeen, CRM, Denis Pombriant, Forrester, Gartner, IDC, Route 56, analysts, customer experience

Route 56 #7 - September 1, 2006 - Anytime, Anywhere, The Hallmark of the Mobile Customer

This one had me at a text messaged "hello." I'm zooming in on the mobile economy and the "anytime, anywhere" paradigm that we can expect to see more of as the infrastructure, technology and cool gadgets keep pouring out of the big hole in the earth's center they seem to come from. Of course, for all this to work, there has to be a commitment by the wireless carriers to actually improving the customer experience too.

That said, I spend a good deal of time talking about some of the amazing things that are going on in this industry. For example the incredible Blackberry Pearl that is beginning to create some serious buzz on the net. In fact, this is the first thing I think I'd call a "Blingberry." Look at all the Google references to it and take a look at the pix of it that are circulating. But there is so much more with carriers like Sprint leading the way with investments in 4G networks and mobile virtual networks.

All of that, as I point out rather directly is part of a move toward Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) that is part of the transformation to traveling ubiquity that's going on in the universe of business and customers - but all part of the customer ecosystem.

Denis Pombriant points out however, that too many wireless standards can, ahem, stand in the way of this transformation.

Being a bratty New Yorker, I point out that the miserable customer service and strange business configurations that the carriers have can be barriers to all of this too.

But, with all that and all these exciting things, the crown jewel is an interview with Senior Marketing Manager for Mobile CRM at Research in Motion, creator of the Blackberry, Paul Briggs, which sounds almost royal in title it's so long, but the interview is revealing as he identifies what he sees, as a long time industry observer, for mobile CRM and the "prosumer" kinds of customers who integrate business and personal lives into that thing called "existence."

Oh yeah, by the way, just so its written too, Someone at Verizon Wireless told me that they are going to eliminate their telemarketing operations nationally because of huge numbers of complaints and inadequately trained people. I want to make this public knowledge since I don't think it is. But if its true, and I'm holding them to it or I'll be mercilessly on their case, then its a big step toward confidence in a wireless carrier.

BTW, I use Sprint and dumped Cingular recently and didn't choose Verizon Wireless for my Palm Treo 700p. Find out why. Though I want one of those Blackberry Pearls, man, I really do.

The Music:

Opening & Closing: Cell Phone Warrior by Cowboy Squid

Intro to NY Five Minutes: On the Go by Robin James

Intro to Fixed Mobile Convergence Piece: Cell Phone Punk by The Kind

Margin Notes Theme: Piece of Mind by Sly (D) CAN

Play Episode #7 by clicking here. ANOTHER big file.

Technorati : CRM, cell phone, customer experience, mobile

Route 56 # 6 - August 8, 2006 Signs of the Customer Ecosystem

This is the second "themed" podcast, organized around the transformation that the economy continues to undergo. There is so much covered, it boggles the mind and reduces my available bandwidth pretty significantly. From the Verizon Wireless/LG "Chocolate" cell phone to "dock and download" to an view of the sales web by Denis Pombriant to an interview with noted author and economic thought leader Joe Pine 2, the man who coined the term "the experience economy" with a strong emphasis on the anywhere, anyway, any time world that customers now own, we have enough to boggle the mind, transform your experience and probably empty your wallet if there was some specific business proposition here.

But there isn't. We have business models, but there's no price attached.

So enjoy.

But before you listen, go take a good long look at Joe Pine's websites. Both his business site, for Strategic Horizons LLP, which will give you a good idea on how this amazing guy goes about his business and what he can do for you as a consultant and world class thinker (and intense Yankees fan). Also, don't neglect his site for what you'l hear him speak on - his and James Gilmore's annual "Thinkabout" which is where you go to do some world-class brainstorming and networking on the value proposition of the experience. DO NOT PROCEED WITH THIS PODCAST UNTIL YOU HAVE DONE THAT!!

Please.

Lots of cool music in this one including a, oh, what's the word for it, a remix sorta, I did to introduce the segment on The New Business Models. What I did was a compilation of audio and music from varying mods that have been done by users for various games out there including:

1. Deus Ex


2. Civilization IV


3. Quake IV


4. Command and Conquer: Renegade

The rest of the music was real music from varying podsafe sites and I'd like to give a shout out to the artists who allow us podcasters to use their music to enhance the experience that a listener has when they listen to a podcast.

The artists and segments they are associated with:

1. Intro to Show & Closing - Watch Out by Matt Thorpe


2. NY 5 Minutes & Blogher Short -Roll with the Changes by Gary Bigelow


3. Margin Notes with Denis Pombriant - Piece of Mind by Sly D (CAN)


4. Intro to New Business Models - my worldclass remix


5. Joe Pine Interview - Another Strange Day by Francesco Riganti

Play Episode #6 by clicking here. (Though it will take a helluva long time to load. BIG file this time around)

Technorati : CRM, customer ecosystem, customer experience

Route 56 #3 June 16, 2006 The Fight for the Enterprise, Gorgeous Trends and Where NOT To Buy a Screwdriver - The Tool Not The Drink

Most comprehensive, longest show to date (This runs like the three editions of my book - first one was 360 pages, second 480 pages, third 671 pages) But because there's so much material. News and commentary covers

1. the Oracle acquisition of Telephony@work as part of their enterprise rollup strategy and why they are doing it
2. the rollout of Google's Spreadsheet and their drive into the enterprise - what it means for the CRM industry and my concerns about Googles possible confusion about the meaning of "omnipresent" and "omniscient."
3. The consumerization of the Blackberry
4. Finally, the absolute must sites Springwise and their sister site Trendwatching

Additionally, Dennis Pombriant does his usual sterling job in assessing the latest trends in the OnDemand market; I savage Home Depot for their entirely customer unfriendly policies and there is a great interview with Pat Bakey, SAP's Senior Vice President of CRM for the Americas that will give you a good idea what SAP is thinking and planning for the present and the future.

The music is the same as the last two. Let me know if you like the music, and the content and either email me or call me.

You can listen to Route 56 Episode #3 here