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Why Every Organization Should Consider Third-Party Maintenance, Shelfware Reductions and Unbundling Maintenance Contracts
On average, IT budgets are down from 1-5 percent year-over-year, yet software support and maintenance costs continue to escalate ahead of inflation. Hence, continued pressure on IT budgets and a growing need for innovation projects have top business and technology leaders reexamining their software support and maintenance contracts for cost efficiencies.
Based on experience from over 1500 software contract negotiations, Constellation suggests three approaches to reduce the cost of software support and maintenance. Key strategies include third-party maintenance, shelfware reductions and unbundling maintenance contracts as part of every organization’s tech optimization strategy. Successful implementation can lead to savings from 10-25 percent of the IT budget, freeing up cash to fund innovation initiatives.
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Waka Digital’s COO Discusses Managing Mobile Infrastructure Securely
In this report, Waka Digital Media COO Jacob Braun discusses mobility, adoption of mobile devices, and BYOD.
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SAP's CIO Discusses Managing Mobile Devices
In this report, SAP CIO Oliver Bussman discusses mobility, adoption of mobile devices, BYOD and ensuring that each of their enterprises preserves both enterprise security along with supporting users. This is not as simple as it might initially seem, especially when you have over 20,000 such devices.
New York, New York – March 5, 2012 Constellation Research, Inc. announced today that veteran sales executive Terence Vaughan has joined the company as VP of Sales for end user communities. Vaughan is responsible for driving the growth and expansion of Constellation’s North America sales and business development efforts.
Analyst Blog
Multiple Respected Research Survey Results Confirm Frequent Flyer Observations
It’s official. In multiple respected customer experience research reports that cover the airline industry, the results are in. Despite the numerous attempts by CEO Jeff Smisek to gloss over the issue with increasingly slicked up, feel good, on board welcome ads, Continental’s customer satisfaction numbers have reached the abyss of United’s. While United Holdings may tout their most admired status in the airline industry by Fortune, the award is measured by corporate executives, airline executives, boards of directors and industry analysts – basically not the customers and passengers who fly United Holdings. On multiple flights this year, I’ve personally heard Continental flyers groan and boo out loud every time they see the welcome aboard video where Jeff Smisek touts how he’s out to help customers, tells them why they are going to like this merger, and brags about how many planes he’s painted in the new livery. Flight attendants and pilots roll their eyes as well.
Analyst Blog
Constellation’s Connected Enterprise brings together the brightest minds to discuss the present and future of innovation, technology, and society, and is quickly establishing itself as the must-attend conference for pioneers, innovators, and early adopters. Continuing this tradition, we have brought together an accomplished group of dynamic visionaries to deliver this year’s keynote addresses on November 9th thr
Analyst Blog
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Why Understanding the Breadth of Analytics is Crucial
Using quantitative methods is rapidly becoming not an option for competitive advantage, but rather – at the very least – barely enough to keep up. Everyone needs to understand what’s involved in analytics, what your particular organization needs, and how to do it.
My friend and associate Vinnie Mirchandani has written his second book, The New Technology Elite: How Great Companies Optimize Both Technology Consumption and Production. I asked Vinnie if I could write a review, and he provided a pre-release copy of his book.
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Revisiting the Three V’s of Big Data
Analyst Blog
Genesys unveiled its marketing plans at its industry analyst conference with much enthusiasm, as it transitions to a private company. Private equity firm Permira recently finalized its acquisition and fortunately for Genesys, its brand remained intact from the 2000 earlier purchase by Alcatel Lucent. Throughout the event Genesys emphasized its commitment to engage with its customers and extend its brand as a premier brand in customer service. Genesys plans to continue its strong focus as an innovative software provider for contact centers and cross channel interactions, while also providing solutions in adjacent markets. It rightly considers mobile and social as two major growth opportunities.
Analyst Blog
Color me a bit surprised when I reviewed a recording of a web conference made with Microsoft Lync and discovered the audio was remarkably awful!
A colleague and I created a promotion piece for the unified communications RFP sessions at Enterprise Connect using our Lync Online accounts. One of the “nice” features of Lync is that the conference, including audio and slides, can be recorded.
Analyst Blog
Sydney, Australia - February 21st, 2012 Constellation Research, Inc., an award-winning research analyst and advisory firm helping clients navigate emerging and disruptive technologies, announced today that Annalie Killian will join the Board of Advisors.
Analyst Blog
Original Mission Improves Engagement Through Relevancy
Analyst Blog
In an SAP-sponsored post on ZDnet, SAP employee Eric Lai attempts to identify "four big problems" with multitenancy in cloud applications. As I am writing a soon-to-be published research report on cloud ERP, I was interested to hear Eric's take on the subject.
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Join Constellation Research for Executive Forum: The Future of Work, a complimentary workshop designed to address trends affecting the workplace and prepare you for the Future of Work.
Analyst Blog
SAP’s First Consumer App Addresses A Key Consumer Concern
Analyst Blog
With the average CRM deployment nearing the end of their useful life, over 85 percent of line of business executives and CIOs intend to upgrade their CRM systems in the next 24 months. Why? Customer expectations and a slew of innovative solutions have changed the delivery of customer centricity. Key factors include the need to adopt disruptive technologies, complete the customer view, and achieve business value.
Constellation’s latest survey of over 200 CRM decision makers highlights a trend to consolidate the CRM core as organizations chart four paths to CRM modernization. The four paths – stay with status quo, move to shiny new CRM, consolidate and augment, and modernize and surround with best-of-breed – represent pragmatic approaches to achieve customer centricity.
Analyst Blog
Catch my colleague Yvette Cameron’s point of view here. She covers Future of Work for Constellation Research, Inc.
Oracle Plays Catch Up With Public Cloud Ambitions
Analyst Blog
ShoreTel announced on 1 February, 2012 that it was acquiring M5 Networks, a New York-based provider of hosted communications solutions for the SMB space.
I understand the motivation for M5 to sell the company - it needed access to more capital, a larger brand, and more feet on the street. I'm still trying to get my arms around what this acquisition does for ShoreTel. Where are the synergies?
Analyst Blog
Quarks
Where Should the IT Department Put Security/Access Control Points for Cloud Data Access?
To be able to run operations and applications from the cloud, the non-cloud platforms below have to be cloud enabled. But always remember that in cloud services, data security is ultimately the responsibility of the enterprise customer. So where does the enterprise put the control point to maintain data access/security control of cloud-based data?
Data can be accessed in transit or while in the cloud if not protected well. We discuss the ways that data can be protected and authorization can be given for access in a cloud environment by making sure the underlying non-cloud IT infrastructure and policy automation have taken the appropriate measures.
Quarks
Disturbing Research Shows that Social Media and Unified Communications Will Cause Employee Distraction. How Do Executives Deal With It?
This document discusses the workplace turbulence that can be caused by the incessant stream of instant messages, texts, tweets, social notifications, email, and voice messaging but concludes with some actionable suggestions CxOs and managers can take to realize the productivity benefits of the UC and social technologies they deploy.
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When and Why on the Path to Customer Centricity for CRM Customers.
Constellation’s latest survey of over 200 CRM decision makers highlights a trend to consolidate the CRM core as organizations chart four paths to CRM modernization. The four paths – stay with status quo, move to shiny new CRM, consolidate and augment, and modernize and surround with best-of-breed – represent pragmatic approaches to achieve customer centricity.
Regardless of approach, Constellation recommends that executives approach CRM modernization with a lens that accounts for including tangibles, intangibles and contingencies in the calculations of business value. Using the Constellation Business Value Framework, organizations can quickly compare the four paths of CRM modernization and determine the most appropriate path.