December, 2005

article thumbnail

The Benefits of Business Intelligence

The ROI Guy

As a result of implementing business intelligence applications, organizations are gaining key business value advantages ranging from simple cost avoidance, such as saving on the labor, printing and distributing reports, to competitive advantage, such as recognizing hot selling items quickly enough to respond to customer demands and avoid “out-of-stock” conditions.

Benefit 40
article thumbnail

The ROI Risks of VoIP

The ROI Guy

VoIP projects indeed can deliver great cost savings and empower the business for greater agility, applications and capabilities. But these projects are not without their risks. These typically include: 1. Network readiness is often under-estimated resulting in higher that expected upgrade investments required in network equipment and connectivity 2.

ROI 40
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

The Benefits of RFID

The ROI Guy

The costs for implementing RFID are still too high for most mainstream applications, but are falling. While the costs and risks might be too high to deploy in a production environment, the benefits are proving more apparent and many should be conducting research projects to begin determining the potential ROI. Here is a quick checklist of several benefits which can be achieved with RFID solutions: 1.

Benefit 40
article thumbnail

The ROI of HR Self Service Applications

The ROI Guy

Here are a few suggested HR applications you may wish to consider for self-service enablement Employee self-service applications ? Retiree services ? Paid time off requests ? Electronic paystubs ? Withholding changes and deductions ? Time card entry ? Personal data maintenance ? Training registration ? Benefit inquiries ? Open enrollment ? 401(k) or pension services ?

article thumbnail

Sales & Marketing Alignment: How to Synergize for Success

Speaker: Carlos Hidalgo, Co-Founder & CEO of Digital Exhaust, Author, International Keynote & TEDx Speaker

Recent research shows that only 50% of B2B organizations state that they have good alignment between their marketing and sales teams. This lack of alignment tremendously impacts the ability to meet business goals, and is a limiting factor for building and maintaining customer relationships. While many B2B organizations continue to struggle with aligning their marketing and sales teams, they can take practical steps to unify both teams and simplify their overall approach.

article thumbnail

Improve Project Success Rates

The ROI Guy

Although improving over the past 5 years, IT projects still suffer too many setbacks and failures. In our latest research with IDC, the good news is that 2/3rds of IT projects are now successfully deployed. This is truly a drastic improvement over pre-2000 figures, where 1/3rd of all projects were cancelled prior to deployment, and 40% failed to meet budget, schedule and requirement criteria for success.

More Trending

article thumbnail

Q&A for SearchCIO: The State of ROI from IT

The ROI Guy

Between utility computing and offshore outsourcing, it's a pretty safe bet that the data center of tomorrow won't look like the data center of today. What can CIOs do to prepare for the inevitable evolution? In this interview, Tom Pisello, founder, CEO and president (basically "The Man") of Orlando, Fla.-based Alinean LLC, a company that develops tools to measure IT value and ROI, talks to SearchCIO.com about which current trends merit attention -- and what CIOs should be doing to stay ahead of

article thumbnail

Don't just cut IT spending - Use IT to reduce SG&A is best way to cut costs

The ROI Guy

Reducing IT costs is a great idea and all, but maybe you should take a closer look at administrative expenses instead. That's the advice from Alinean Research. The ROI consultancy, based in Orlando, Fla., crunched several years' worth of financial data from 10,000 publicly held companies and found that IT departments have indeed reduced costs through consolidation and cutbacks.

article thumbnail

Ten Steps to High ROIT

The ROI Guy

1) Think like the CEO. Focus on the business first. This will affect your competitive advantage. 2) Communicate in stakeholder-specific terms, such as "competitive advantage," "growth," "income statement," "TCO" and "key business metrics." 3) Think strategically. Create a competitive analysis. Compare your company to others in the industry. Be aware of where you stand, and communicate that to your board. 4) Know where your company stands in terms of things like net income vs.

ROI 40
article thumbnail

The ROI of Business Intelligence

The ROI Guy

Companies have spent millions on transactional systems to help automate key business processes. While these systems generate enormous amounts of valuable information, they often have poor reporting capabilities, inhibiting the sharing of key information -- like demand forecasting, inventory levels, error rates, finances and budgets. The most common way for organizations to analyze and report on valuable business data is through spreadsheets.

ROI 40
article thumbnail

Streamlining Salesforce for Maximum Impact: A People-Focused Pocket Guide

Step inside the world of Salesforce consulting, stripped of fluff and jargon. Our guide provides a detailed exploration of five key success criteria, complete with actionable steps for immediate implementation. Elevate your Salesforce investment with insights on goal setting, system design, core object utilization, user adoption, and crafting a system tailored to your needs.

article thumbnail

IT Does Matter

The ROI Guy

Nick Carr's argument that IT initiatives are no longer a source of corporate competitive advantage is both right and wrong. True, many IT purchases are commoditized buys that don't lift an organization past its peers. But the fundamental mistake in Carr's thesis is that all IT investments are a commodity, and should therefore be cut because they don't drive business value.

article thumbnail

The ROI for Information Lifecycle Management (ILM)

The ROI Guy

With consolidation to storage area networks and advances in storage management software packages, the concept of hierarchies and intelligent management like information lifecycle management (ILM) is again at the forefront of storage architecture planning. ILM is a growing set of recommended practices and technologies that allow companies to manage data more efficiently and effectively.

ROI 40
article thumbnail

CIOs: Winning the Budget Battle

The ROI Guy

CIOs at organizations of all sizes are prepared to go into budget battle -- competing for precious few dollars to fund routine IT needs and hopefully some innovative initiatives. Even while the predictions for IT spending look promising for the next year, overall available funding is going to be tight, as revenue falls victim to the whims of an uncertain and unstable economy.

article thumbnail

Selling with ROI

The ROI Guy

IT vendors have accepted the fact that closing deals today requires proving that their products deliver substantial value. But, with some budget relief in sight for this year, vendors may be optimistic about the return of the happy days of pre-bubble selling -- and they could abandon their commitment to ROI-based selling programs. Unfortunately, most of the recent IT budget increases will not materialize into a spending windfall, and scarce dollars are already allocated to meet backlogged demand

ROI 40
article thumbnail

5 Inspiring B2B Marketing Campaigns to Take Yours to the Next Level

Your next big B2B marketing idea starts here. Get inspired with these five successful B2B marketing campaigns. Ready to generate more leads, interest, and revenue with your B2B marketing? In this comprehensive eBook, you’ll get: In-depth studies of five successful B2B marketing campaigns spanning a wide range of industries Key takeaways and lessons from each story to implement in your own strategy Resources to help your own B2B marketing thrive By submitting this form, you agree to have your con

article thumbnail

The ROI from CRM

The ROI Guy

Getting analysts to agree on the potential returns of CRM is nearly impossible. Several reports recently published claimed that the return on investment (ROI) from recent CRM implementations had been dismal, with eight out of 10 projects failing to deliver on ROI promises, and project failure rates typically running between 50% and 70%. Other reports were more optimistic, estimating that about 70% of companies said their CRM initiatives had exceeded original ROI expectations.

ROI 40
article thumbnail

CIO to CFO: Extreme Makeover

The ROI Guy

Everyone loves a good makeover. Perhaps the CIO could benefit from one. With the help of a 'keen eye' and some pointed advice, these embattled executives need to shift focus to what's really the most important criteria for IT and business success. A recent Empirimetric analysis (contributions to profitability as surveyed by the PIMS Program from the Empirimetric Corporation – 2002) of 3,000 business units from more than 300 corporations found that operating effectiveness (also known as "the abil

article thumbnail

The ROI SLA: Assuring Value Delivery

The ROI Guy

The rules for IT spending have changed significantly in the past 18 months and financial accountability is the new name of the game. Many vendors see ROI analysis as the way to arm prospects with a dollar-driven business case needed to win C-suite approval. Unfortunately, many IT professionals are finding that even the most robust vendor ROI tools aren't enough to stand up under the increased levels of financial scrutiny.

ROI 40
article thumbnail

CIOs are from Mars, CFOs are from Venus

The ROI Guy

According to recent Gartner / Meta Group polls of the top CIO Priorities for 2005, three of the top five goals are related to proving and improving the returns from IT investments. These include improving value management, achieving greater business / IT alignment, and improving portfolio management (scorecards of investment options to optimize value while reducing risks).

article thumbnail

Brick & Mortar Retail Relevance: How to Stay Ahead of the Curve

Speaker: Jay Black, Senior Account Executive

Let's set the record straight: in-store retail isn't dead - it's evolving! Faced with the digital age and the demands of omnichannel shopping, some retailers are thriving while others are struggling to adapt. Join Jay Black in this exclusive session as he explores the strategies that set successful stores apart, including: Crafting unique and unforgettable in-store experiences 🛍️ Mastering the art of retail demands 🛒 Navigating inventory challenges in today's climate 📦 an

article thumbnail

IT Budget Time: Getting YES from a frugal CFO

The ROI Guy

IT spending is expected to grow again for the second straight year, with average 5-8% increases expected again for 2006. As a result, the IT budgeting process should be easier than in years past. Corporations have cash to spend, and for some businesses such as finance, technology, professional services, retail and others where IT is an essential component of competitive advantage getting executives to invest more in IT will be easier than ever.

article thumbnail

Will the real TCO please stand up!

The ROI Guy

There have been many conflicting TCO reports claiming one solution is cheaper than another, particularly with regard to Microsoft Windows versus Linux. Can these contradictory analyst reports be trusted? When an analyst develops these reports they often interview particular customers, some provided by the vendor, others independently assessed. For each interview a particular configuration is assessed and the costs analyzed.

article thumbnail

Small Company ROI: How to get the CEO to Yes

The ROI Guy

Any solution worth investing in will typically help the business drive revenue, improve productivity or save money. The key to any initiative you want others to consider for approval is to verify the benefits and then document the value of the solution compared to its costs to the organization. A simple business case would consist of the following topics covered to provide the executive with the business criteria they need to make sure the decision is well founded and can deliver value. 1.

ROI 40
article thumbnail

Its not just about the Technology; IT Professionals Really do Matter

The ROI Guy

One of the new top priorities for CIOs is people. At least that’s what the attendees at the SIM national 2005 conference in Boston indicate, and many IT professionals applaud the new sentiment. Being a technical professional was once a glamorous and rewarding career path. But that was pre-bubble, pre-outsourcing and pre-offshoring. During the cost cutting of the past five years IT departments have been viewed as cost centers, falling victim to annual staff reductions, leading to severe morale an

article thumbnail

How to Stay Competitive in the Evolving State of Martech

Marketing technology is essential for B2B marketers to stay competitive in a rapidly changing digital landscape — and with 53% of marketers experiencing legacy technology issues and limitations, they’re researching innovations to expand and refine their technology stacks. To help practitioners keep up with the rapidly evolving martech landscape, this special report will discuss: How practitioners are integrating technologies and systems to encourage information-sharing between departments and pr

article thumbnail

Got Leads? Here are a few Guidelines for High Tech IT Marketers

The ROI Guy

Lead development is always harder and more expensive resource-wise than anyone realizes. There are no silver bullet solution to getting prospects and filling a sales pipeline with good, quality leads.However, there are resources that can help. Finding companies with a need: Sales intelligence software can help sales professionals find the right companies, those with specific business opportunities that the company can address.

article thumbnail

Front office investments vs. back office investments

The ROI Guy

In a current IT spending vs. performance study we are doing with Bain we are looking at various IT success factors - trying to determine what makes some organizations more successful with their IT investments. One of the first items we confirmed, was the long standing belief that it is not how much you spend on IT that matters, but rather what you invest in that counts.

article thumbnail

Tom Pisello: The ROI Guy: The IT Hierarchy of Needs: Categorizing.

The ROI Guy

Tom Pisello: The ROI Guy This blog is dedicated to the strategies and tools used by solution providers to better prove and improve the value of B2B solutions to frugal buyers - using diagnostic assessments, interactive white papers, ROI calculators and TCO comparisons. Wednesday, December 14, 2005 The IT Hierarchy of Needs: Categorizing IT Projects for Success The book written by Nicholas Carr, “Does IT Matter,&# continues to stir debate with various pundits, and certainly remains a hot to

ROI 40
article thumbnail

Wish 3: Deliver me from in-Securities

The ROI Guy

Every small and medium business executive wishes they could spend more on security – but only after that fateful day when they realized they were spending too little too late. Unfortunately most small and medium businesses are busy investing in growth, and as a result spend less than they should on security related issues. The good news is that most of these businesses fly low on the radar screen and are not the prime targets of malicious attacks.

article thumbnail

1st, 2nd, and 3rd Party Intent Data: Which Is Right for You?

How do 1st, 2nd, and 3rd party intent data compare? 1st, 2nd, and 3rd party data each have specific advantages and disadvantages. It comes down to four factors: accuracy, cost, control and quantity. This infographic explains the pros and cons of each and helps you understand which one is best for meeting your business objectives. Intent data can be a great way to fill your pipeline and close more deals.

article thumbnail

Wish 4: Time to Hang Ten - Catching the Innovation Wave

The ROI Guy

The next several years will be the time for preparation and innovation, as IT spending continues to grow and the next technologically innovative wave rises and crests. Gartner recently outlined in its new years resolutions for CIOs, that 06 and 07 are important preparatory years for the next wave, and we agree. Companies which recognize and begin preparing for this wave will be most ready to take advantage of the opportunities that Internet 2.0 and other new technologies provide.

article thumbnail

Wish 5: Be optimistic about technology again

The ROI Guy

There was nothing that new technology and the Internet couldn't empower a small or medium business to do - creating new business models with new ways to market and sell; ways to interact with supply chain partners; ways to service customers …. to have the capabilities of large businesses but at lower costs and with higher agility. Unfortunately the optimism regarding technology investments was curtailed with the bursting of the Internet bubble.

article thumbnail

Florida Entrepreneur Resources

The ROI Guy

Central Florida Incubator [link] Tom ONeal oneal@mail.ucf.edu Carl Ann Dykes cdykes@mail.ucf.