Random Friday thoughts...
- A Jack Berry from BigBlue has added us to his briefings distro list. Why we're not quite sure, but we thought we'd post the text of his briefing invite below. Do you think it's best practice? Apart from tiering his audience a little better, what else could he improve?
- The other James has blogged about Open Source Analysis, a subject we discussed a while back here, here, here and there. He asks a few good questions about the business model. The whole area is interesting: in EMEA, the independents are happy to cooperate, some collaborate (like writing books together) and others are talking about uniting against the Borg. For AR professionals, it is both a challenge and an opportunity. Good luck guys!
- Finally, we have seen interesting comments, as usual:
- on Reviewing Gartner's Top Predictions - who will step up?
- on IDC attacks the user market -slowly
- and on On Blogger Relations and Influencers Relations
Links:
- Open source analyst business model?
- The Governor, ancient Iraq and Gartner
- Governor attack!
- Weekly roundup: Forrester, IT-director and Quocirca (Part I)
From: Jack Berry xxx@us.ibm.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 4:03:48 PM
Subject: Dec. 14 - IBM's Global Financing Quarterly Teleconference
I do not mean to bury you under multiple e-mails on the same subject but, Iwanted to be sure you know about the IGF IT Analyst Teleconferencetomorrow. I have a short list of analysts that may not all be on the moreformal list maintained by our Analyst Relations Support Group.I just picked up a new news items a few minutes ago, which I will share onthe call, that may prove of interest to those of you following IGF'sbusiness expansion strategy.SNAPSHOT: Join IBM Global Financing for a quarterlyupdate regarding the latest activities on financingofferings and some significant new areas of focuson Thursday, December 14, at 1:00 p.m. EST (18:00 UK).
IBM IT Analyst RelationsTeleconference Alert
WHAT
The call this quarter will feature innovative new offerings in the commercial and partner space, the latest on what IGF is doing with facilitating customer challenges with assetdisposition, and a look at how we are leveraging the totalcost of ownership with PC Financing. We will also presentbrief updates on the latest news from SMB and Vendor Financing.
HOSTS
Jack Berry, Manager, IBM Global Financing, Analyst Relations
WHEN
Thursday, December 14, 2006
1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. EST
18:00 - 19:15 UK
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
To enroll in the teleconference, reply to Kate xxx, xxx@us.ibm.com or call 1-xxx-xxx-xxx. A conferencenumber and password will be provided with your confirmation.
PRESENTATION MATERIALS & REPLAY INFORMATION
The charts will be available on the IT Analyst RelationsWeb site at: http://www.ibm.com/itanalyst/teleconferences/prior to the teleconference. Replay and additional materialswill be posted following the call.
INVITATIONS TO THIS TELECONFERENCE ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE
This invitation is intended solely for the IT analystcommunity within your firm and must not be shared withpress, financial analysts or other companies.
NON-DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
By accepting this password or participating in theteleconference or both, you agree that the informationdisclosed to you is confidential to IBM, and you furtheragree not to disclose, publish, disseminate or use theinformation prior to its general announcement by IBM.IBM IT Analyst Relations E-mail: xxx@us.ibm.comVisit the IT Analyst Relations site: http://www.ibm.com/itanalyst
Jack Berry
[signatured edited]
5 comments:
IBM really used to be the very best at AR, but they've been slipping for a few years. I was also very surprised to get a similar invite from IBM financing recently (but I think from a different person). I haven't followed IBM for quite a few years, and never looked at their financing. I guess they are under pressure to get people on the call, and exchange quality for quantity, which says more about the targets used by their managers than anything else.
So smaller vendor or influential blogger does not equal quality?
I think give the guy a break - he is trying to come to grips with a changing analyst world. One that is difficult for anyone to navigate.
Those who (like my anonymous twin above) still equate AR as just about influencing the Borg are surely going to find themselves left out in the cold....
Quantity is certainly not quality. And quality is not either having only Borgs and IDC on the call. Analyst relations is about individuals. We've said this before: to us it should not matter if their business cards says Gartner or is their blog.
It's about attitude (and the ones with the most ego are not always the Borg analysts), being constructive and adding value.
IBM's AR hasn't simply "slipped" over the past couple of years - it's free-falling. Since 2003 IBM AR has devolved into a spin controller that does not take kindly to unflattering comments or outsider perspectives.
When IBM shakes its current attitude and quits viewing the analyst community as its personal PR machine, then maybe it'll be worthwhile to listen to what it has to say.
Compare IBM's AR machince to Accenture's: about 10 times the size and many, many, many times worse. It's disintegrated completely in the last couple of years to the point where most analysts just bypass it to talk directly with MI or their business line people. Also been a lot of IBM AR folks openly bitching about the level of politics there these days - sounds like time they appointed someone to straighten the mess out before it threatens to approach Oracle's AR hellhole of crapness... maybe IBM should hire the lovely Peggy?
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