I’ve previously discussed selling through VARs as a distribution channel strongly favored (maybe a bit too much!) by many early-stage technology and software companies. In this article, I will look at another “holy grail” channel that is often misunderstood and misused: The Hardware & Software OEM Channel. This channel can pay big dividends. But more […]
Software and Hardware Customer Service
An underrated competency in software and hardware companies–which should be considered MUCH more important– is the customer service function. I suppose that’s only natural; tech companies are very focused on gaining strategic advantage via technological advances and product differentiation. Once the product is in good shape, companies tend to shift their primary focus from product […]
Outsourcing Software Development Offshore
This has become a very hot topic in the last decade. I’m referring to the practice of companies in the US, and other developed countries, outsourcing software development projects to companies in lower cost, developing countries. This is a strategy that has “taken off” and has become mainstream in the software industry. Much has been […]
Direct Email–Good or Evil?
One of the most misunderstood tools in the Marketer’s Bag of Tricks is direct email. There’s good reason for it, of course. Everyone hates SPAM! I expect that even the most evil, notorious spammers of the world have SPAM filters on their personal email accounts. The end result of this universal distaste of SPAM is […]
Structuring High Tech Product Management
Tech Product Management–what does this term mean in the typical software or hardware company? What is the function, and where does it belong? I have a broad view on this as I’ve held permanent positions in quite a number of high-tech concerns, as well as worked in this area with a great many software and […]