E-Mail Systems
E-mail is the most universal business application deployed today. Whether it's a standards-based system, like Stalker Software's CommuniGate Pro; a turnkey system from Mirapoint; free Web-based services like Hotmail, MyRealBox or Yahoo Mail; or a feature-rich proprietary system from Lotus Development Corp. or Microsoft, e-mail has become the Internet's version of an asynchronous telephone. E-mail systems have reached commodity status. The features, host environment, administrative overhead and cost determine which system gets implemented.
Standards-based mail systems are still struggling to move past basic messaging. Novell added calendaring and group scheduling to its directory-enabled Novell Internet Messaging System (NIMS) in August, and Ipswitch added calendaring. Because Internet standards for calendaring and scheduling (IETF RFC 2445) haven't made it past the drafts stage, the Novell NIMS team coded to the existing draft specifications with a commitment to revise as needed when the drafts evolve into standards. Slow standards development and ratification is standing in the way of enhanced functionality in this arena.
Lotus and Microsoft will continue their strategies of releasing complementary products that enhance the already impressive feature lists of their proprietary messaging products. Mobile access, asynchronous and real-time collaboration, IM (instant messaging), presence, and unified communications have all become critical features for corporate communication. E-mail alone doesn't cut it anymore.
If you need to implement a full-featured messaging platform, the choice comes down to Lotus Notes or Microsoft Exchange. There are two technical issues revolving around choice, directories and platform. If implementing Microsoft's Active Directory and running your messaging server on Windows don't fill you with trepidation, Exchange is your ticket. Exchange enjoys a large market-share lead over Notes, and that lead is increasing.
If you'd prefer to use an existing, non-Microsoft directory and Unix or Linux as the OS, Notes makes more sense. Novell's GroupWise is a viable choice, but we worry about the long-term prospects for this product as Novell continues to emphasize the importance of Internet and consulting services.
Enterprise Collaboration Tools
Aside from Web services, the enterprise-collaboration-tools market promises to be one of the most hotly contested during the coming year. Not only are the big names like Lotus and Microsoft investing heavily in this space, but smaller providers that specialize in developing collaboration software, like eRoom Technology and Intraspect Software, continue to enhance their excellent offerings. The economic challenges that many businesses will face during the coming year and the desire of many companies and individuals to cut back on travel will move electronic collaboration into the must-have category.
The collaboration market is generally broken down into two segments: asynchronous and real-time products. This distinction is beginning to erode as asynchronous collaboration vendors, such as eRoom, add real-time capabilities to their asynchronous offerings. Corporate instant messaging, whiteboarding, one-to-one chat, group discussions and live document collaboration were all added to eRoom's digital workspace during the past year.
The real-time vendors haven't been idle. Microsoft combined the capabilities of MSN Messenger and NetMeeting; implemented a new standard, SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), for initiating sessions; bundled it with Windows XP; and called it Windows Messenger (WM). WM is as easy to use as America Online's IM and gives you voice and video. Kiss emoticons goodbye; smile and wink instead. A number of corporate-strength IM products are getting a close look as security concerns come into focus. Planet Exchange, 2Way and WiredRed Software are all worth looking at if you're contemplating moving IM in-house.
CRM
Vendors of CRM packages have been making a big push and seem intent on taking the hill in the next year. Most CRM vendors have changed tactics and are now deploying primarily thin-client Web based suites to replace client/server applications. That's a smart move if these companies are going reach large corporate work forces that are often distributed across the enterprise.
While progress has been exceptional, there are still some chinks in the armor, and that's where CRM offerings will beef up. In the past it was an all-or-nothing approach -- buy a prebuilt system or build your own. A more modularized approach is now being pioneered. This is the right approach.
Watch for SAP this coming year. The ERP giant has quietly moved into the CRM market, a bid that does not please smaller CRM vendors. Siebel, the current market leader, appears poised to continue its role, but the dogs of war are nipping at its heels as smaller, more energetic vendors that have placed all their eggs in the CRM basket are rapidly maturing.
But there's no doubt that a wave of consolidation is headed this way. One of the biggest issues faced by CRM implementers over the past year has been the lack of a single solution to provide all the functionality necessary for quality customer-relationship management. Recent consolidation will open the door for more complete CRM offerings from far fewer vendors. So watch for more complete, modularized offerings in the next year.
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