3:32 PM 12/4/2009Vendors are retooling themselves to meeting the demand for accurate business intelligence (BI) solutions. Acquisitions and strategic partnerships appear to be the most popular way for vendors to jockey for the top position in this growing market. The following are the issues that customers should investigate if their enterprise applications vendor follows the strategy of partnering with a boutique vendor like Vanguard or Corporate Radar (see Boutique Vendors Can Bring Big Value?):
* If scattered data from enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), spreadsheets, etc., must be included in the total BI solution, does the boutique vendor provide the tools and service skills required?
* Do you feel comfortable with the financial viability and geographic coverage of boutique vendors, which are smaller due to their tight market focus?
* As both the enterprise and BI products evolve, who is responsible for keeping the two in synch? And who is responsible for integration?
* Are you able to provide the internal hardware and software support required? Or will that have to be the vendors' lookout?
Part Seven of the Business Intelligence Status Report series.
On the other hand, customers considering an enterprise application vendor that follows an alliance strategy with a renowned horizontal BI vendor, like Cognos or Business Objects, should consider the following:
* BI vendors using strategic alliances tend to offer product suites that are broad and functional, but lack deep industry specific needs. Are your industry-specific needs provided by the solution? You should rigorously question industry specific issues and the responsibilities of the two vendors relative to the inevitable integration and future enhancements.
* The horizontal BI vendor may have a large customer base, but may have a limited number of customers in your specific industry. Does this make a difference to you?
* As both the enterprise and BI products evolve, who is responsible for keeping the two in synch? And who is responsible for the integration?
* A solution based upon a BI product from a horizontal provider may be an overkill in terms of unneeded functions, support requirements, and cost. How will the vendor approach your needs?
* The BI product will require internal support. Can you support the hardware and software required for a solution based upon a horizontal BI vendor?
* If scattered data from enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), spreadsheets, etc., must be included in the total BI solution, does the boutique vendor provide the tools and service skills required?
* Do you feel comfortable with the financial viability and geographic coverage of boutique vendors, which are smaller due to their tight market focus?
* As both the enterprise and BI products evolve, who is responsible for keeping the two in synch? And who is responsible for integration?
* Are you able to provide the internal hardware and software support required? Or will that have to be the vendors' lookout?
Part Seven of the Business Intelligence Status Report series.
On the other hand, customers considering an enterprise application vendor that follows an alliance strategy with a renowned horizontal BI vendor, like Cognos or Business Objects, should consider the following:
* BI vendors using strategic alliances tend to offer product suites that are broad and functional, but lack deep industry specific needs. Are your industry-specific needs provided by the solution? You should rigorously question industry specific issues and the responsibilities of the two vendors relative to the inevitable integration and future enhancements.
* The horizontal BI vendor may have a large customer base, but may have a limited number of customers in your specific industry. Does this make a difference to you?
* As both the enterprise and BI products evolve, who is responsible for keeping the two in synch? And who is responsible for the integration?
* A solution based upon a BI product from a horizontal provider may be an overkill in terms of unneeded functions, support requirements, and cost. How will the vendor approach your needs?
* The BI product will require internal support. Can you support the hardware and software required for a solution based upon a horizontal BI vendor?
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