SugarCRM a media company?
22 Feb, 2008Posted By: Clint
I just read a fascinating post on SiliconValleyWatcher.com where Tom Foremski discusses his idea that Silicon Valley is becoming Media Valley. As he rightly points out, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, etc are all technology-enabled media companies, not pure-play technology companies. He posits that the media center of the US is shifting from NYC to SV.
But what really got my attention was his rather off-hand comment at the end, “Every company is now a media company to a greater degree than ever before. Even if a company makes steel, or napkins. Every company publishes to its customers, staff, partners, neighbors, to itself. It had better master the two-way media technologies that we now have or it will not survive.”
This point particularly hit home as I spend a big part of my day, every day, thinking about communicating with and fostering communication within the Sugar Community. And we use tools that didn’t event exist just a few years ago with forum, blog and Wiki software. Beyond that we are naturally also using the tried and true channels of email and websites to communicate with the community. We even have an advertising medium with SugarExchange where third-party ISV’s pay to list their wares.
The amount of media-like material that we generate as a software company is truly outstanding at times. And it’s not like what we are doing is way out there. Every modern company that wants to be successful has to figure out how to master these new tools and become more like a media company.
Now here is a truly interesting thought. As we look at Sugar 6.0, we are looking at folding in forum, blog and Wiki components into the Sugar application. After all, these are just new communication channels with the customer, right? You want to know what your customers posted in your forums just as much as you want to know what emails they sent you. Clearly sending out email marketing campaigns is a form of media management.
So as the Internet evolves and CRM software evolves with it, is CRM software and media software converging? Interesting thoughts. I’d love to hear yours.
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:26 am
Thanks for referencing the article.
I don’t know if it’s so much a geographic battle (SV v NYC) as much as it is a new media v old media battle. Old media is clearly dying no matter where it’s located. Just take a look at Bay Area newspapers (San Jose Mercury News and SF Chronicle) and their woes.
Yes, new media is exciting. And clearly good ol’ CRM is taking on some new media aspects as you describe. As CRM is the centerpoint of all manner of business (read: human) interaction, it’s only natural to see a melding of new media concepts within the CRM framework.
Andy
February 25th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Integration is the key in modern development! SOA and Virtualized Server environments are driving us more towards specialization and away from one-size-fits-all ideals.
My suggestion to SugarCRM…Do CRM better then anyone else and you will be incredibly successful!
Work with existing open-source vendors in the Wiki, Forums & Blog space. Create a sort of macro community of vendors and work together to enable al-a-cart like environments that work together seamlessly then you will really have something that can play against anyone. If you simply try to go it alone then I’m afraid you’re rowing against the tide.
Good Luck…so far you have a great start on a excellent CRM product!
Jeff Herington