I'm guessing that most of this work would have to have been in place before JP (http://confusedofcalcutta.com/) moved to BT, but I'm sure there's a connection there somewhere.
David Tebbutt
· 2 years ago
It's (in theory) even better than AppExchange - vendors aren't building atop the SalesForce.com platform.
I went to BT to see what a search for "Business Manager" would turn up. This is the 'lame attempt' you and Thomas referred to. Here are the results from searching the BT website with the SMB filter on:
1. Business Communications Manager Find out about a communications solution which integrates voice and data functionality into one system, which meets your current needs but also has the capabilities to grow as your business changes.
2. Advanced phone systems for small to medium businesses Browse our portfolio of advanced phone systems for small to medium businesses
3. BT Business IT Manager BT Business IT Manager provides a complete service that encompasses every aspect of a small to medium business’ IT needs – from hardware supply and set up to advice and support for your systems.
4. IT Support Manager - Server Don't let server issues prevent you from doing business. Our IT experts can help fix your server problems without even coming on site. Similar pages
So, a 'lame attempt' it would appear to be. I wonder what happened to the people who signed up for it.
By the way, a link to David Terrar would have been nice. I suspect he may have had a hand in this story.
Phil Wainewright
· 2 years ago
Thanks for the links, Den - not only to my current website but also to the original BusinessManager news story that I wrote for ASPnews (cunningly credited to 'ASPNews staff' to give the impression I employed colleagues at the time).
There's more on the BusinessManager saga here (including an answer to Tebbo's question, 'what happened to the *person* who signed up for it'):
I stand by my comments, by the way, in the closing paragraph of that blog entry:
"... telecoms companies across the globe have collectively sunk millions of dollars into similarly clueless initiatives, entirely without success. They are wasting their time even thinking about becoming application providers ..."
However as Den says above, 'past history doesn't dictate future success or failure,' and I suppose it perhaps bodes well that BT is just getting on and doing this instead of making a big song-and-dance before establishing some market success. I would really like to see BT coming through and making this work, but its telco DNA will be getting in the way at every step.
David Terrar
· 2 years ago
There was good interest at the session. For example one of the companies queuing up with me to see the BT guy was Innovise, a more Enterprise oriented workforce management SaaS provider, looking to use Marketplace to help reach down to SMES more easily.
However, Thomas and Phil are right to mention failed innitiatives. BT are currently in the process of closing down BT Transact, an EDI style transaction exchange between customers and suppliers - just the sort of thing you would expect them to succeed at.
I'm hoping they make a success of both Workspace and Marketplace, but they've got some marketing to get right.
All Comments
I went to BT to see what a search for "Business Manager" would turn up. This is the 'lame attempt' you and Thomas referred to. Here are the results from searching the BT website with the SMB filter on:
1. Business Communications Manager
Find out about a communications solution which integrates voice and data functionality into one system, which meets your current needs but also has the capabilities to grow as your business changes.
2. Advanced phone systems for small to medium businesses
Browse our portfolio of advanced phone systems for small to medium businesses
3. BT Business IT Manager
BT Business IT Manager provides a complete service that encompasses every aspect of a small to medium business’ IT needs – from hardware supply and set up to advice and support for your systems.
4. IT Support Manager - Server
Don't let server issues prevent you from doing business. Our IT experts can help fix your server problems without even coming on site.
Similar pages
So, a 'lame attempt' it would appear to be. I wonder what happened to the people who signed up for it.
By the way, a link to David Terrar would have been nice. I suspect he may have had a hand in this story.
There's more on the BusinessManager saga here (including an answer to Tebbo's question, 'what happened to the *person* who signed up for it'):
http://blogs.zdnet.com/SAAS/?p=14
I stand by my comments, by the way, in the closing paragraph of that blog entry:
"... telecoms companies across the globe have collectively sunk millions of dollars into similarly clueless initiatives, entirely without success. They are wasting their time even thinking about becoming application providers ..."
However as Den says above, 'past history doesn't dictate future success or failure,' and I suppose it perhaps bodes well that BT is just getting on and doing this instead of making a big song-and-dance before establishing some market success. I would really like to see BT coming through and making this work, but its telco DNA will be getting in the way at every step.
However, Thomas and Phil are right to mention failed innitiatives. BT are currently in the process of closing down BT Transact, an EDI style transaction exchange between customers and suppliers - just the sort of thing you would expect them to succeed at.
I'm hoping they make a success of both Workspace and Marketplace, but they've got some marketing to get right.