Industry Analysts Project Positive Outlook

Customer analysis and decision science more of a competitive necessity than advantage

Two trends have emerged within the last few years. Approximately 50% of companies surveyed by Hypatia Research prefer to create an internal center of excellence comprised of statisticians, analysts and database marketing experts that provide customer analysis services across the organization.

These companies use information service vendors for tactical services such as list enhancement, data hygiene and/or prospecting. Other organizations, preferring to focus on critical core competencies such as sourcing and producing products, tend to outsource most of the aforementioned capabilities by partnering with a full-service marketing and information services provider (MSP). The benefit of this approach is to gain key expertise in multiple disciplines without incurring the overhead and maintenance of hiring employees internally. This flexible approach is especially attractive to companies that provide seasonal products or services.
 
Expertise is easily sourced and available per project, per season or on an annual service basis. Customer-centric organizations that strive to deliver anything, anytime, anywhere to their own customers now demand this same granularity and knowledge from information and decision science vendors that service them.

Source: Beye Network, 13 January 2009, based on an excerpt from “Decision Science & Customer Analysis: Competitive Advantage or Necessary to Compete?” by Leslie Ament.

Outsell’s Information Industry Outlook 2009 projects 3% industry growth despite economic concerns

Outsell projects steady 3% growth for the global Information Industry, which should reach $412 billion in 2009.

Despite the well-known tribulations of news and some B2B trade publishers, and the effects of the global recession, Outsell projects steady growth of about 3 percent each year for this industry, which should reach $400 billion in 2008 and $412 billion in 2009.

The information industry grows fairly consistently, behaving like a portfolio of securities because it is made up of 12 segments that all behave differently,” said Anthea Stratigos, co-founder and CEO, Outsell. “Some are feeling pain from the economy, doubly so if they are operating with obsolete business or delivery models. Other information providers, such as those specializing in market research, healthcare or compliance, are somewhat recession proof or behave counter-cyclically in downturns.”
 
The report advocates steps to fend off the challenges presented by recessions, which tend to exacerbate poor performance and accelerate land-grabs for market share. Execution, Outsell says, is critical—especially when it comes to content, platforms and experiences; business model focus; social media/communities; and strategic product marketing and operational linkages. Among others in Outsell’s “30 to Watch”: Apple, Elsevier, Huffington Post, LinkedIn, MIT, Zynx, BBN Ad Network, Blurb, British Medical Journal, BrownBook, CNN, Collexis, Critical Media, Data Explorers, Demand Media, Exact Editions, Flat World Knowledge, Google, The Guardian, Hakia, Hulu, IHS, LiveMocha, MarketTools, Nature Publishing Group, Public Library of Science (PloS), Safari, Thomson Reuters, Wood MacKenzie, and ZoomInfo.
 
Finally, the report warns of the myth that ad-spending will fund “all things web” while issuing caution about knee-jerk reactions to the “crisis du jour.”  

Source: Outsell press release, 18 December 2008