ADP Dealer Services Succeeds in Mature Market

For many markets, the demand for business software has passed the early adopter phase, made it through the tornado, and entered the early maturity phase. In some markets, the demand for business software has fully matured. When the market for a product or service category has entered the mature stage in its life cycle, a…

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Outsourcing: It Doesn’t Have to Hurt!

“Traditionally, the large, multinational corporation was held together by ownership. Today, it is held together by a strategic purpose. Ownership of the total means of production is becoming an impediment, a commitment that many organizations—from corporations to healthcare providers to universities—are moving away from. In its place is a focus on organization purpose and the…

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Drivers to Entrepreneurship

People like crystal balls that predict the future. They publicly lament and place blame on potential causes when the crystal balls offer fictitious predictions of negative outcomes. The crystal balls, accusations, and lamentations flourish in conversations about creating environments that foster new ventures. False thought-leaders blame the lack of entrepreneurial activity on the dearth of…

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Adventures in Technology for Utilities: Metering Billing CRM/CIS Americas

At the Spintelligent Metering, Billing, CRM/CIS Americas conference held in Chicago, IL during May 2003, over 450 registered attendees were treated to excellent presentations and exhibits. The event was sponsored by Elester, Excelergy, Itron, Kema, and Olameter. Representatives from the gas, electric, and water utilities mingled with a number of technology firms and industry consultants.…

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New Markets for Data Capture and Management Created in Green Buildings

Building energy efficient buildings has been a pursuit of many ecology minded activist and architects, but economics has driven the market towards the standard edifice. Greg Kats of Capital E however presented a compelling economic argument in favor of Green Buildings at the Spintelligent Metering, Billing, CRM/CIS Americas conference held in Chicago, IL during May…

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Why Is Adoption of AMR and Modern CIS Going So Slowly?

The business case for AMR, automated meter reading is solid. Though expensive to install, AMR systems lower operational costs of utilities and the potential to lower prices for end customers. Although AMR has been around for a decade, only 14% of the meters in the US can be read automatically. The other 86% of the…

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Is It Time for Prepaid Gas and Electricity in the States?

Pre-paid metering and billing for gas and electricity is common in developing nations. South Africa boasts that it is the pre-paid capital of the world. But in developed nations, pre-paid billing for gas and electricity is an anathema. It may be time to change. Individuals from utility employees at Cinergy and Nevada Power that expressed…

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Are CIS Vendors Missing a Market?

CIS, the customer information systems of utilities, merge meter reads, rates, customer data, accounting information, and service levels to produce bills. The CIS systems will manage millions of customers reliably, be the customer service focal point at call centers, alert workforce management systems of needs, and manage highly complex billing arrangements. Yet, somehow, they might…

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CSA Explains… Security & Sabotage

Friday, May 2 at KPMG’s Chicago offices, sixteen individuals gathered to understand the legal, business, and technological implications of electronic sabotage. While many people would rather ignore the issue and treat it as a nuisance, the panel of speakers and moderator took data security and potential sabotage extremely serious for it directly affects their business…

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