[platforms | SMARTS ret) uU > [4 ww 7) 4B sovostons wereonaron Mars 1908 wal The Awesome Power Of Analysts Industry analysts wield enormous influence over how you're perceived by vendors and customers. Treat ‘em with kid gloves. By Susan Scrupski, Arc Consulting ometime in the late 1980s, a movie ithe eee ee called Heathers, a dark comedy, was pop- aca i anintaees ular, The plot basically centered on the pinion, bt their pins of antics of three high-school babes, each ae reaat aanaarht named Heather. = A line from that film tos indus conferences, has stuck with me all these years. There is one Heather a tell my ) 0 _- this eae who is particularly evil, and one of the other Heathers is _jandamenuale bur above all be honest finally provoked to ask, “Heather, why are you such a. Anas deal with more spin than the itch?” ies, “ » mle "0st seasoned journalist; they “get ie” bitch?” Heather replies, “Because I can be.” = I think ice ear Cee ee about this line when I’m trying to explain to my clients _ theiecredit, hey wouldn'tbe where they about the extremely important role hosts an annual briefing for key analysts are unless they were intelligent, sharp, ‘industry analysts'play in shaping per- that approaches $1 million when all the and savvy. ception about their companies and the costs are tallied. It’s VIP treatment like Give them the information they need ‘market in general. Now, don't get me you'd probably only find in the enter- to do their jobs. lfthey’re critical of your ‘wrong. I'm not suggesting that all or tainmentor sports industries. ‘company, point out where they're right any analysts are rude, arrogant, or But the return for Andersen with and have facts to back up where they're insensitive. My pointis simply thatthey these celebs is almost immeasurable. wrong. Above all, keep your emotions in could be if they wanted to. Why? Andersen truly sets the standard for exe- check; don’t get dragged into a contest Because they can, nae I tell my clients to handle this special batice “audience” with care. Above all, be honest. 1 waite this fom ehe inaugural Garmer Prediors conference in San Diego. There probably cuting high-level briefings, and year of wills or an ego collision. You'll isnomoreinfluentielanalystcommunity aftr year the analyst community gets a always lose. than the all-knowing, all-powerful fresh dose of Andersen's strengths in Further, speaking fiom experience Garter Group. (in fact, it occurred w9 the markerpace. (because T can), i's not the analysts methatnentyeartheyshould change the Gartner Group, International Data _faultwhen he or she is not aware of your conference tte to Gartner SelFulfiling Corp., Meta Group, the ankee Group, accomplishments or your rightful place Prophecies) Gartner Group, as found Forrester Research, GaR (formerly in the hierarchy of IT-secvices out today atthe keynote speech, infu- Ga Research), Input, Hurwitz Group, providers—i¢'syours. Analysts only have ences more than $x trilon in TT spend- et al_—these are extremely influential limited window oftime to keep track oF ing Bren ifthey'e inflating that number industry researchladvisory firms that your company. Iyou'te not doing your by2 Gwbilin, is stilimpressve. can make or break a company. best communicate with them, you've “Analysts will sometimes admit chat The largest companies in the world done youselfa great disservice. @ they're taken aback by the power they buy research and advice from these. — Wild, Bvery major vendor doing busi- firms. Devisions about products and Susan Scrupsi is 4 partner with Arc ness on evry continent rolls out the red services are gerierally not made until Consulting fx Tinton Falls, NJ and editor of carpet forthe analyst community. gurus from these various firms have _w.lTServcesOnline.com.Shewekones ‘Andersen Consulting, for instance, sanctioned the viability of a vendor's yourfedback at srupsti@aromm.com.