COMMENTARY--Forget predictions. Instead here is what I want to see happen in 2004.
It is the time of year when we all try to wrap up the year just gone, and try to predict what will be on the agenda for 2004. Well as everyone else is doing that, I promise to not mention what I think are the top technologies that you will spend money on in 2004. Besides, predictions are a contentious issue and generally seem to provide a wishlist of technologies people would like to see take off, rather than an accurate list of what businesses will fork out $$$ on.
But there are always New Year's resolutions. After all, it is also the time of year to go through your mistakes of 2003 and vow not to repeat them in 2004. I am sure you all have a few skeletons in your closets. Admit it, how many of you downloaded the Paris Hilton files?... Or doesn't that count as a mistake you plan not to repeat?
Predicting resolutions is just as contentious as predicting the top technologies. In January last year industry analyst Gartner attempted to predict what CIOs would have on their New Year's resolution lists for 2003, and came up with switching off 10 percent of legacy systems and piloting Web services and instant messaging, among others. When TechRepublic polled their readers, 56 percent said none of the resolutions Gartner picked were a priority. Looking back now, I am sure a lot of companies were actually impacted by a few items on that list, but whether they were a priority or not is another matter.
So enough with the resolutions as well. Instead I will give a list of what I want to happen in 2004.
Good customer service
The aim of all, achieved by hardly any. Weighing up the cost of good customer service and what your customers will stand for is a delicate balance. There seems to have been a slight move away from IVR and towards hiring receptionists again, which is a good thing, however online customer service still belongs on the wishlist. Most experiences I have had with sending requests and queries online have resulted in a zero response or an automated -thanks for your feedback" reply and nothing further. Companies have call centres for telephone queries, maybe it is time to get those staff to answer online queries too.
| Is it naive to think there could be better times ahead? Correct billing from Optus wouldn't go astray either |
A stable e-mail and Internet service
Last month I mentioned the recent woes of Telstra BigPond. Believe it or not I was actually afraid that problems with Telstra's cable Internet service would be old news by the time the December issue came out. Now here we are in January and it is still a hot topic. One reader had this to say: -Telstra still hasn't got a stable e-mail service. My clients are still reporting bounces when they send me e-mail. I did some testing yesterday and sent five e-mails from a client Bigpond account to my Bigpond account and found that three of the messages arrived immediately yet the other messages have disappeared. Until Telstra can work out how to run an e-mail server what hope is there that they will offer customer service?"
Telstra dropped some of its broadband prices recently, and is planning to put an SLA on its cable BigPond service, so would it be naïve to think there could be better times ahead? Correct billing from Optus wouldn't go astray either.
Less marketing hype, more technology
Technology companies so far have been unable to clearly sum up their products in two words, yet they keep trying. Maybe 2004 can be the year of the clear strategy.
Increased government investment and support of the technology industry
We have a new minister, maybe this one will ensure local companies are supported and startups are given the financial backing they need.
Technology vendors that can speak about issues rather than peddle products
More debates are needed in this industry... and not about who has the best product. I would like to see more debate among leaders about issues, not products.
Fingers crossed! And happy new year!
E-mail your 2004 technology wishlist to edit@zdnet.com.au.
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