Technology Evaluation For Marketing Automation

Transcription

1 Technlgy Evaluatin Fr Marketing Autmatin Finding a System that Meets Yur Needs 345 Millwd Rad Chappaqua, NY Cmpliments f:

2 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Why Technlgy Matters Mst marketing autmatin systems tday are Sftware as a Service (SaaS) meaning that the vendr runs the system and makes it available t multiple clients via a Web brwser. SaaS hides mst technical details frm users, but it desn t make technlgy irrelevant. Even a vendr-run system can suffer frm slw perfrmance, lack f capacity, inflexible data structures, r excessive dwntime. The ease f deplying SaaS systems ften lets marketers buy marketing autmatin withut help frm their infrmatin technlgy department. This puts the burden f technlgy assessment n the marketers themselves. This wrkbk helps marketers make that assessment. Infrmatin technlgy prfessinals shuld als find it gives them a useful checklist f items t cnsider. The gal, relevant t marketers and technlgists alike, is t understand the business impact f a system s underlying technlgy, nt t explre technlgy fr its wn sake. Hw t Use This Wrkbk The first step in using this wrkbk is t understand yur business needs. Yu prbably defined thse needs during the initial stages f yur marketing autmatin prject. Yu may als have identified the system functins required t meet thse needs and designed sample marketing prgrams t test thse functins. If nt, yu shuld cmplete thse steps befre mving any further. Once yur needs are defined, lk thrugh this wrkbk t understand the technlgy-related issues that will matter t yu. The wrkbk presents five sets f issues: data management, penness, security, perfrmance, and enhancements. Each f these will matter t sme degree, but hw deeply yu explre them will depend n the details f yur requirements. T help yu judge, each sectin describes the nature f its tpic, hw systems differ, and questins t ask. Once yu ve selected yur questins, develp a plan t get them answered. The final sectin f the guide lists different ways t gather the necessary infrmatin and suggests when t use each ne. It may take sme time t get thrugh answers and we highly recmmend that yu bring in technlgy experts t help with prcess. Remember that the stakes are high: the wrng chice culd leave yu with a system that will prevent yu frm getting the benefits yu expect marketing autmatin t prvide. The final step is t rganize yur findings and merge them int the rest f yur system selectin prcess. Technlgy is generally a screening criterin: it lets yu rule ut systems that can t meet yur needs. Amng thse that remain, yu ll prbably lk mre at ther factrs such as features, services, vendr backgrund, and cst. Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

3 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Data Management Data management cvers the system s capability t capture, clean, stre, and retrieve marketing data. Specific issues include the types f data the system can hld, hw the data is rganized, and hw it is made mre accurate and easier t use. This sectin als includes questins related t multi-tenancy. Bradly defined as use f a shared sftware instance by multiple clients, multi-tenancy is ften cnsidered the defining feature f Sftware as a Service. One result is that vendrs smetimes claim they are true multi-tenant systems and their cmpetitrs are nt. Few marketers are likely t care abut the distinctin but we ve included it just in case it cmes up. Marketers will care very much abut the cst and perfrmance advantages that can result frm a multi-tenant apprach, but yu ll thse assess directly. Hw Systems Differ Every marketing autmatin system can stre lead prfiles and cntact histry. But marketers may als want t add custm bjects such as purchase transactins r scial media histry; t identify duplicates based n near-matches r cmplex matching rules; and t create advanced reprts such as trends r time-series analyses. Yu ll need t lk carefully t determine which f these capabilities are available. Questins t Ask Data structure What data bjects are in the standard system structure? Des it include sales pprtunities and status changes, separate accunts (i.e., cmpanies r departments) frm leads (peple), stre multiple scres per lead, allw multiple addresses per lead, retain multiple survey answers if the same questin is asked mre than nce, link t scial media identifiers, and stre scial media relatinships amng individuals? Can users add data bjects t the standard system structure? What skills and user rights are required t d this? Are there limits n hw custm bjects are related t standard bjects? Fr example, can a new bject be linked t activity recrds and survey results, as well as directly t a lead recrd? Is custm data available fr all system functins including list segmentatin, campaign rules, lead scring, event triggers, and reprting? Data preparatin Can the system extract key wrds and data types (e.g., an address) frm unstructured data such as search requests r scial media psts? Can the system standardize and validate input data such as persnal names, cmpanies, and addresses? Standardizatin remves variatins by replacing nicknames with frmal names, crrecting spelling f cmpany and gegraphic names, and refrmatting business titles, telephne numbers r Web addresses. Validatin ensures that inputs refer t actual entities such as pstal addresses, accunts, r Web sites. Bth standardizatin and validatin help systems t find matching recrds and remve duplicates. They may rely n vendr-prvided reference tables r rules, user-prvided infrmatin, r live prcesses such as a query t an server r Web directry. Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

4 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Can the system apply matching rules based n , name, cmpany, address, telephne, scial media handles, and ther attributes? Can these rules include partial matches and near matches? Can users create their wn matching rules t supplement r replace vendr-prvided rules? Hw d users create, test and deply new rules? Can users create derived r calculated values when data is laded, such as lead scres r predictive mdel results? Analytical database Des the system stre a histry f changing values such as lead scres and pprtunity status? These may be needed fr time-based reprts r analyses. Is each change recrded in a lg file r des the system take peridic snapshts? Lg files give mre precise infrmatin but can be mre difficult t query. Sme systems stre bth. Is there a separate analytical database t capture histrical infrmatin r snapshts? Hw is this database rganized? Hw ften is it updated? Des it retain all details r nly keep summary infrmatin? What cntrl d users have ver the types f data stred in this database? What tls d users have t query the analytical database? Can they create custm reprts? Can they d advanced analyses such as predictive mdels, trending, prjectins, revenue attributin, and marketing mix mdels? Multi-tenancy D all clients run n the same prgram cde? This saves substantial develpment and perating csts. But it als adds cmplexity because any special needs must be accmmdated thrugh cnfiguratin ptins rather than custm cding. D multiple clients run n the same server? Sharing the same sever allws mre efficient hardware utilizatin and saves sme supprt csts. D multiple clients share the same database instance? This is knwn as cmmingling. It prvides sme cst savings and facilitates sharing wrk acrss multiple hardware resurces. Despite security features t ensure that each client s data remains private, sme rganizatins are uncmfrtable with cmmingling and prefer an islated database. Sme vendrs ffer this as an ptin. Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

5 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Openness Openness is the ability f a system t wrk with ther systems. This exists at many levels, including Applicatin Prgram Interfaces (APIs) and pre-built cnnectrs t share data and functins with external systems; cmpatibility with different types f wrkstatins and brwsers; multilingual supprt in data strage, marketing materials, and the user interface; and capabilities t exprt data, marketing materials, and campaign lgic. Hw Systems Differ Nearly every marketing autmatin system can synchrnize lead, cntact, and accunt data with Salesfrce.cm. This means that changes made in ne system are cpied int the ther. Many prducts can als synchrnize with ther sales autmatin prducts such as Micrsft Dynamics and SugarCRM. But marketers may want additinal levels f CRM integratin r t cnnect with ther systems within and utside their cmpany. This lets departments share resurces, crdinate prcesses, and deliver cnsistent treatments t prspects and custmers. Marketers must als ensure the system will wrk n their current netwrks and wrkstatins, that it supprts the required human languages, and that they can retrieve their data if they want t mve elsewhere. Questins t Ask Cnnectivity Des the system have published APIs t lad new data, update existing data, read existing data, exprt data, and perfrm specific functins such as adding a lead t a campaign? Des the system use the published APIs fr its internal peratins? This is an imprtant indicatr f API maturity. Hw many clients use the system s APIs, and which nes d they use? Are there vlume, cst r ther cnstraints n clients use f the APIs? What systems can be accessed thrugh prebuilt cnnectrs and what functins are prvided? Specifically lk at CRM, scial media, Web site, Web meeting, and rder prcessing systems yu may wrk with. Hw lng des it take t build a new cnnectr, what skills are required, and can clients d this fr themselves? Hw many clients have actually dne this, and fr which prducts? What third-party applicatin integratin systems d yu supprt? These are prducts that create generic cnnectrs between existing systems. Examples include Bmi, CastIrn, SnapLgic, Pervasive, and RunMyPrcess. Once a marketing autmatin system has a cnnectr fr ne f these prducts, it can integrate with any ther system that als has a cnnectr fr that prduct. Is there a public market r exchange where develpers can pst cnnectrs and applicatins they have built t wrk with the system? Hw many prducts are available and hw many clients are using them? Ask fr access t the frum and review the infrmatin made available t develpers. Cmpatibility What wrkstatins des the system run n: Windws, Linux, Mac, smartphne, tablet? Are there any limits t which system functins r features are available n the different platfrms? It s Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

6 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin cmmn fr smartphne and tablet interfaces t supprt nly sme functins, such as viewing reprts and receiving messages. What brwsers des the system run n? Be specific abut brwser versins: sme interfaces may require technlgies, such as Adbe Flash r HTML5, that are nly available n certain brwser editins. Multilingual Supprt Can users create and stre marketing materials ( s, Web frms, etc.) in duble-byte character sets? Duble-byte sets render nn-rmance languages such as Japanese, Chinese, Krean, Greek, and Russian. Can the system stre duble-byte characters in its database? Can the system use duble-byte characters in segmentatin, campaign rules, lead scring, and ther prcessing? Is the user interface available in languages ther than English? Which nes? Can the same implementatin shw different languages t different users based n their persnal prfiles? What is required t add a new interface language? Exprt Hw can clients exprt data frm the system? Which tables are available: lead and accunt prfiles, activity histry, frm entries, lead scres, etc.? Hw is the exprt data frmatted (delimited, text, XML, database table, etc.)? Hw are the data structures described? Are custm fields and tables handled any differently frm standard fields and tables? Are there any vlume r time limits n a large exprt? Hw can clients exprt marketing materials such as s and Web frms? Hw are the materials frmatted (HTML, text, XML, etc.)? What metadata is prvided (e.g., creatin date, wners, access rules, change histry)? Is it pssible t exprt campaign flws, scring rules, segment definitins, and ther system bjects? Hw is this accmplished? Hw is the data frmatted? Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

7 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Security Security includes cntrlling system access by authrized users, preventing access by unauthrized users, and ensuring access despite physical r netwrk prblems. Hw Systems Differ Every system lets administratrs add new users, requires passwrds fr user access, and has data center prcedures t prevent intrusins and restre backup cpies in case f failure. But sme clients will need greater prtectin t cmply with cmpany plicy r external regulatins. Systems that will be deplyed t many users, at many lcatins, r shared with partners will need mre precise cntrl ver which rights are assigned t individual users. Questins t Ask User rights Hw precisely can user rights be assigned? Ask fr a list f the assignable rights: this can vary frm a handful f generic capabilities (e.g., read nly vs. read/write) t hundreds f specific ptins (e.g., set up a campaign schedule). Are user rights assigned separately fr each user r t grups that users belng t? Are user grups predefined r can administratrs create their wn, each with separate cllectins f rights? Sme systems nly allw a small few user grups such as administratrs, marketers, and salespeple. Can users be assigned rights t specific system functins (e.g., create a campaign, send an ), t data elements (e.g., campaign status r cntact address), t sets f cntacts (e.g., cntacts in a specific sales territry), t specific campaigns, and t specific marketing materials? What reprts are available t review which rights are assigned t each user? What reprts are available t shw what tasks are actually perfrmed by each user? User access What cntrls des the system place n passwrds, such as requiring a certain degree f cmplexity r peridic passwrd changes? Hw much cntrl des the administratr have n these rules? Des the system use tw-factr authenticatin? What factrs are used? A typical cmbinatin is a passwrd plus sme ther methd such as a hardware tken r fingerprint scan. Are data transmissins encrypted? If s, what methds are applied? One standard methd is Secure Scket Layer r SSL cnnectin. Des the system verify user lcatins by restricting lg-ins t previusly authrized IP addresses r cmputer wrkstatins? This makes it harder fr smene wh has stlen a passwrd t gain access. What security training is prvided t system users? Hw d users reprt pssible security prblems? Review the manuals and training materials. Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

8 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Netwrk security What kinds f netwrk firewalls, intrusin detectin systems, and similar technlgies are in place? What kinds f cntrls are in place t limit access by users within the netwrk? What kinds f vulnerability scans are perfrmed n a regular basis? Are these dne internally r by an utside service? Ask t see several recent reprts. Are all security-related sftware patches in place n all equipment? Hw des the vendr ensure these are kept current? Physical security Des the vendr run its wn data center r use a third party? If s, which ne? What physical access cntrls are in place at the data center? What systems are in place fr backup pwer, heating, cling, fire suppressin, etc.? Are there multiple cnnectins t the telephne and Internet? Hw are these cnfigured? Hw are data backups managed: daily, incremental, real-time mirrring? Hw lng is data retained? Where is it physically stred? Hw lng des it take t recver frm different kinds f failures? Hw ften are backup systems tested t ensure that are wrking prperly? Ask t see reprts n recent tests. What disaster recvery prcedures are in place? Is there an alternative site available if the primary data center is ut f cmmissin? Hw lng des it take t restre service at the alternative site? What are the prcedures and pririties? When was the last disaster recvery test perfrmed and what were the results? Ask t see a cpy. Organizatin What security certificatins are in place (e.g. SAS 70, PCI, NIST, Cmmn Criteria)? Ask t see audit reprts and pay clse attentin t what s being certified: many standards check fr cmpliance with stated prcesses r gals, rather than certifying an abslute level f prtectin. When and hw are users ntified if a security breach is identified? What are the ntificatin rules fr different types f breaches? Ask fr a list f recent incidents and ntificatins. Is the security team rganizatinally independent frm rest f the IT peratins grup? Are utside services used t check security? T whm d they reprt? What security training is prvided t the vendr s persnnel? What are their prcedures fr reprting security issues? Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

9 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Perfrmance Perfrmance determines yur ability t actually use the system withut prblems due t slw respnse, data vlume, errrs, r dwntime. Hw Systems Differ All systems are designed t be reliable, but sme are engineered primarily t serve smaller r less demanding clients. These may nt scale well. Vendrs als differ in hw well they react t prblems. Questins t Ask Perfrmance What is respnse time fr interface-intensive tasks such as updating a campaign flw? Yu ll need t create a set f sample tasks and run them. Respnse time may be slw if the system must redraw the screen after each step in a prcess. It is nt usually affected by the number f cntacts in the database r amunt f data per cntact. An exceptin may be interfaces that query the database t display the number f qualified recrds at each step in a campaign. What is the prcessing time fr data-intensive tasks such as finding a cntact recrd, creating a list with cmplex criteria, updating lead scres, r sending a large number f s? Yu ll need t run sample tasks against a test database the same size as yurs r larger. Only a very large database is likely t slw respnse time perceptibly. But the time t physically update recrds (such as string a lead scre) r create utput files (such as sending s and adding a recrd t the activity histry) will prbably be prprtinate t the number f recrds prcessed. Check perfrmance at different times f the day and days f the week, since there are certain peak perids when many clients tend t be active simultaneusly. Scalability What is the largest client database currently managed n the system, in terms f cntact recrds, s sent per mnth, ttal data strage, and number f users n the system? What are the theretical maximum numbers f cntacts, messages sent, and users the system can manage? Sme systems have a design limit and thers dn t. What wuld the vendr d if yu ran int perfrmance issues related t system size? Reliability What is the system s guaranteed availability percentage? What is the actual availability percentage? Hw was this measured? Review figures fr the past year. Hw many unscheduled utages were there in the past year? What were duratins and causes? Des the cmpany use an independent uptime measurement service such as Gmez r Pingdm? Ask t see recent reprts. Hw ften is the system shut dwn fr maintenance, and fr hw lng? Hw are users ntified f planned dwntime? What functins, if any, are available during nrmal maintenance? Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

10 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Prblem Management Hw d users t reprt system prblems such as dwntime r bugs? Is there a public prblem reprting and tracking system? Ask t view it. Is there an internal prblem tracking system? Ask t see recent reprts. What is the prcess fr reacting t prblem reprts? Hw are they classified, priritized, escalated, reslved, and reprted? Hw des the cmpany reprt t users when a prblem is discvered that culd affect them? Hw many new bugs were reprted per mnth in the past year? Hw were these rated by severity? What is the average time t fix bugs f different severities? Hw has this changed in the past year? Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

11 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Enhancements Enhancements are changes made t the system t add new features, imprve existing capabilities, and stay cmpatible with ther prducts. Hw Systems Differ All marketing autmatin systems are cntinuusly enhanced t keep pace with user needs. The vendr s past and planned enhancements give a gd indicatin f thught leadership, prduct maturity, and whether its plans match yur wn. It s als imprtant t assess hw the vendr manages the upgrade prcess. Yu want t be certain that users have ample advance infrmatin abut new features, that they are thrughly tested befre deplyment, and that any bugs are fixed quickly. Questins t Ask Prduct Histry What changes were made in the last several releases? Mst vendrs will publish release ntes that explain the changes. Review these t understand hw much f each release was breaking new grund, hw much was catching up with cmpetitrs, and hw much was fixing ld prblems. Hw quickly des the vendr supprt new platfrms? When did it deply versins t run n the latest persnal cmputer perating systems, brwsers, smartphnes, tablets, and ther new media? Did actual releases match earlier plans? Ask fr cpies f vendr radmap presentatins ging back several years and cmpare these t the features that were subsequently released. Did the vendr crrectly anticipate client needs? Were there repeated delays in executin? Did the vendr change directins? Did it add unplanned features t meet new marketing needs? Prduct Plans What is n the current prduct radmap? Is the radmap detailed enugh t give a clear idea f what will be delivered? Des the radmap match yur wn expected needs? Des the radmap include features yu thught were already in place? Release Prcess Hw ften des the vendr release new versins? On-premise sftware vendrs typically have just ne r tw majr releases per year but Sftware as a Service vendrs usually release mre frequently. What testing and quality cntrls are applied t new releases? Des the vendr test all changes fr usability as well as functinality and reliability? Lk at the histry f user cmments n frums and scial media t find whether new releases have generally been bug-free. Ask current users the same questin. Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

12 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Hw des the vendr infrm clients f release plans? This includes the timing f the new release and the changes it includes. Review annuncements, release ntes, and ther cmmunicatin methds. Hw des the vendr help clients take advantage f new features? D they prvide ntificatins, nline training sessins, persnal training by accunt managers, user frum discussins, vides, and written dcumentatin? D new releases require changes in client peratins? Ideally, clients wuld have the ptin t ignre new features until they are ready t apply them. But vendrs smetimes remve ld features t keep the prduct frm getting t cmplicated. Find ut hw the vendr has handled majr enhancements in the past. Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

13 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Hw t Find Answers Sme f the questins raised in this wrkbk can be answered directly r in demnstratins. But yu have ther ptins that may be apprpriate in a particular situatin. Yu ll prbably d best t rely n a mix f the fllwing: Demnstratins: ask the vendr t demnstrate specific tasks such as adding a custm field r table, setting up a new matching rule, and building a custm reprt. This will help yu understand nt just whether these tasks are pssible, but hw much wrk and what level f skill they require. Briefings and dcumentatin: ask the vendr t describe hw t accmplish tasks that are t cmplex t demnstrate directly. Als ask fr training materials and dcumentatin related t these tasks. Be sure yur team includes an expert with the technical knwledge t ask suitable questins and understand the significance f the answers. Samples: lk at sample data structures, matching rules, campaign designs, analytical reprts and ther bjects that match yur required capabilities. Be sure yu understand hw the system is achieving the desired result, s yu are cnfident the same apprach can be used t meet yur needs. Reprts: ask the vendr fr cpies f security audits, standards certificatins, system availability reprts, deliverability histry, disaster recvery tests, and ther recrds that shw hw the system has perfrmed ver time. Many f these will be prepared by third parties, which give them greater credibility. Partner lists: identify technlgy partners wh perfrm specific functins, such as address standardizatin, duplicate identificatin, data enhancement, annymus visitr tracking, applicatin integratin, and reprting. Yu can then research the capabilities f thse prducts. References: ask the vendr fr references wh have perfrmed technical tasks that are t cmplex t demnstrate. Be sure they prvide yu with a technical cntact wh is familiar with the task yu are researching. User frums: lk at the cmpany s user frums and public scial media t identify cmmn prblems, recent bugs, enhancement requests, respnse time, and supprt issues. Be sure t get access t frums available nly t current users. Sme f these frums will include statistics n uptime, deliverability, and similar data. They may als include vting n feature requests and histries f past prblems. Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.

14 Technlgy Evaluatin fr Marketing Autmatin Abut Raab Assciates Inc. Raab Assciates is an independent cnsulting firm that helps marketers get the mst frm tday s technlgy. We help ur clients t define needs, evaluate vendrs, make selectins, plan deplyment, and measure results. Established in 1987, Raab Assciates is nted fr thrugh research and bjective advice. Fr mre infrmatin, visit r [email protected]. Abut Elqua Elqua helps clients dramatically accelerate revenue grwth thrugh Revenue Perfrmance Management. Elqua prvides pwerful business insight t infrm marketing and sales decisins tday that drive revenue grwth tmrrw. The cmpany s missin is t make its custmers the fastest grwing cmpanies n Earth. Thusands f sales and marketing prfessinals rely n the marketing autmatin pwer f Elqua t imprve demand generatin and lead management while driving mre qualified leads. Elqua s custmers include Adbe, AON, Dw Jnes, ADP, Fidelity Investments, Plycm, and Natinal Instruments. The cmpany is headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, with ffices in Trnt, Lndn, Singapre and thrughut Nrth America. Fr mre infrmatin, visit r [email protected]. Cpyright 2012 Raab Assciates Inc. All rights reserved.