THE DATA ADMINISTRATION NEWSLETTER – TDAN.com
ROBERT S. SEINER – PUBLISHER

Author: Stephen G. Diorio
Publisher: McGraw-Hill, 2002
ISBN: 0071376496 

While the decline of many internet businesses may have proven that the fabled "New Economy" rested upon the same fundamentals of profits and losses as the old economy, many of the revolutionary changes wrought by the "dot bombs" are here to stay. Customers are now using the internet to conveniently compare, price, discuss, and sometimes buy products. New technology has changed many customer expectations and forced organizations to adapt to new ways of doing business. "Beyond E" discusses the fundamental transformations that have occurred in the sales and marketing arena and provides the vision and framework needed to adapt to these changes and use them to profitable advantage.

The author, Stephen G. Diorio, devotes one chapter to each of twelve key areas of strategic importance to sales and marketing organizations. Each chapter discusses how technology is transforming a particular aspect of sales and marketing, lays out the associated sales and marketing business goals, and then discusses the considerations and criteria for employing technology. The 303-page book features abundant examples, case studies, special sections, and figures to drive home important points and deepen the reader's understanding of the business issues. Best of all, Diorio writes with a realistic post-dot.com boom perspective that focuses on what marketers are trying to do and how they can use technology to accomplish their goals.

The business examples used throughout "Beyond E" reflect deep practical knowledge of technology and marketing successes and failures. The book is based upon thousands of interviews with sales and marketing executives from Global 2000 companies. A former marketing executive with Citicorp and GE and founder and president of marketing strategy firm, IMT Strategies, the author uses his business acumen and experience to maintain a consistent focus on the bottom line, return on investment, and overall sales force effectiveness. Diorio also tackles tough issues like product packaging for different sales channels, the problems faced by distributors when the internet makes pricing strategies transparent, and the cultural challenges of aligning the call centers, internet sales channels, and existing field sales representatives for maximum returns. Readers of "Beyond-E" can find insights that will enable them to develop appropriate answers to the following questions for their business:

1. How can a business design its products to fit technology enabled sales channels?
2. How can businesses use online marketplaces?
3. How does technology change branding?
4. How can interactive direct marketing be used to improve marketing and anticipate customer behavior?
5. How can multiple sales and marketing channels be managed and blended for growth and profitability?
6. How can a field sales force take advantage of technology?
7. How can networks of partners, media and middlemen be used to reach the market?
8. How can a call center be transformed into a strategic sales and marketing asset?
9. How can an organization be reorganized around the customer to get the most value from CRM?
10. How can customer care systems be built to extend customer service into electronic channels?
11. How can customer exit barriers be rebuilt with CRM to help retain customers?
12. How can the universe of outside services be managed?

The best technical solutions start with very clear and frank discussions of business strategy, goals, and objectives. "Beyond E" is an excellent starting place for such discussions with the leaders of sales and marketing organizations. Technology professionals reading this book will learn a lot about the business goals of the sales and marketing executives they support. Sales and marketing executives will gain insight about the bewildering array of issues they must face in a technologically transformed world. This excellent book should prepare readers to sensibly use technology to enhance the sales and marketing efforts of their organizations.