Hello from my desk for a change.
It looks like the spring tradeshow season is almost at an end. YIPPEE. With the exception of SHRM, things really quiet down for the summer.
If you play at all in the compensation space and have salespeople with variable pay you just have to look at the video that clearly outlines the different perspectives of salespeople vs. the rest of the world - a job really well done and very funny (www.centive.com living in commission chaos). Centive, one of the original players in the enterprise compensation space, finally hits its stride. Having sold more software in the last seven months than the past five years, their asp model is on a very appealing monthly fee and provides a refreshing alternative to major customization, hosted software solutions that are very expensive.
We have a client (F250) looking for help. They currently have an outsourced learning (LMS) environment with one of the large HRO players. Their top goal is to make HR easy to do business with. Because they do not own the relationship with the LMS player and are not very happy with the service level they (including the HRO provider) are providing to their clients, they are looking to speak to professionals who have overcome a similar issue and look at the success rate of:
1) Improving the third party relationship, and
2) Bringing these services back in house.
If you have any experience in this or research on satisfaction levels of outsourced LMS arrangements and would be willing to talk to this CLO, your opinions would be invaluable. Email me at dmcgrath@hr.com and I will put you in touch with him.
Culture really makes a difference. Last week, Rita Gould and I were traveling throughout the fine city of Boston. Three times a year we host a CEO Networking breakfast, and this session was graciously hosted by Kronos. Now if you recall, Boston had major flooding and because it aired on CNN you know everyone is watching for the next natural disaster. As we were trying to get to a client site, we were greeted by "army dudes" with hummers and guns barricading us from accessing a road we required. Our first reaction was terrorism, bank robbery, major police event. Not so ... just your valuable army alerting people the road was closed due to flooding. In Canada, we would have put up a sign and asked people to PLEASE use an alternative road due to flooding.
Wow - lots of movement and funding in the last few weeks. Successfactors $45 million ... Lars, my friend, what will you do with all that money? Buy someone to expand your product line? MKT10, a personalized job board focusing on guaranteed hires and assessments, with their second round of funding $13 million, Jobster picking up start up jobby.com (never heard of them?) But this Jobster, Indeed, Simplyhired, Wanted Technology, Broadlook, and job board space, is getting even me confused so I can only imagine what the jobseeker and HR Executive are thinking.
PS. We enjoyed our Canadian long weekend in a skating arena in Buffalo where two of my children competed in their annual skating competition and tried to find the limit on mom´s Visa for their annual shopping trip. It was great fun but COLD! We had snow and frost. On your upcoming long weekend I am hoping for much sunnier, warmer and drier times for our American friends.
Gotta dash now, I´m hoping someone´s making a nice birthday dinner for me.
