• by Peter Weedfald , September 23, 2005

It is finally time for our CRM and Internet pilots (our "IDOs" -- Internet Demand Officers) to take a well-deserved bow. Congratulations and thanks from the consumer and business communities for working so hard to guide business America toward a highly relevant competitive advantage. Your e-marketing contribution has accelerated the organization's ability to broadcast, narrowcast and microcast.

You have proven--once and for all--that advertising works, and is profitable. In a world of frequently irrational exuberance for measuring our corporate assets spent on various advertising venues, our newly anointed IDOs are truly our venerable pilots for our sales and marketing storms.

Imagine--IDOs can actually measure results, affect revenues and profits on command, turn on an advertising campaign, or launch a new product in literally nano hours. They can reach across the globe to build brand and demand in one inexpensive and highly efficient e-tour de force nearly instantly; service a customer at 3:45 a.m.; and block a competitor in several locations simultaneously. Try that in a $250,000 30-second TV ad!

We all need to pay more attention, and understand the maverick power of an IDO (by the way, if your organization has not identified or hired an IDO, better get to work, and quickly). For those with a keen sense of profit and loss urgency, those who live in the cold eye of daily revenue and profit results (that would be all of us), please look to these highly relevant i-architects for their power to identify future revenue and profit sources. Please do not simply dismiss the sagacity of their ardent and keen CRM and e-vision.

We are all very clear on this fact: increases in productivity deliver increases in profitability. There is no faster productivity service leader who works to ensure profitability then the IDO pilots, who manage the e-storm across America, across the globe, daily... make that second by second.

As we know, profits--not prophets--rule our business world (well, on the other hand, I guess during the dot-bomb era many prophets did rule our business world, in the language of IPOs). Whether launching a new product or trying to kill off a competitor's, marketers often use predatory pricing programs designed to drive immediate volume sales, gaining precious market share for the long term. Price wars are rampant between brand and no-name brand manufacturers.

The boundary blur among features, benefit, and pricing--specifically in the consumer electronics sectors--is at an all-time high. As an example, consumers get confused trying to understand so many different digital TV technology platforms--from LCD to Plasma, from Micro Display to CRT. Purchase behaviors across all demographics are shifting; pricing constantly shifts and flips. The Internet uses hundreds of relevant sites, corporate strategies, and tactics to take the market spinning like whirling dervishes. "Enough" says any smart company CEO or president. "I'm no prophet... bring me my IDO to calm our profit storm."

IDOs must be masters of both CRM and Internet architectures. They must be well aware of the multitude of plug-in and acceleration software assets best relevant to exceed the CEO's business objectives. They must be experts on their competitors' architecture and operational formats. They must be harbingers to guide the company through to the next decade, delivering increased revenue and profit opportunities. They must have strength in business judgment, maverick sales motivation, clear sales comprehension, and urbane critical thinking. They belong within the C-level neighborhood to best protect their C-level team from the daily pounding of the revenue and profit storm... to best lead them to more sunny, profitable skies.

In my opinion, too much time has passed in our new e-knowledge economy, spurred by the corpulent power of the Internet--united with wireless broadband access--before we have recognized these incredible pilots who have flown us to such profit-gaining opportunities and business heights. Our unidentified and frankly seldom-recognized i-DOs have hyper-accelerated enormous revenues and profits across America. I say it is time to stand and deliver for them. I say we are grateful for their CRM and Internet-based vision, their ability to follow the course of the P&L towards driving profitability as the kernel of brand and demand building chores.

I say we pay them big bucks and give them a seat at the C table... I say congratulations to each unidentified or identified IDO across America and throughout the globe for your great command and humility in seating in row 22 or row 33 for years, while the C passengers enjoyed the essence and gratification of first class...

Not to worry--you are all finally being recognized as our new e-pilots for the business storm--as the leaders to take our brand, demand, and profitability to 35,000 feet across both sunny skies as well as through a multitude of dark clouds and bumpy turbulence. Welcome to the C level, my e-pilots... your co-pilots and flight attendants await your e-flight plan.

Oh, by the way, you're right, we will not only create your CDO title and invite you to the C table, we will also pay you as a C-level partner for your profitable contributions.

The pilot for the storm, a very profitable engagement indeed.