Gleanster is unique. That being the case, some concepts and terminology may require a small amount of explanation. Thankfully, there are no 3- or 4-letter acronyms to decipher. Following are answers to some oft-heard questions regarding the what's, how's and why's of Gleanster.
A: Gleanster research is informed by the experiences of thousands of industry practitioners. By applying a set of key performance indicators tied to year-over-over-year improvement in 2-3 topic-specific performance metrics, Gleanster is able to distinguish Top Performers (defined as the top 25% of qualified survey respondents) from Everyone Else (the bottom 75%). Gleanster then determines what these Top Performers are doing to attain their desired business objectives.
A: A Gleansight presents the research findings and analysis related to best practices implementation of a technology-enabled business initiative. It provides a roadmap for becoming (or remaining, as the case may be) a Top Performer. Most Gleansights run 25-30 pages and consists of seven sections: 1. Topic Overview; 2. Reasons to Implement; 3. Value Drivers; 4. Challenges; 5. Performance Metrics; 6. Success Stories; 7. The Vendor Landscape. A Gleansight also includes a section dedicated to the core technologies required to enable the business initiative.
A: A Gleansight FLASH™ chart is the framework used to present the research findings in a Gleansight benchmark report. It shows the relative importance or frequency of use of different "items", according to qualified survey respondents. It also shows where there exists a notable disparity between Top Performers and Everyone Else. Each Gleansight contains four sets of three FLASH charts, one each for the Reasons to Implement, Value Drivers, Challenges and Performance Metrics sections. Vendor rankings charts appear in the Vendor Landscape section.
A: A Success Story is a case study that meets Gleanster's editorial standards and format specifications (i.e., the Challenge, the Solution, the Results). Success Stories (along with whitepapers) are showcased in the Open Resource Library and may also appear in a related Gleansight benchmark reports. The original version of a Success Story may have been prepared—and previously published—by an enabling solution provider. Vendors are not charged a fee for inclusion. Gleanster also works with solution providers to develop new Success Stories.
A: A Deep Dive is an analyst report that speaks to a particular aspect of a Gleansight benchmark report. The objective is to provide additional perspective and illuminate certain key considerations regarding the implementation of the related technology-enabled business initiative.
A: The current focus is marketing improvement, sales enablement, business intelligence and listening to the voice of the customer. The scope of our research will expand later this year to include communications, service management, operations & infrastructure, supply chain and employee capital. As a proud member of the 1% for the Planet alliance, Gleanster is also dedicated to covering various business aspects of environmental sustainability.
A: Vendor Landscapes contain a brief company description as well as the Gleanster Skinny commentary on what’s new and noteworthy about each of the top 30 or so technology solution providers operating within a given competitive arena. FLASH charts show how, according to qualified survey respondents, different solution providers stack up across four key dimensions: Ease of Deployment, Ease of Use, Features and Functionality, and Overall Value. Vendor Landscapes, including the company description and Gleanster Skinny commentary, can also be accessed in the Vendor and Solution Showcases section of the Gleanster website.
A: Vendor rankings on the FLASH charts are determined by the experiences of industry practitioners and not by Gleanster’s own analyst assessment or opinion. The omission of a particular vendor name from one or more of the FLASH charts may be due to a lack of sufficient data about that vendor and may be no indication of its performance relative to other solution providers. Using a 1-5 point rating scale, survey respondents are asked to assess the solution provider(s) they are currently using, or have had the experience of using within the past two (2) years, across four (4) different dimensions: Ease of Deployment, Ease of Use, Features and Functionality, and Overall Value. To qualify for possible inclusion on one or more FLASH charts, vendors with less than $10M in annual revenue must be rated by a minimum of five (5) qualified survey responses and vendors with more than $10M in annual revenue must be rated by a minimum of eight (8) qualified survey responses. A mean class performance score is calculated for each vendor. Top-scoring vendors are then assigned to the FLASH charts on a rank-order basis. Gleanster screens all survey submissions that are used as the basis for vendor rankings and removes duplicate submissions from the same client company (factoring in only the highest scores). The final rankings are not intended to provide conclusive advice or recommendations but to merely serve as a source of directionally relevant data points. All solution providers included in the Vendor Landscape section are given an opportunity to invite their customers to participate in the survey at least six (6) weeks in advance of publication. Through no other means are solution providers allowed to influence their placement on these charts.
A: Make no mistake, Gleanster is in business to make money. Our investors wouldn't have it any other way. We generate revenue by providing technology solution providers with a host of brand-building and revenue growth services. These services range from vendor-sponsored webinars and advisory services to Success Story content development, Deep Dive licensing rights and introductions to target client prospects. If you're a solution provider interested in exploring ways to leverage Gleanster research to your advantage, please contact sales@gleanster.com.
A: Vendor and Solution Showcases are designed to provide solution providers with the opportunity to raise brand visibility, demonstrate thought leadership and educate the marketplace. The sections in the Solution Showcase include "What to Read" (vendor-submitted white papers, success stories, fact sheets and solution info) and "What to Watch" (related videos and presentations). Any solution provider that meets the basic submission criteria is welcome to set up their own Vendor Showcase and Solution Showcases. These pages become referenced in the Topic Areas section of the Gleanster website and also integrated with the Open Resource Library and Gleanster Research, where appropriate. There is no cost associated with this opportunity.
A: In keeping with our view that thought leadership can emanate from any number of places, the Open Resource Library brings together content from multiple sources, including leading solution providers and even other market research firms. Anyone can submit a white paper, case study or research report to the Open Resource Library. There is no cost associated with this opportunity. All submissions are subject to review by Gleanster’s Research Oversight Committee. Only unbiased, high-quality content that serves to educate the marketplace is approved.
A: Success in implementing a technology-enabled business initiative is far from guaranteed. How can a company ensure it's making smart decisions, avoiding common pitfalls, and maximizing the value of its investment every step of the way? It starts by gaining an understanding how Top Performers have already achieved their desired business objectives. What technologies have they deployed? What organizational resources and businesses processes have they put into place? How are they tracking and measuring performance?
These are the questions we seek to address in the Gleansight benchmark reports as well as the Deep Dive analyst reports. In addition, we provide a centralized hub, called the Open Resource Library, that aggregates third-party success stories, white papers and research reports. We also empower solution providers with the opportunity post content in their own Vendor and Solution Showcase pages on the website, further enhancing the user experience.
Our overriding goal is to serve the needs of industry practitioners who may be pondering, planning, or already in the process of implementing a technology-enabled business initiative. Our research and resources provide a roadmap for success and all tools that one needs when it comes to making smart decisions about business technology — and also, in many cases, when it comes to catapulting one's own career to the next level.