Q: Why did you want to move to cloud-based services for messaging and collaboration?
Fox: Our workforce requires easy access to corporate information, emails, and colleagues to work productively. Our on-premise IBM Lotus Notes email solution did not provide web mail. There was no instant messaging, no presence, and no web conferencing, so it was challenging to communicate and collaborate on the road, at home, or at customer sites. We needed more cost-effective, flexible technologies to help us get away from this whole idea of a workplace being a ‘place.’ Moving to the cloud seemed like a natural evolution.
Way too many snarky comments running through my head, so it’s best if I just let the CIO’s words tell you why the Microsoft cloud is superior to an existing, on-premises solution.
Gregg Eldred 
And unfortunately once again, perception becomes truth. 😦
I’ve always wondered why those perceptions are allowed to persist.
It seems like from what I can tell, those who don’t have those perceptions try to convince others that they’re wrong. Those who do have the perceptions beg to differ as the arguments don’t match their reality. Both sides dig in, and neither side wins.
I’m guessing that Covey’s 7 Habits comes into play here:
HABIT 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND, THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD
If no one tries to understand the person/group that has the perception, then it’s unlikely that they’ll be understood when it comes to trying to clear up their misconceptions.
That’s absurd. It’s also a little disappointing to see Microsoft printing a claim like that as part of a case study, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised on that front.
Were they still on version 5?
Nothing leads me to believe that they were. However, even in R5, you had web mail, as ugly as it was.
Regardless if version. As the C-level executive this is one if the first things to do…
They were/are using Verson 8. And they did have Sametime.
Well, that is very curious, considering Mr. Fox said, “. . . There was no instant messaging, no presence, and no web conferencing.” I suppose you have to build up your move to the cloud in some manner, and it may as well be at the “limitations” of your old solution. Otherwise, it would never get published as an Office365 Case Study.
That’s the thing that makes the article so amazing it is a complete and utter lie.
While that may be true, the perception that the old system was, in some way, lacking, remains. And it is published for all to see. Which continues the falsehood that IBM Notes and Domino are a poor enterprise choice. Other CIO’s will read that case study and start to consider moving to alternative solutions. The damage is done.
Yep, the problem is that IBM does not have the Balls to fight any of this. They just roll over.
Although I’ll give the CIO enough rope to say he would be doing his own analysis before making decisions.But, either this guy has no skills of critical evaluation, or Microsoft just fed him a script to put his name to. Either way it looks bad. He’s either a Microsoft patsy or unable to identify “chasm sized” gaps in the required analysis before making platform-level shifts. I am pro-Notes, but I believe right too for the right problem. But he gives a completely inept reason for migration. One day I might not care any more, but for now, #TooOldToStayQuietTooYoungToLetitGo #EpicFail
Something wrong with my “L” key… too=”tool”
I knew what you meant. 🙂
I vote for explanation “The CIO got a prepared transcript from MS before the interview”. He looks like a nice person and probably have no reason to deliberately lie.
Plain stupid. No other qualification applies. Tells me something (again) about the skill set needed to become a C–O.
I also have to wonder if the IBM sales rep did anything at all. How (bad) do you have to be as a salesman to not know a customer in your territory is considering moving vendors? How do you not check on them every so often to see if they want upgrades or new products? Is it a lack of desire for commission?
Nice to see that someone had the same thought as me. 🙂 I actually believe that IBM is so focused on “social,” that those customers that aren’t talking to them about “social,” or want them to come in and start the conversation, are not even on their radar. Then, surprise! your customer is no longer yours.
IBM was all over this. They worked very hard to save the account. They really did leave no stone unturned. As you can see from the interview, it contains very little that is true.
This case study could be countered with a similar recent example where the switch is from Outlook to Notes. The “truth” may be that these examples don’t exist. Please correct me if this is not accurate.
This is all I could find => http://tinyurl.com/cj86jqd
Great article. I’m experiencing a few of these issues as well..