You can check out http://davidchao.typepad.com also....
The WebEx Connect Strategy is already gaining acceptance and traction in the marketplace with recent partnership wins with Business Objects, Mindjet, FaceTime, Spring CM, BMC Software, OpSource Optimal, DreamFactory, AdvenNet/Zoho, and SugarCRM.
The idea behind WebEx Connect is to extend the WebEx Network to 3rd party partners so they can instantly penetrate a population of 25,000-plus companies and over 3.5M WebEx users who understand WebEx, who understand the SaaS market. The ability to instantly market to this many companies without having to spend significant marketing dollars is of tremendous value.
It's an equal benefit for individual companies and end users to know that they can access readily available and out-of-the-box integrated technologies to help them optimize their business performance and efficiency. If you are a buyer or a seller of applications, you'll probably find what you are looking for through WebEx Connect.
I also came across an equity report from Brad Whitt, an analyst from RBC Capital Markets Corp. (November 10, 2006). One of his comments caught my attention:
How is Connect Different From AppExchange (Salesforce.com's Saas Platform)?
- "We struggle to find any significant similarities in the two strategies. WebEx provides a collaboration platform (essentially the glue that binds), AIM Pro and the 'killer app' - web meetings. AppExchange is not a collaboration platform and the core application is a database intensive SFA (sales force automation) tool. Unlike AppExchange, WebEx Connect is 'application agnostic' and open to working with on premise and on demand applications. Interestingly, none of the partners presenting at the WebEx analyst meeting see value in partnering with AppExchange."
With WebEx Connect, WebEx is truly extending the value chain across their customers, their customer's customers and 3rd party partners, creating a symbiotic environment where all parties need each other equally. Over time, I think that the WebEx Connect strategy will demonstrate WebEx's ability to make major contributions to their customer's business success and advancement of their customer's strategic initiatives.
