Software makers should stop pushing innovations on users and focus
instead on providing better after-sales service, European chief
information officers said at a conference in Brussels on
Friday.
"Vendors must change their business models," said Jacques
Beer-Gabel, CIO of French banking group Société Général and vice
president of French IT users association Cigref, which hosted the
conference.
"Their aim is to sell as many boxes as possible. While we welcome
innovation, we just don't need products at this pace. We need
bug-free, long-lasting equipment. Vendors have to get away from
focusing on repeat purchases and work more on providing better
after sales-service," Beer-Gabel said.
The CIOs also discussed issues that arose from mergers and
takeovers, how IT should fit in with corporate strategy, and how
best to integrate applications throughout companies.
Some CIOs believed their role should focus solely on information,
and that systems questions should be handled by chief technology
officers. Others argued that the two things are inseparable. "There
was no consensus on this," Beer-Gabel said.
The CIOs said they were very interested in the European antitrust
case against Microsoft, but none said they had participated in the
EuropeanCommission's investigation.
"It is important for the Commission to act," said deputy general
manager Cigref Sebastien Bachollet, but he added: "It's not our
role to point out problems. We need to push our position directly
with providers such as Microsoft."