For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Phone-Based Navigation Ticks Up

by Charles S. Golvin, October 19, 2009

Earlier this year, Forrester predicted that, while a growing number of consumers would embrace navigation solutions, the phone would be the most widely used tool for navigation by 2013. Our most recent data reinforces this claim, as phone-based solutions . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Phone-Based Navigation Will Dominate By 2013

But Devoted Devices Will Remain Relevant

by Charles S. Golvin, May 27, 2009

Navigation has become a popular application, and today more than one-third of North American consumers own or use navigation services via a built-in vehicle system, a devoted portable navigation device (PND), or a GPS-enabled mobile phone — 27% are owners . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Auto Customer Acquisition

eBranding Is the Key to Winning Car Techies

by Chloe Stromberg, October 15, 2008

Today, one in four new vehicle buyers says, "I am very likely to buy vehicles with the latest in-car electronics." These Car Techies are a sweet spot for automakers because they buy more new vehicles than non-Techies do. This analysis by Forrester Research . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

The ROI Of RFID For Asset Tracking

A Total Economic Impact™ Analysis Uncovers Big Benefits When Minimal Inventory Controls Are In Place

by Patrick M. Connaughton, Roy C. Wildeman, July 29, 2008

Asset tracking using active Wi-Fi-enabled RFID tags is getting more interest these days. Why? For one, even with the high cost of tags, there's actually a clear ROI in sight for these investments. To illustrate this, we created two conservative ROI models . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

GPS Devices

Moving Beyond Automobile Integration

by Michael Gartenberg, June 20, 2008

Global positioning system (GPS) devices will remain popular as vendors look to differentiate their products from offerings optimized for in-vehicle use.

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Wireless Broadband

Understanding the Role of Wireless Technologies for Next-Generation Telematics Applications

by Ina Sebastian, May 23, 2008

The increasing variety of portable wireless broadband technologies brings up the question of potential applications and additional revenue streams in the telematics space.

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Location: The Next Frontier For Travel eBusiness

Highlights From TIA's TravelCom 2008

by Sarah Rotman Epps, May 2, 2008

"Location" was a hot topic of discussion for travel eBusiness professionals at the Travel Industry Association's (TIA's) TravelCom 2008. Experts from Google, NAVTEQ, Travel Channel Media, and Yahoo! assembled on a panel to discuss what it means to put . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Forrester TechRadar™: The Extended Supply Chain Application Ecosystem, Q2 2008

Wireless Fleets Forge Ahead; Global Trade Management Goes Mainstream

by Patrick M. Connaughton, April 15, 2008

Skyrocketing oil prices, pressure from low-cost competitors and ever-changing, complicated global trade regulations are enough to make even veteran supply leaders want to hide their heads in the sand. Add to that mix an aging and expensive-to-maintain . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Telematics

Understanding Consumers' Hot Buttons

by Belis Aksoy, January 4, 2008

Among many other benefits, telematics services help automotive manufacturers close the communication loop between buying cycles and differentiate their vehicles. However, creating a market for telematics services has been challenging. Consumer demand . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

GPS

Focusing the Core Feature to Drive Sales

by Andrea Wood, February 28, 2007

The market for global positioning systems (GPS) is growing, demonstrated by Garmin's investment in ad space during the 2007 Super Bowl. However, vendor expectations should be tempered. Consumer interest shows products are still niche, and industry changes . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Click Commerce Has The Deepest Service Parts Optimization Functionality

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q4 2006

by Patrick M. Connaughton, December 12, 2006

Click Commerce is the incumbent parts forecasting solution in many shops today with the deepest functional offering in the core forecasting and planning modules. The solution is clearly built with the planner in mind and with an emphasis on automating . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

The Forrester Wave™: Service Parts Optimization, Q4 2006

Servigistics Leads, Click Commerce And MCA Solutions Are Strong Performers

by Patrick M. Connaughton, December 12, 2006

Forrester evaluated leading service parts optimization (SPO) vendors across 119 criteria and found that Servigistics is the Leader in the space overall — thanks to its rich parts forecasting and planning capabilities and a clearly defined product . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Oracle Offers An Integrated Suite Vision For Service Parts Optimization

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q4 2006

by Patrick M. Connaughton, December 12, 2006

When it comes to parts forecasting and planning, Oracle's strengths lie in its flexible event management architecture, complete parts procurement solution, and interoperability between its parts planning and service execution modules. However, to compete . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Servigistics Offers The Most Complete Service Parts Optimization Strategy

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q4 2006

by Patrick M. Connaughton, December 12, 2006

The Servigistics solution strengths lie in its multi-echelon planning capabilities and reallocation of surplus inventory features. Other strengths include parts visibility and event management enabled via an enterprise-level dashboard, making it a good . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

MCA Solutions Excels At Service Parts Optimization — Especially When Paired With SAP

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q4 2006

by Patrick M. Connaughton, December 12, 2006

In our service parts optimization (SPO) evaluation, Forrester found that MCA offered strong aerospace and defense (A&D) functionality, although it could stand to improve the product's parts visibility and event management tools. The vendor's well-defined . . .

Who Wants High-Tech Cars?

A Closer Look At Carbuyers Embracing Hybrids, Telematics, And Customization

by Mark Dixon Bünger, November 2, 2005

Today's cars are entering a new phase of technological evolution, from drivetrain to spoiler. As designers and engineers produce more and more mind-bending features, tech-savvy carbuyers just as quickly learn the latest innovations inside and out and . . .

OnStar Email: Car-Owner Communication That Will Work

by Mark Dixon Bünger, September 16, 2005

OnStar has just announced OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics (OVD), a monthly email to owners about their car's status and account information. This combination of telematics, owners' pages, and simple email will appeal to consumers: Fully 81% told Forrester . . .

Telematics' Future: The OnStar Empire Strikes Back

by Mark Dixon Bünger, June 10, 2005

General Motors' OnStar is the sole survivor among automakers' dot-com era telematics ventures, and it now sits atop a subscriber base of some 3 million drivers. But just as OnStar's logo looks a lot like Darth Vader's Death Star, OnStar's situation looks . . .

Auto Retail's Perfect Storm Picks Up

Big Changes Continue To Roil Retail Before, At, And After NADA

by Mark Dixon Bünger, February 10, 2005

After a brief pause for the holidays, the relentless storm of restructuring in auto retail technology continues in full force. Last week's National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) convention in New Orleans was a particularly intense period in this . . .

Driving eLearning Through The Dealer Portal

How OEMs And Dealers Can Optimize Online Training

by Mark Dixon Bünger, January 12, 2005

High personnel turnover is auto retail's Achilles' heel, as technicians and especially sales personnel join and then leave a dealership after just a few months on the job. Dealers and automakers try to compensate with online, in-person, and blended training . . .

Trends 2005: Automotive Retail Technology

Board Up The Windows For The Return Of Auto Retail's Perfect Storm

by Mark Dixon Bünger, November 8, 2004

Automotive retail technology vendors will remember 2004 for an unprecedented, unbroken stream of stormy news from every possible direction: rivals spinning off, partnering and merging; million-dollar lawsuits and equity deals flying; and huge new contracts . . .

Why Microsoft Will Win The Telematics Race

Lessons From The Convergence 2004 Conference

by Mark Dixon Bünger, November 3, 2004

Underfeatured, overpriced, and out-of-date, telematics has failed miserably to live up to its promise. But new devices and developments that were presented at Convergence 2004 offer hope that the age of safer, more convenient, more entertaining, and affordable . . .

Overhauling Airline Maintenance

MRO Apps Must Keep Planes, People, And Parts In Motion

by Mark Dixon Bünger, Henry H. Harteveldt, October 13, 2004

Airlines are waking up to the potential for maintenance operations to improve costs and performance in aircraft, personnel, and service parts management. But they have been slow to invest in new maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) applications, leaving . . .

IT Shortcuts On Auto's Road To Recycling

Low-Cost IT Helps ARN Comply With Tomorrow's Recycling Requirements Today

by Mark Dixon Bünger, September 1, 2004

Legal, environmental, and economic requirements are forcing carmakers to find ways to recycle 85% of their vehicles, soon to be 95%, into raw materials and service parts. To meet these mandates, OEMs and suppliers are conducting expensive experiments . . .

ADP Gets DMS Pole Position With EDS Buy

ARG Boosts ADP's Technology, Customer, And Employee Base

by Mark Dixon Bünger, April 15, 2004

ADP recently announced the acquisition of EDS' Automotive Retail Group (ARG) dealer management system (DMS) business, including intellectual property, customers, and employee headcount. The deal gives ADP a robust, network-centric addition to its application . . .