Vendors aren't ahead of the carriers anymore. Vendors, he says, should know the industry and understand the technologies they are presenting. Zuccari of Actel agrees. Suppliers need to have a much better understanding of the industry and the direction the industry is taking. They need to view themselves less as a software company and more of a company participating in the industry.
Vendors acknowledge the importance of industry savvy.
If you are really going to do your job right, you see many customers. You have to pattern on what you see them needing. And, you have to understand the technology and business changes well enough to take a pretty good guess as to where industry is going in the future. This is particularly hard for new entrants in the OSS space, says Mortensen. It straps resources.