Now, he says he must worry about providing security not just for 25,000 employees but also for the company's hundreds of thousands of independent sales agents and millions of customers using Web-based applications. The Hartford has multiple CRM systems, from homegrown databases used by the annuities department to a software package from San Mateo, Calif.-based Siebel Systems Inc. used at the company's call centers. Running customer systems is a large part of many IT leaders' jobs. Not only will those links help customers by giving Staples employees access to complete customer histories, but combining them also makes it easier for employees to do their jobs. Those kinds of dual benefits are common at Staples, says Light.
Web technologies are another area of necessary expertise for IT leaders.
Annis says his company's customer service projects require him to understand applications like Web chat and interactive voice response. Staples is running a text-chat pilot to see if it can provide customer service benefits when buyers call in with questions, says Light. Krispy Kreme uses the Web extensively to connect its nationwide outlets to an extranet, according to Hood. Web-enabled applications like Lotus Domino are a key part of its infrastructure he says. At MONY, IT staffers have a whole new set of skills to match the company's commitment to e-business, says Rogers.