150 Reference Pros Exchange Ideas, Solutions at 2008 Customer Reference Forum

Fast Facts

Where: Berkeley, CA at the Claremont Resort.

When: February 18-20, 2008

Who Attended: 150 reference pros from some 70 firms, including EMC, Cisco, SAS, Oracle, Hewlett-Packard, Salesforce.com, Dell, Microsoft, Redhat, BMC, Intel, Qwest Communications, IBM, Siemens, Research in Motion, Unisys, McAfee, Network Appliance, Sun Microsystems, Blackbaud, Juniper Networks, Business Objects and many others.

President's Award Winner for Overall Presentation:
Rhett Livengood, Chief Reference Officer, Intel, for his presentation on "How Intel's Reference Program Gained a Seat at Sales and Marketing's Executive Table."

President's Award Winner for Breakout Session:
Tom Robson, Lead Reference Program Manager, Qwest Communications for his presentation - "From 0 to 60: How Qwest Launched a High Impact Reference Program Fast."

What's New

Peer Exchange Workshops:
More than 90 experienced reference pros exchanged ideas and solutions on 7 critical issues in reference management. Vendors and new reference pros participated in a separate track. Issues addressed by the experienced group included: filling the reference pipeline; promoting the reference program; developing credible metrics; leveraging reference programs with partners; synchronizing a global reference program; getting cooperation from sales, and developing a reference strategy for the web 2.0.

Here's a sample of one of the Action Plans - on Promoting the Reference Program - led by Irene Yam of Riverbed Technology and Lara McGurk of Sun Microsystems.

Just Getting Started Track:
This was our first time to present a special track on Tuesday afternoon for reference pros who are new or just starting a reference program. The President's Award winning presentation by Tom Robson on starting Qwest's reference program was a big hit.

Metrics SIG Lunch:
Led by Oracle's Gayle McClary, some 50 reference professionals met for lunch to address the issue of developing sophisticated metrics for measuring the effectiveness of reference programs. The Metrics SIG (Special Interest Group) is redoubling its efforts to address this issue, with support and guidance from Mainstay Partners' Amir Hartman along with an active approach to recruiting new reference pros to help develop best practices in this area.

Who Presented:

Presenters included:

Prof. V. Kumar, ING Chair Professor in Marketing, and Executive Director, ING Center for Financial Services, School of Business, University of Connecticut, and Chairman & CEO , IMC International.
Paolo Tosolini, New Media Business Manager, Microsoft, and Eric Larson, Senior Marketing Consultant, Projectline Services, Inc.
Rhett Livengood, Director, Enterprise Customer Programs, Intel Corporation.
Dian Thompson, Sr. Director, Global Customer Programs, Oracle.
Scott Acheson, Senior Manager, Global Marketing, SAP.
Wayne S. Fenstermacher, Sr. Mgr., Client Reference Management, Unisys Corp.
Tom Robson, Marketing Manager, "Voice of the Customer" Reference Program, Qwest Communications.

Please click here for the full Agenda.