Re: UKNM: Indexfinger

[Ben Thompson]

Personally, I think it has more to do with the time of year. It's the end of

the tax year so many people are looking at past performance prior to the

lean months ahead (after all how much of the web is going to be World Cup

related).


Actually, bar Indexfinger (which I know nothing about, so cannot comment)

most of the recent companies that have gone, have gone for pretty obvious

reasons (i.e. spending more than they were earning). The reasons why

companies do this are numerous but for every firm that is successful with

this technique at least one will not be.


I have to admit that I have thought about this quite a bit this week (what

with TeamManager's Falco venture with NTK) along with the fact I knew people

at both Lowe's and WebMedia . The simple fact is that in both companies it

was fairly obvious something was not quite right. If you know what you are

looking for, signs of potential disaster are instantly recognisable. In many

ways I'm sure clients can recognise such symptons and make allowances for it

in negotiations (under the basis, well they need cash, so we'll start

negotiations at half their quote (and yes, I can think of examples)).


Oh and the reason for Team Manager: Falco. That's simple, by storing the

information without revealing it I can ensure Dan Sumption or someone else

doesn't bankrupt / libel half the industry overnight (as Revolution's Stovin

Hayter will no doubt claim).  It might not be in the best taste, but until

the Industry Shakedown finishes (and it will probably not finish for another

year) a rumour / gossip area is required and, if people follow the Falco

rules at least no harm can be done.


It might seem strange to many, but such a gossip magazine for the industry

existed in the pre-Web (1990-92) days. (Unfortunately I cannot remember its

name but from what I remember it contained mainly gossip and job adverts).

Strangely enough, after a special request we will be offering FREE

recruitment advertising from early next week. More details about that on

Tuesday when I grab the advert engine from my store of finished web

components.


yours,


Ben

__________________________________________

Ben Thompson

0976 583846


Fancy your own Fantasy World Cup League


http://football.teammanager.com