Interview with Marjorie Tenzer, IBM Vice President of Marketing and Channels for Lotus Software on the business value of Lotus Quickr software.
MOYER: Welcome to our podcast on the business value of Lotus Quickr software. My name is Megan Moyer. I'm the marketing manager and I'm thrilled to have as our very special guest today -- Marjorie Tenzer -- Vice President of Marketing and Channels for Lotus Software. Welcome Marjorie!
TENZER: Thanks Megan.
MOYER: Marjorie -- In January, Lotus made a big announcement about team collaboration and the next generation. So, why don't you start with an update on what's been going on since then.
TENZER: Well, first I want to emphasize the wonderful response we've gotten from our customers and partners. Their interest has been phenomenally strong. As an example, Megan, one customer I met told me he wastes a lot of time just searching through his e-mails for project materials. But, he was quite excited about the idea of having a product that gives him access to the people, information and materials he needs to manage and complete his projects. With Lotus Quickr, that's exactly what everyone gets - open, flexible software that's designed to meet the collaborative needs of companies today.
MOYER: That's excellent. And, what are our business partners saying?
TENZER: They love the direction we're taking. In fact, just recently, my colleague Tim Kounadis returned from a partner meeting in Barcelona -- and said that many of them were very excited about building templates and other add-ons.
MOYER: That's good. We've also gotten some great press and analyst reviews.
TENZER: Right. They've been extremely positive. But, no one who's been involved in this project is surprised by the excitement it's generating.
MOYER: Really? Why is that?
TENZER: You know, I think it starts out with the fact that there's a huge demand in the market. We've been describing it as "team software" but people don't always know what that means. But when they see the product, they immediately understand. It provides a secure environment to share content and keep everyone in the loop without a big effort. Projects keep moving -- even with people in different time zones -- because they can post ideas, have discussions and share updates. They can coordinate everything all in one place. They don't have to search through mounds of e-mail attachments anymore and hope they find the latest document version. Information can come from different sources too. It's not just about documents. You can post content from web sites, mp3 and graphics files, articles, PowerPoint presentations, any kind of content. It's all there in their Lotus Quickr team space.
MOYER: That's a good point. But, this isn't a new concept though right?
TENZER: It's not a new idea, but it's a better way to do it than ever before. We introduced QuickPlace about seven or eight years ago. And, there are several thousand users who are very loyal to the product.
But, the nature of what teams need, has changed. People move from project to project and have multiple team responsibilities now. Some teams may even include people from outside the organization like vendors or partners. To meet their needs, our software tools must change. That's why we're building Lotus Quickr -- as next generation team software.
MOYER: That's good. What about Web 2.0 - are we designing the product with that in mind?
TENZER: We definitely are. Web 2.0 isn't a passing fad. You may not know it, but a lot of us are using it today with things like blogs and wikis. Lotus Quickr has an option to use wikis and team blogs. Team blogs are great because you can use them to get input on ideas or share information. And, people can respond anytime, sometimes without requiring extra meetings. It's a real time saver. And, wikis are great for group authoring - like for writing documentation or brochure copy together. It also has RSS -- Real Simple Syndication -- and ATOM feeds which allows you to subscribe and get feeds of information that interest you. It's very flexible, and adapts to the needs of the individuals on the team.
MOYER: Marjorie -- Is there anything specific about Lotus Quickr that you'd like to highlight?
TENZER: Yes. We're making it extremely easy to use - and easy to get started right away. This isn't going to take people a long time to get up and running. I know all software companies say that -- but when we show it to people, they love the intuitive interface and how it integrates with their desktop software. You can access Lotus Quickr two ways -- from a Web browser or from desktop software -- like Microsoft Office, Lotus Notes, Lotus Sametime and Windows Explorer. That means end users just do what they do everyday. For example, the latest version of a document can be checked out of a Lotus Quickr library from any Microsoft Office product. That's the most compelling part of the software.
MOYER: That is really easy. Marjorie -- Before we end this podcast, what would you recommend people do next?
TENZER: First of all, Megan, I'd say attend a local Lotusphere Comes to You event. They're all over the world and it includes a session on Lotus Quickr. If you can't make that, there's a webcast you can listen to now -- and a new demo that will be available soon. And from June 4th through July 1st, Lotusphere Comes to You Online will feature the product and we'll have scheduled events they can take advantage of.
MOYER: Excellent. Those are great suggestions. Let me just add, that all of these events and resources you mentioned can be found on the Lotus Quickr web page at ibm.com/lotus/quickr. Marjorie - This is great. Thanks for talking with me and sharing your passion and enthusiasm for this project.
TENZER: Thank you Megan. This is an incredible project. Lots of buzz in the marketplace. Cool technology. And, I know we're going to success and have a lot of fun doing it. Thanks for the time today. | 
