Today’s IIAR> Around in 10 questions interview is with Rebecca Wettemann / CEO and Principal Analyst, Valoir Inc. (@ValoirView, LinkedIn) who leads Valoir, an analyst firm focused on the value of technology.
1. What are your coverage areas?
Valoir is focused on the value of technology, covering customer relationship management (CRM) and customer experience (CX),human capital management (HCM) and employee experience (EX), and other technologies impacting productivity and employee and customer experience.
2. What are your opinions of the IT Analysis Marketplace and where do you see it going?
The analyst world has changed a lot in the past decade. The old view of siloed markets doesn’t work anymore because there are so many interdependencies between applications and systems, and human factors impact the value applications can deliver across markets and departments. It challenges all of us to be both specialists and generalists at the same time.
3. What’s your typical day like?
It’s typically about 1/3 writing, 1/3 research and analysis, and 1/3 interaction and collaboration, either with my team, clients, vendors, or press and other analysts.
4. Now, c’mon, tell me an AR horror story?
I once had a vendor tell me they hadn’t “given me permission” to talk to any of their customers. You can guess how that ended.
5. How do you position your firm? What is your business model?
We are focused on technology value, helping both vendors and users evaluate the business case for technology investments. Our revenue is heavily skewed toward vendors today because we have a penetration strategy for the user business.
6. What is your research methodology?
To really understand the value technology deliver, and all the factors that impact that value, you have to have deep conversations with the people in the trenches. Although we do some surveys, we rely on in-depth interviews for most of our data.
7. Tell us about one good AR practice you’ve experienced or one good AR event you’ve attended.
Zoho’s analyst event at its headquarters last year was really unforgettable, in terms of the content, the level and breadth of interaction, and how they opened their doors (and culture) to us. However, small things make a difference too: UKG, for example, gives analysts a list of
executives’ LI and X handles to make increasing engagement with them easy.
8. What are your offerings and key deliverables?
As our focus is on value, most of our published research is designed to help evaluate the potential benefits of technology, whether it’s ROI case studies or broader reports that provide a framework for building a business case. In additional to the traditional speaking and advisory engagements, We also help clients build business case frameworks, and support the development of individual
business cases for specific projects for prospective buyers.
9. Any hobbies or favourite restaurant / food that you’d like to share?
I’m a classically trained pianist, but now I play mostly for me – classical, blues, folk, show tunes – really anything! I also love cooking; when I’m not traveling you’ll find me making dinner at least 4 times a week. And of course, I’m a proud dog Mom (you can get regular Patrick updates on X and LI).
10. Is there another analyst (a peer in your firm or with another firm) whose work you rate highly?
There are many doing great work. I’ve looked up to Mary Wardley at IDC since I first met her as an intern years ago. Dana Stiffler at Gartner is also great and has done some really impactful supply chain work, particularly around DEIB.
