Even though we are in the highly tech-centric business of online media, we've always taken the scrappy (i.e., cheapskate) approach to our internal technology needs at NewWest.Net. Why buy an office phone switch when cell phones and a few cordless landline will do? Why invest in a file server when you have Google Docs? Why build big in-house databases when you can use outsource Web services for sales contact management, e-newsletter distribution, conference registration, and just about everything else?
Unfortunately, there is a good answer to this last rhetorical question.
We have lots of good solutions for individual functions, but we do not
have a proper database of all our customers or even a proper
methodology for what kind of data is stored where. To put it another
way, we are drowning in lists.
This article available online at:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2009/04/drowning-in-lists/16442/
