It's the (Virtual) Survival of the Fittest

Even the change agents must change

As traditional brick-and-mortar corporations rush to reposition themselves as Internet businesses and an increasing number of start-up companies charge to market, the Web integration field has become a virtual survival of the fittest. Firms from hot Web shops to Big Five technology practices jockey for position amid a deluge of mergers, acquisitions and IPOs. The frenetic activity and shifting dynamics of the interactive space are placing plenty of firms under a lot of pressure to create a name for themselves quickly or get lost in the shuffle.

When I started my firm as Micro Modeling Associates 11 years ago, the Internet wasn't even on the horizon as a viable business tool. We built our reputation as experts in Microsoft technologies, culminating with our selection as Microsoft's Solution Partner of the Year in 1999. We experienced phenomenal growth, and were named one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the country by Deloitte and Touche in 1999. In our first 10 years, we delivered more than 1,000 solutions, and 35 percent of Fortune 100 companies use our systems. But, at the same time, we--and our clients--saw that the future of business lay on the Web. Sure, we could have remained successful as Micro Modeling Associates; but the promise and excitement of the Internet was too much. So we committed to change.

Our move to the interactive space had already begun in the mid-1990s. Many of our "early adopter" clients who had come to us for other technology services began asking us to work with them on Web strategy, and we jumped right in building extranets for the likes of the Nasdaq stock market, Web sites for young startups such as AtYourBusiness.com and Web-based knowledge management tools for KPMG. The expertise that we spent the last 10 years perfecting had positioned us perfectly to make our mark in the highly competitive interactive arena, where many of the most-coveted clients were already our longtime partners. We began extensive planning, including a multi-million dollar rebranding campaign and business plan overhaul aimed at transforming our $54-million technology consulting business into a leader in the interactive space.

In March 2000, we became Plural, but the external name change--while thrilling for the entire company--was really just the icing on the cake. In order to compete effectively, we had to change the way we did business, and we began aggressively building our three core disciplines--creative services, business consulting and technology--which marked both a business change and also a cultural change for a company that previously had been almost totally populated by technologists. We overhauled our methodology to effectively deliver our three integrated disciplines, and implemented an internal knowledge-management program to capture and disseminate best practices companywide. And to support the demand for our services, we launched an aggressive growth plan including both stepped-up organic growth and also an acquisition strategy.

Our Plural rebranding campaign was designed to sharpen our focus on the e-business consulting services market. Led by newly hired chief creative officer William Luddy, a former senior executive at Agency.com, Plural worked with worldwide identity brand management firm Lipincott & Margulies and broke our first major advertising program with Farago++ Partners. We selected the Plural name and "strength multiplied" tagline because they exemplify the relationships that we have built with clients over the years--a recognition that our clients are already smart and able and are looking for a partner, not an adversary.

The months after our transformation have been both exciting and extremely rewarding. On the heels of our transformation, we announced a strategic relationship with Microsoft to jointly invest to provide Global 2000 and Internet start-up clients with market-leading e-business solutions. We launched the Plural Propeller, a comprehensive program and partner network created to shepherd early-stage Internet companies from business plan to market-entry, strengthening our Venture Technology initiative that today boasts more than 25 Internet ventures including RedChip.com, listed in Forbes Magazine's "Best of the Web." And we have partnered with Garage.com, a leading online venture capital company, to deliver premier services to early-stage Internet start-ups.

The future for firms providing all types of Internet-related services is very promising and demand continues to outstrip the supply of professionals with experience in taking both brick-and-mortar companies and start-ups to market quickly and effectively. At the same time, our industry is showing some early signs of maturity as companies move to solidify their skills and expand their businesses faster than ever before through alliances, mergers and acquisitions.

In spite of the change, the competitive pressure, and even the hype that accompanies all fast-moving industries, I am confident that our long record of success, our solid client partnerships and our own strategic growth has Plural poised to win the virtual survival of the fittest.