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How much of the issue was internal (how Google builds) versus external (how Google sells)? The popular myth is that Google is much better at the former than th
by mathattack 11y ago
How much of the issue was internal (how Google builds) versus external (how Google sells)? The popular myth is that Google is much better at the former than the latter. I'm curious about your insider's view with respect to acquisitions.
- chuhnk 11y agoI'll start by saying these are my opinions and perspective based on my experience. I can't speak for senior management or other acquisitions. I agree with the sentiment. Google can build anything but they struggle to sell. I think part of that is being subject to anti-competitive practices and constantly under scrutiny which makes it difficult to use typical sales practices. It's also just not part of their DNA. They underestimate the need for the sales process and the human element of customer service. Being an acquisition that gets dropped into the big machine, everything slows down and all those tools you once used aren't so effective anymore.
- mathattack 11y agoInteresting - thank you for sharing your views. I wonder how much of it is senior management attention too. Google is very good at building 20x better mousetraps. Enterprise companies (say Oracle or Salesforce) are better at tackling immediate needs. Part is the market, part is the style of CEO. It takes a big shift to say "Build something incremental because someone will pay for it."