Friday, May 13, 2005

Can analyst firms grow too quickly?

It's great to see some of the smaller analyst firms doing so well these days. They really are garnering influence in the UK market and I believe internationally as well.

I just hope that they don't fall into the trap of growing too quickly. These companies have built their reputations on the quality of their staff. As they expand, they'll have to hire new analysts. If these individuals aren't up to the job, then the image of the whole firm will suffer.

In the IT PR market, it's a perennial problem. Agencies get hot. They hire quickly. The new people aren't as good. Clients leave. The cycle starts again.

So, to all the small analyst firms, a plea. Please don't rush into hiring. Take your time. Recruit the best. Train them well. Make them ambassadors to be proud of.

Winning business in the short-term is great. Damaging the long-term value of your brand isn't.

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