Every once in a while, it's good to get a reality check on the limitations of technology, and to remember that "tech" is sometimes just a fancy word for "tool". Today's management story, which briefly summarizes an excerpt from Jeffrey Pfeffer's latest business tome, alludes to the unfair burden people often place on technology and technologists. Instead of the "people thinking" and "elbow grease" that carbon-based sentient beings are really good at, executives too often default to the "automation option".

Customer relationship management often falls into that category. Don't get me wrong, I think CRM is an important technology that can streamline processes, reduce costs, and create new selling opportunities. Believe me, I am a fan. However, what the technology can't do is create relationships of trust and generate the feelings of loyalty that most businesses would like to see from their customers. For this, you need real people who are ready, willing and capable of building these relationships. Non-technical C-level executives who can work with CIOs to integrate this sensibility into a technology-enabled strategy are the real winners in this game. But I think such folks are rare. I'd like to see some good examples of effective technology implementations that actually improve the quality of inter-human relationships between vendors and customers. I know they're out there. Anyone care to point me in the right direction? Enjoy the issue. -Patty [1]