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* Five IT Predictions New outsourcers, the end of major software overhauls, and the continued rise of the Internet are just a few of the events that will transform the way IT departments operate, according to Gartner. The analyst firm released the latest report in its "Gartner Predicts" series on

December 14,2006, highlighting predictions, trends, and events that will alter the nature of business and IT in the coming years. The predictions are for technology in general, not specific to CRM, but will nonetheless have an influence over a company's CRM initiatives. "These changes will require that IT and business change their approach to delivering and quantifying value," says Daryl Plummer, a managing vice president and Gartner fellow.

* Three Tiers for ISV Partnerships Marketing resources and sales resources are the two new eye-catchers for independent software vendor (ISV) partnerships, according to a report issued by IDC. Although vendor partner programs have traditionally been driven by technical capabilities, due to a call in the market for broader platforms, marketing and sales capabilities are beginning to become a crucial fixture in these partnerships. Technical support is still the top driver, but IDC projects that the three functionalities together will soon become "the three key pillars driving successful ISV relationships."

* Salesforce.com Previews AppStore Salesforce.com has strengthened its focus on AppExchange, revealing on December 12 its approach for monetizing the on-demand platform and directory. The approach-coined AppStore-will provide developers and partners with a package of commercial services to market, sell, invoice, and deliver apps directly to customers through the AppExchange, according to the company.

(For the full stories and more news, visit destinationCRM.com.)