Jeff Kaplan: Since my last blog entry correctly predicted the pace of merger and acquisition activity in the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) was primed to accelerate just three days before RightNow acquired SalesNet, I figure I'd test my prognostication skills again by predicting another important market trend in the SaaS and managed services sector.
This time I'm predicting that several SaaS and managed service providers are going to team with the major Internet companies and hardware vendors to dramatically expand their channels to market.
I've been suggesting this trend privately to my clients for the past six months. And, the series of joint ventures and strategic alliances announced between eBay, Yahoo, Google and Dell in the past week gives me even greater confidence that my prediction is about to come true.
Specifically, I expect eBay, Yahoo, Google and possibly AOL along with leading PC/server vendors to resell various SaaS and managed service offerings to consumers and SMBs (small- and mid-size businesses).
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