News

Opinionated industry execs needed for Round Table

ATMmarketplace is looking for some ATM industry types with the right stuff for its spotlight on Future Trends

August 3, 2003

ATMmarketplace is looking for some ATM industry types with the right stuff -- including the ability to interpret activities in the ATM market and forecast what will become significant future trends.

When NetWorld Alliance, publisher of ATMmarketplace, surveyed 8,000 ATMmarketplace readers in December of 2002, it found that the majority of them (74 percent, to be exact) wanted to read more about future industry trends and predictions.

Inspired by that strong response, members of NetWorld management decided to create a Future Trends area on the Web site. To help evaluate which trends should appear, NetWorld is recruiting a group of industry professionals to serve on a Future Trends Executive Round Table.

Y2K and beyond

"This will be an opportunity for the right market leaders to contribute to a collective vision of the ATM industry's future," said NetWorld President Tom Harper.

The first round table will focus on trends in Europe and North America. Harper said NetWorld hope s to create future round tables focusing on ATM trends elsewhere around the world.

Candidates from Europe and North America will be required to submit a 500-to 800-word "Expert Perspective" article detailing their personal views of the industry's direction. The essays will be an important factor in selecting members of the round table, Harper said. Mike Lee, international director of the ATM Industry Association, and representatives of NetWorld will review and judge the essays.

"We're looking for volunteers at the head of their class to give us their opinions on where we're going over the next five years," Harper said.

The term of membership will be one year, during which one or two conference calls may be scheduled, Harper said. There will also be periodic communications via e-mail.

One of members' key tasks will be helping to determine the questions to be presented to ATMmarketplace readers in an Industry Perception Survey.

"The survey will help us identify the most popular 'megatrends' occurring now and into the future, as well as collect qualified opinions on the overall direction of the market," Harper said.

Data from the survey will be compiled in a research report, Harper said. A summary of the survey, along with the members' "Expert Perspective" articles, will be among the content included in the site's new Future Trends area.

Included in the report will be an analysis of  which predictions from earlier years have come to fruition -- and which have not.

"This may shed some interesting light on how accurate the experts were and whether current views should factor into long-term business plans," Harper said.

Harper, representing ATMmarketplace, will chair the round table, along with a representative from IBM, which is sponsoring the Future Trends area of the site.

"We're grateful to IBM for sponsoring the creation of this important group," Harper said.